New Orleans Voodoo: A Cultural History - Paperback

by Rosary O'Neill Phd (Author), Rory O'Neill Schmitt Phd (Author)

The history, altars, art and ceremonies that anchor Voodoo in Crescent City culture are revealed in this authoritative study.

The diverse spiritual roots of New Orleans run deep--and they all converge in the practice known as Voodoo. The city's Roman Catholic influence and its French, Spanish, Creole and American Indian traditions blended with the rites and rituals that West Africans brought to Louisiana as enslaved laborers. The resulting Voodoo tradition became a unique and integral part of New Orleans culture and heritage.

While 19th century enslaved practitioners held Voodoo dances in designated public areas like Congo Square, they also conducted secret rituals away from the prying eyes of the city. By 1874, some twelve thousand New Orleanians attended Voodoo queen Marie Laveau's St. John's Eve rites on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain.

This cultural history by local authors Rory Schmitt and Rosary O'Neill traces the Voodoo tradition from its earliest beginnings to its continued practice in the Crescent City today.

Author Biography

RORY O'NEILL SCHMITT is an author, photographer and professor. Raised in New Orleans, Rory was always fascinated with art. Upon graduating from St. Mary's Dominican High School, she moved to New York, where she attended Fordham University and earned her bachelor's degree in art history and studio art, as well as a master's degree in art therapy from the School of Visual Arts in New York City and a PhD in curriculum and instruction studies with a concentration in art education at Arizona State University in Tempe. Rory has gained professional experiences over the years at museums and galleries, such as the International Center for Photography, Cristinerose Gallery, Visual Arts Gallery and others. She currently works at the University of Southern California's Bovard College, where she coaches and supports expert faculty. ROSARY HARTEL O'NEILL lives in New Orleans and New York City with her husband, Robert Harzinski. She is the author of twenty-five plays and three books of nonfiction. A Senior Fulbright Drama Specialist, she has received six Fulbrights. Other awards include residencies at the Tyrone Guthrie Centre in Ireland, American Academy in Rome and the Irish Cultural Center and Cartoucherie Theatre in Paris. In New York City, she is an active member of the Actors Studio, the Players Club and the National Arts Club. In New Orleans, Louisiana, she is professor emeritus of drama and speech at Loyola University and a member of Louisiana Women in Film and Television. She founded the Southern Repertory Theatre, the premier professional theater in New Orleans.