Stephanie Young
Writing Rhetoric ll
October 30, 2014
Annotated Bibliography
Brandstotler, Barbara Simone. Voodoo in New Oreans. Anglistik web
projects Live Miss Voodoo website. November 2013.
http://www.univie.ac.at/Anglistik/webprojects/LiveMiss/Voodoo/index.htm
Brandstotler explains how the basic practice of voodoo was brought by slaves from Africa. Voodoo believes that nature is controlled by spiritual forces which they sometimes become hostile. To calm the spiritual forces, a ritual must be performed along with an animal sacrifice. Magical practices are also performed in the ritual. Voodoo dolls are not part of the voodoo religion but of the Hoodoo religion. Voodoo is, unfortunately, mixed with Hoodoo ( a dark spiritual religion that deals with dark magic, voodoo, and hexes.
I like this source because it explains the origin of Voodoo from Africa and how it is a misunderstood religion. This book explores the good side of voodoo and the benefits in practicing the religion. This book also tells about the bad voodoo called Hoodoo in which Hollywood focus on but using the wrong name.
Hurston, Zora Neal. Tell My Horse: Voodoo and Life in Haiti
and Jamaica. New York: Harper Perennial, 1990. Print.
http://www.amazon.com/Tell-My-Horse-Voodoo-Jamaica/dp/0061695130
Zora Neal Hurston shares her personal experiences practicing voodoo during her visits in Haiti and Jamaica in the 1930s. She talks about her participation in the ceremonies. She talks about a Balm yard in which people take a series of bath with a certain plant where their ailment is diagnose. The ailment can be a curse put upon them so the priest or doctor drive the spirit off of them. She was initiated and participated in the important black cultural practices. Zora delved deep into bad voodoo. She left hurriedly in 1938 believing she will die and that a hex was put on her.
I believe this is a great source for my research. This will give my paper realism and a different perspective of voodooism. It opens my mind to understanding voodoo from someone who practiced it.
Alvarado, Denise. The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook. Canada. Red
Wheel/Weiser - World. 2011. Print.
http://www.amazon.com/Voodoo-Hoodoo-Spellbook-Denise-Alvarado/dp/1578635136
The author is New Orleans born and raised in Voodoo and Hoodoo. She reveals the dark side of Voodoo and Hoodoo magic. She talks about the magic spells for people who want revenge, love, job, blessing, and protection from dark magic.
I like this book as a source because it describes the darkness of Voodoo and Hoodoo. This book gives me an idea how voodoo switched from good to bad.
Robinson, B.A. "Religious Tolerance." Ontario Consultants
on Religious Tolerance website. 2010
http://www.religioustolerance.org/voodoo.htm
The site "Religious Tolerance" adds some insights on Voodoo and other religions. The actual religion, Vodun is practiced in Benin, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, Togo and various centers in the US - largely where Haitian refugees have settled. The - evil, imaginary religion, called Voodoo created for Hollywood movies, complete with "voodoo dolls", violence,
bizarre rituals, etc. It does not exist in reality, except in the minds of most non-Voduns.
I like this source to use in my research, because it helps prove that Voodoo or Vodun is not a bad religion. People and Hollywood made this good religion bad to make Africa look bad.
Sahgal, N., & Smith, G. "Religious Portrait of African Americans."
Pew Research Religion& Public Life Project website. 30 January
2009
http://www.pewforum.org/2009/01/30/a-religious-portrait-of-african-americans/
In many ways, African-Americans are significantly more religious than the general population, with the vast majority considering religion very important in their lives. African-Americans also are more religiously observant on a variety of other measures, from frequency of prayer and worship service attendance to belief in God.
I found this source very interesting in why the Black race are the most spiritual.