Hoodoo is a folk religion or traditional magic which originated in the southern United States. The goal of Hoodoo is to allow people access to supernatural forces to influence their daily lives.
Hoodoo is believed to have influence in many areas, including gambling, love, divination, cursing one's enemies, treatment of disease, employment, and necromancy. Many patent medicines were aimed at Hoodoo practitioners. Significant use is made of various home-made potions and charms, but there are also many sucsessful commercial companies selling various Hoodoo components.
While Hoodoo and Voodoo share some elements--the latter probably influencing the former--and may have a common etymology, the terms generally refer to different beliefs and practices: Hoodoo is very informal, largely based on traditional African practices, though it drew significantly from Native American folklore, especially the use of herbs and other botanical elements. Elements of various Christian, Jewish and European folk practices found their way into Hoodoo. Voodoo is an established religion. Hoodoo is the magic without the religion. If Voodoo and Santeria can be said to be influenced by Catholicism then Hoodoo has been influenced by Protestantism and Southern Evangelical movements.
Most adherents have been black, but whites and Native Americans also used Hoodoo.
Hoodoo is used as a noun to describe a magic spell or potion, as a title for a powerful practitioner (Hoodoo Doctor, Hoodoo Man or Hoodoo Woman), or as an adjective or verb depending upon context. The word can be dated at least as early as 1891. Some practitioners prefer the term Hoodooism, but this has mostly fallen out of use. Synonyms include conjuration, witchcraft, or rootwork. The latter demonstrates the importance of various roots in the making of charms and casting spells. An amulet characteristic of hoodoo is the mojo, often called a mojo bag or mojo hand; this is a small sack filled with herbs, coins, sometimes a magnet, and various other objects of magical power.
Due to Hoodoo's great emphasis on an individual's magical power, practices are easily adapted based on one's desires, inclination and habits. Knowledge is passed person to person; there is no structured hierarchy.
Like many other folk magics, great emphasis is placed on herbs, minerals, parts of animals' bodies, an individual's posessions, and bodily fluids, especially menstrual blood, urine and semen.
Many blues musicians referred to Hoodoo in their songs, and such elements have become important to the music.
Zora Neale Hurston recorded many Hoodoo practices and tales.
