The book Mojo workin’: The old African American Hoodoo system was written by Katrina Hazzard-Donald. Hazzard-Donald (2013) is an associate professor of sociology, anthropology, and criminal justice at Rutgers University-Camden. Hazzard-Donald’s book explored the African American cultural tradition of hoodoo. Subsequently, Hazzard-Donald argued that the tradition of hoodoo emerged from a range of different African ethnic cultures brought together as a result of enslavement during the Trans Atlantic slave trade. Hazzard-Donald asserted that the primary African components from which Hoodoo would be developed was drawn from a range of different African ethnic cultures that stretched from Senegal to the Congo. As a result, enslaved Africans
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Until recently Hoodoo was never discussed or understood in terms of religion or legitimate spiritual and cultural practice. In fact, it is presently viewed by some African Americans as merely a collection of superstitions with little meaning, little cultural value, and little social significance. Nonetheless, Hazzard-Donald’s (2013) research has proven those perspectives to be far from accurate. Other works examining African American music, dance, folk medicine, and folk magic have been examined as separate entities. However, Hazzard-Donald’s work differed from those works because unlike other works, Hazzzard-Donald’s work connected the elements of music, dance, medicine, midwifery, spirit possession, and water immersion to a common cultural blanket under which they all occupied at one time known as Hoodoo. Hazzard-Donald’s work also differed from other works because of her use of personal interviews of old Tradition Hoodoo workers as well as her in depth personal knowledge of West African religious and cultural practices gained as an Orisha …show more content…
That is to say, she successfully explored and detailed the birth of the first African American cultural expression by enslaved Africans as well as detailed its evolution into the present day African American cultural experience. For instance, chapter one was an account of the major manifestations of African traditional religion in America along with their principles and practices that were carried to America from Africa. Chapter two evaluated the eight elements from Africa that birthed Hoodoo. Chapter three detailed the role and importance of herbal medicine within Hoodoo. Chapter four and five charted the transformation of Hoodoo from the southern region to the urban environment. Chapter six explored the role of Hoodoo in the African American culture as a healthcare substitute. Lastly, chapter seven looked at Hoodoo during the post World War II
Until recently Hoodoo was never discussed or understood in terms of religion or legitimate spiritual and cultural practice. In fact, it is presently viewed by some African Americans as merely a collection of superstitions with little meaning, little cultural value, and little social significance. Nonetheless, Hazzard-Donald’s (2013) research has proven those perspectives to be far from accurate. Other works examining African American music, dance, folk medicine, and folk magic have been examined as separate entities. However, Hazzard-Donald’s work differed from those works because unlike other works, Hazzzard-Donald’s work connected the elements of music, dance, medicine, midwifery, spirit possession, and water immersion to a common cultural blanket under which they all occupied at one time known as Hoodoo. Hazzard-Donald’s work also differed from other works because of her use of personal interviews of old Tradition Hoodoo workers as well as her in depth personal knowledge of West African religious and cultural practices gained as an Orisha …show more content…
That is to say, she successfully explored and detailed the birth of the first African American cultural expression by enslaved Africans as well as detailed its evolution into the present day African American cultural experience. For instance, chapter one was an account of the major manifestations of African traditional religion in America along with their principles and practices that were carried to America from Africa. Chapter two evaluated the eight elements from Africa that birthed Hoodoo. Chapter three detailed the role and importance of herbal medicine within Hoodoo. Chapter four and five charted the transformation of Hoodoo from the southern region to the urban environment. Chapter six explored the role of Hoodoo in the African American culture as a healthcare substitute. Lastly, chapter seven looked at Hoodoo during the post World War II