Louisiana Voodoo

The word Vodou, also known as Voodoo, means “spirit” or “deity” in the languages of West Africa. It is a religion that encompasses philosophy, medicine, and justice. The creator of both the universe and the spirits is understood to be the God of the Christian Bible; however, because the religion was established before people were able to read or write; therefore, there is no sacred text or central authority. Spanning centuries and continents the religion has morphed into hundreds of incarnations and practices. One such incarnation of the religion is Louisiana voodoo, also known as New Orleans Voodoo, a unique form of voodoo religion practiced-- as its name suggests--mainly in Louisiana and the southeastern United States. The historical…

1782 the governor of Louisiana prohibited the importation of blacks from the West Indies because he saw them to be steeped in Voodooism and threatening to his citizens' safety. He set out to outlaw the practice of Voodoo fearing that it's evil would serve as a rallying point for slave uprising, especially as white colonists were greatly outnumbered by those they held in bondage. It was not until the successors of James Monroe had concluded the purchase of Louisiana from France in 1803 that some…

Marie Laveau is an important figure in Louisiana Voodoo, a religion largely formed from Western African religion and various cultures from the area (including Spanish and French) (Nickell). Among fifteen Voodoo Queens in New Orleans during the 1800s, Laveau is the most prominent and the most noteworthy (Nickell). She was born free in 1794 to a Creole woman and a white man (Nickell). Much of Marie Laveau’s life is uncertain as a great amount of legend surrounds the icon. It is believed that she…

Questlove (mostly known as the drummer of The Roots) talked about how he recorded drums for D’ Angelo’s “Voodoo” album during an interview at Red Bull Music Academy. In the recording session, he was told to emulate D’ Angelo programming the drum without quantizing it, which then accidentally created a raw, dragging and uneven drumming style that fits D’ Angelo’s music perfectly. It is very impressive to see Questlove in the interview deliberately play every drum beat behind but still being able…

New Orleans is a melting pot of culture or as the people from New Orleans probably refer to it: a gumbo. Many of their cultural influences come from their deep-rooted history. New Orleans, founded by Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville, became a cultural gumbo from the fact that the Louisiana Territory swapped hands many times before it came to rest in the hands of the Americans. The French sent most of their undesirables like prostitutes, thieves, and an assortment of other criminals to inhabit…

The National Guard plays many roles in keeping our country safe from protecting the United States to assisting in helping civilians during natural disasters. The National Guard has played quite an enormous role in the past when Hurricanes Sandy and Katrina hit the coast of the United States of America. Hurricane Katrina had arrived on August 23, 2005 and disappeared on August 31, 2005. Hurricane Sandy came into effect October 22, 2012 and the storm died out on October 31, 2012. The storms…

The end of August 2005 is a period of time that many along the entire Gulf Coast area will never forget. Hurricane Katrina, even ten years later, is one of the most catastrophic natural disasters in United States history. Despite the awareness and preparation that is afforded when anticipating a hurricane, the Gulf Coast was severely devastated when the storm made landfall on August 29, 2005. Although there was widespread destruction, the region most decimated by the hurricane was New Orleans.…

August 29, 2005 was a tragic day for the residents in Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, and Alabama. It was a day that would change their lives. On August 25, Hurricane Katrina hit land in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 40 mph. On August 28, in the Gulf of Mexico, Katrina became a Category 5 with winds of 175 mph. At 6:10 on August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Louisiana. When it finally reached Louisiana on August 29, it had weakened to a Category 3 with…

From about 1890 to 1918, the United States embarked on a quest to increase the worldwide prestige of the United States. The United States expanded its territories, adding Cuba, the Philippines, Guam, and Puerto Rico with the victory over Spain in the War of 1898. Imperialists who supported this expansion often used an unique brand of Social Darwinism, referred to as American Exceptionalism, to justify these acquisitions. This heightened American patriotism and American perceptions regarding race…

get an idea of the purpose the mounds. Mounds were built with mud and wood to support the structure. Native Americans were mainly hunter and gathers. According to Newberry.org "The settlements of these believers were oriented to mounds and earthworks, that is, ceremonial centers that were constructed several miles apart along waterways." Most mounds run along the Mississippi River Valley. The history of these people can help understand the purpose of the mounds. According to Lynda Shaffer book…