The Anglo-Protestant community in New Orleans began to perceive Voodoo as immoral and a threat to its citizens as a threat to morality and public safety, as many African Americans; let alone those who practiced Voodoo were viewed as ignorant and sinful. Such mindset led the state government of New Orleans to institute statutory laws fortune telling, healing practices not medically sanctioned, and receiving cash or other material benefits under false pretenses. In addition, Federal mail fraud laws were passed against individuals who sort to conduct Voodoo practices through mail; conviction of such crimes carried severe punishments and jail time. There were several cases reported over Voodoo related convicted mail fraud by several African American New Orleanais; the most public and publicized of all was that of a man named Rockford Lewis, who sold rheumatic oils, lucky beans and amulets, etc through the mail.
Although the thought of being involved in such rituals is scary, I developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for the practices that Haitian voodoo participants, if it is appropriate to refer to such people as, engage in. The most impressive bit of information that I will keep with me is to be less judgmental of others; “people who practice voodoo believe in the same God as Christianity, but they also believe in communicating with other spirits, who serve various roles in healing, casting spells, and more” (Boudreaux, 2015a, p. 110). As a golden rule, I know that I should not be judgmental of others anyway, but I am human and am prone to quickly create stereotypes in my mind. I don’t always share those thoughts, but thinking makes me just as guilty as doing or saying. I am thankful for the reminder that all people are children of God, and I should research and learn about different beliefs before I make a judgmental decision, if I make that judgment at
The book Murder in the Bayou: Who Killed the Women Known as the Jeff Davis 8?, written by independent journalist and private investigator Ethan Brown, tells the horrific true story of the bayou town of Jennings, Louisiana located in the heart of the Jefferson Davis parish. During the four year duration between 2005 and 2009, the town of Jennings was on edge after the discovery of the bodies of eight murdered women were found in the filthy canals and swamps. The victims became known as the “Jeff Davis 8.” For years, local law enforcement suspected a serial killer, and solely investigated the murders based on that theory alone. The victims were murdered in varying manors, but when alive they all shared many commonalities and were connected to
It is amazing how two religions, such as Voodoo and Christianity, can be filled with so many awesome differences with respect to time eras, status, publicity, and language, and yet still have an almost identical core ideal. This also demonstrates that this core ideal of the use of humans as a mouthpiece of the divine has been a long lived concept which people, such as Mama Lola and her family, still believe in and practice today. Perhaps this proves there is some truth in the idea, and most likely, we will never know for sure, whether this concept, in it’s many different forms continues to live on, or if it dies out.
Gervel, David. "Island Magazine Discover the Creole Culture around the World : Louisiana Creole Culture & Voodoo Tradition." Island Magazine Discover the Creole Culture around the World : Louisiana Creole Culture & Voodoo Tradition. N.p., 26 Aug. 2012. 30 Apr. 2014. Web.
“Water is the driving force of all nature.” Leonardo Da Vinci simply stated that everything we experience in the natural world could be thought of as a result of water. This idea carries over to society as well. In man’s attempt to control nature, he must control water. This problem seems evident in the city of New Orleans, Louisiana. As New Orleans grew, the water management infrastructure led to racial segregation and a disproportionate exposure to risk being distributed to people of color. Campanella’s article “An Ethnic Geography of New Orleans” provides specific details attributing the city’s water management as the source of these problems related to racial inequality.
New Orleans, LA is not just a tourist spot; it is one of the Festival full places in USA. The people celebrate dozens of festivals, No matter the option is, - unique food, music, or the historic event, New Orleans is always stands to celebrate that. There are many festivals all over the calendar year. I will, describe them by month wise. Let’s join me, for the journey in New Orleans, LA.
Things that you need to know about the city of New Orleans. This is the biggest city in the state of Louisiana. It is also known for jazz music. It has a basketball team called the New Orleans Hornet and a football team called New Orleans Saints. New Orleans has lots of things to see and to do. Like Mardi Gras it is a parade that’s held in New Orleans. I will be talking about New Orleans early settlement, traditions, culture, weather, lifestyle, closing, and works cited.
Nous sommes Acadiens. (We are Acadians.) Some outsiders see us as a quaint, virtuous people, spending a great deal of time singing, dancing, praying, and visiting? (Conrad, 1978, p.14). Others see us as independent and unsophisticated. We see ourselves as fun-loving, carefree, happy, proud people who have a great love for our culture. The Acadians were French settlers of eastern Canada who were exiled from their land in the 1750?s. The Acadians are known to have settled in the southern bayou lands of Louisiana around that time. The Acadiana people acquired their nickname, ?Cajuns,? from those people who could not pronounce Acadians correctly. Due to the opinion that Cajuns were ?different?, they lived close together and became isolated from others in Louisiana. They have since developed their own distinct characteristics which make them unique and unlike no others in the bayou state. Family, music, housing, food, marriages, and ?traiteurs? were all a part of the simple but challenging lifestyle of the Cajuns.
Voodoo is a sensationalized popular culture distortion of voudon, an Afro-Caribbean religion that started in Haiti, however, supporters can be found in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, the United States and elsewhere. The making of Voodoo dolls, poppets, interests, and custom representations has occurred since old circumstances. In spite of the fact that the training is old, their present utilize stays comparative. With a specific end goal to see how to utilize your Voodoo doll or poppet, it is helpful to comprehend them in their recorded setting. Much can be gained from concentrate the old societies and spiritualists who held the baffling information that structures the very establishment of current enchantment, Voodoo, and
The Song of Solomon ignites a readers imagination by supplying a commonly known man vs man and man vs himself plot with many interesting twists and turns throughout the novel that make it, uniquely its own. Some of these twists and turns include the curious use of voodoo. Voodoo is a black religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and the southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession. This element, or magical taste, flavors the novel by adding a creepy yet mystical feeling. This element provides the reader with a heavy sign that The Song of Solomon is no ordinary book. The use of voodoo in The Song of Solomon plays a huge role in marking an ominous happening or characteristic, and it plays an even bigger role in giving hints on a characters personality.
...white people were the change-makers and shapers of Vodun, when actually black people adapted their religion to suite oppressive conditions. As time went on “Voodoo had become less of a religion than a political association [which was] and inherent characteristic of black religion from the slave period” (46). This happened not only in America, but in Haiti as well. This not only highlights the evolution of Vodun from religion, to a political force, but also the adaptability of Vodun as well.
The Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, commonly known as the Miracle on the Mississippi, was one of the most famous in American history. This engagement often overlooked was the final major battle of the War of 1812, and the most one-sided battle of the war. General Andrew Jackson 's victory at New Orleans ensured the growth and westward expansion of the country. This battle made General Andrew famous, winning a battle the United States was not prepared to fight. There were vast tactical military and leadership failures that nearly the lost war. Scrutiny of the campaign reveals that there was no certainty of an American victory at New Orleans, for had it not been for the mistakes of the British
On August 29, 2005, the third strongest and biggest hurricane ever recorded in American history hit the Gulf Coast at eight o’clock a.m. The interaction between a tropical depression and a tropical wave created a tropical storm later referred to as Hurricane Katrina (FAQS, 2013). Forming over the Bahamas, Hurricane Katrina gradually strengthened as it moved closer and closer to the Gulf of Mexico. Recorded on August 28th, 2005, Katrina jumped from a category three storm to a category five storm with maximum sustained winds up to 160 miles per hour. Although other hurricanes, such as Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Wilma, exceeded Katrina, this dominant storm was classified as the fourth most intense hurricane based its pressure capacity. Once Hurricane Katrina hit land, it was pronounced as a category four storm moving slowly. While people thought that the slow speed of this storm prevented trauma, records show that Katrina did more damage than any fast-moving storm could have ever achieved (Solanki, 2013). Katrina produced abundant debris. The debris was in such large quantity that if it was stacked together on a football field, the rubble would reach the elevation of ten and a half miles. The size of Katrina also caused 90,000 square miles to be affected. Once proclaimed a category three storm, Hurricane Katrina slowed to the speed of 155 miles per hour. At this point in time, Katrina proved to be the sixth most prevailing hurricane traced in history. (Solanki, 2013). Several different aspects of life were impacted by Hurricane Katrina such as availability of gasoline, economic issues, and the ability to have an adequate supply of drinking water (Solanki, 2013). Hurricane Katrina was a large storm ...
For three hundred years prior to the Salem Witch Trials, a “witchcraft craze” rippled throughout Europe where tens of thousands of people, mostly women, were executed. In 1689, English rulers William and Mary started a war with France in the American colonies. Upstate New York was ravaged and sent refugees into Salem. The refugees strained Salem’s resources. Puritans believed in witches and their ability to harm others, and this made many people suspicious of each other creating a great deal of tension. A recent epidemic of small pox had gone around in early 1692 and killed about five hundred people. Small pox was brought over with people who were traveling from Europe to America causing people to be extremely frantic and careful so that they did not catch the disease. Apprehension within the community continued to build (Source 11). This “witchcraft craze,” along with suspicions and resentment of their neighbors is what set the sta...
If I were able to travel to anywhere in this world without worrying about expenses, I would travel to New Orleans; a Louisiana city that is located on the Mississippi River and is in close proximity to the Gulf of Mexico. New Orleans has a number of things to provide as to why I would travel there, but I only picked my main three that I mostly want to do. The first reason is for the unique and diverse culture New Orleans has to offer. The other two reasons are for the history and to witness the creepy side of New Orleans that it is most famous and known for.