New Orleans Voodoo: A Cultural History

By: Rory O'Neill Schmitt, Rosary Hartel O'Neil

The authors study the altars, art, history and ceremonies that anchor Voodoo in New Orleans culture.There is no more compelling nor more spiritual city than New Orleans. The city's Roman Catholic roots and its blended French, Spanish, Creole and American Indian populations heavily influenced the rites and rituals that West Africans brought to Louisiana as enslaved laborers. The resulting unique Voodoo tradition is now deeply rooted in the area.