Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System

By: Katrina Hazzard-Donald

Narrated by: Sharell Palmer

Length: 9 hrs and 7 mins

Publisher's summary

In this book, Katrina Hazzard-Donald explores African Americans' experience and practice of the herbal, healing folk belief tradition known as Hoodoo. Working against conventional scholarship, Hazzard-Donald argues that Hoodoo emerged first in three distinct regions she calls "regional Hoodoo clusters" and that after the turn of the 19th century, Hoodoo took on a national rather than regional profile. The first interdisciplinary examination to incorporate a full glossary of Hoodoo culture, Mojo Workin': The Old African American Hoodoo System lays out the movement of Hoodoo against a series of watershed changes in the American cultural landscape. 

Throughout, Hazzard-Donald distinguishes between "Old tradition Black Belt Hoodoo" and commercially marketed forms that have been controlled, modified, and often fabricated by outsiders; this study focuses on the hidden system operating almost exclusively among African Americans in the Black spiritual underground.

The book is published by University of Illinois Press.

©2013 Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois (P)2018 Redwood Audiobooks

Critic reviews

"Mojo Workin' is a key contribution to the study of Hoodoo in America, with some energizing new ideas about its origins, early expression, and broader religious aspects." (Journal of American Folklore)

"A valuable contribution to the growing number of volumes concerned with African-based traditional spiritual beliefs in the New World." (American Studies) 

"A significant contribution to the literature of African-based traditions in the United States." (Religious Studies Review) 

more books about hoodo and atr By black writers!!

we need more books about atr non fiction by black writers. please. there is so much detail in here about american history that was convoniently brushed off and never mentioned. like hoodoo was the begining and end and catoloist for slave rebelions. there should have been a chapter in our txt books about slave rebelions but i am learning about them now. right now. what a peice of our countries history to blow off. 2. im blown away at thinking about how black people used hoodoo to litterally get by. our ansestors had nothing. im astounded at how little resourses freed people had ...its a new perspective of my people THRIVED AND SERVIVED in the earlier times of this country. the point of this books is they had power foundation in faith and their aincent religion. amazing. black people are amazing.

Excellent!

I have a calling but learned the hard way about how much of a business this is rather than a desire to help others. I also learned who has the upper hand. i'm still searching for an honest, sincere teacher. I love this book. Straight to the point and honest!

Awful editing. Good content.

I loved the information provided.

There are a plethora of mispronounced words. Certain phases and passages in the book are repeated twice, as if a record has skipped. Whoever produced and edited this audiobook did a poor job.

Good content, terrible narration

The content is fascinating, but the narrator frequently mispronounces words - definitely the Spanish and African words, but even basic English words. One example: “anonymity” is pronounced “an-mity.” The narrator also misplaces emphasis. While the narrator’s voice has a nice quality, the robotic narrative style and mispronunciations detract from the audible experience. I think this is a book I might prefer to just read.

This book is so important to Black culture

Valuable information for our history. I fear we may lose the knowledge of hoodoo in our culture. It was sad to read about the decline of something so important.

Great Handbook for learning about h Hoodo

Great beginner handbook for learning about the history and origins of Hoodoo in the United States. If you're just getting into Hoodoo and want to know more, definitely listen to this. *Pay extra attention to content regarding Hoodoo Marketeering because the same thing is going on right now.

T

This book was full of great information, but the reader sounds like Siri trying to read a book.

Narration is HORRIBLE

This book has good information. Overall it’s ok. However the narrator is horrible. She tries to add drama and suspense, mispronounces words and has a bad drawl that is suspect she believes is appropriate for this book. It’s NOT. I had a hard time getting through more than 15 minutes at a time.

Very informative.Must read if you are serious.

This gives a very good account of the state of hoodoo, black people & our religion now. It gives ways to save our heritage from capitalist profiteering. NEVER TRUST A PRACTITIONER YOU HAVE NOT MET! Oh, & what I learned about the candles that are now in hoodoo (SMH)

Great info and easy to listen to

This book was great! I learned so much about the history of Hoodoo! Great book for beginners!