The My-Stery: The Web

During the past several years, quite a number of books and essays have come out about connections between African diasporic cultures, and computer and digital technology. For example, Ron Eglash wrote “African Fractals,” a book on the similarities between African fractal designs in such things as textiles and braids, and modern computer designs. Since he […]

The My-Stery: Wiccan and Voodoo?

While looking for the System of a Down’s “Chop Suey” video, I saw the video for Godsmack’s “Voodoo.” The song was supposedly influenced by Wes Craven’s The Serpent and the Rainbow, a movie that is problematic in of itself, portraying Vodou and indigenous religion in a kind of simplistic view, using them once again as […]

Otherworldly Videos: United States of Hoodoo

German director Oliver Hardt, who produced Black Deutschland, and writer Darius James, author of That´s Blaxploitation!!!! and Negrophobia: An Urban Parable, have come together to produce the “spiritual road movie,” United States of Voodoo. The documentary explores how voodoo and hoodoo are still present in contemporary society through music, art and culture. The filmmakers describes […]

Modern Griots: M. Jacqui Alexander

Black feminist lesbian writer, scholar, activist and conjurer M. Jacqui Alexander on the web series, Signified. She speaks about the connections between spirituality and social revolution in that they allow one to envision new worlds, to understand one’s purpose in life and to connect with others.

The My-Stery: Images of Mami Wata

The more I study mythology, religions and popular culture, the more I realize the mythological symbolism in a lot of popular culture. For example, in two of Aaliyah’s last videos, “We Need a Resolution” and “Rock the Boat.” The video for the first song contains scenes where she appears to be in a underground setting […]

Modern Griots: Do You Believe in Magic?

Have you ever heard of Black Herman? Born in Virginia in 1892, the stage magician, entertainer and hoodoo dabbler, whose original name was Benjamin Rucker, was one of the most prominent of his time. Learning his skills from Prince Herman (Alonzo Moore), Rucker took Herman’s name in honor of him after he died in 1909, […]

Moving-on-the-Wires: Call for Participants: Beyond and Between the Crescent and the Cross

If any of you are interested, here is a project about the diaspora and spirituality that I saw on poet Caits Meissner‘s blog: “My name is Kameelah Janan Rasheed and I am a photo-based artist, archivist & historian, writer, and high school teacher based in Brooklyn, NY. I am embarking on a new project that […]

If I Had My Way…

Soul Sci-fi posted this as a potential comic: “Dominique finds herself trapped at The Crossroads, the pathway between flesh and spirit, where she faces an inquisition from a handful of lethally unpredictable voodoo gods. From sailing the River of Souls with Baron Samedi, god of death, to confronting the overwhelming vastness of the Universe from […]

Otherworldly Videos: The Universe Is In Us

Astrophysicist Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson was asked by a reader of TIME magazine, “What is the most astounding fact you can share with us about the Universe?” This is his answer. Narration: TIME Magazine’s “10 Questions for Neil Degrasse Tyson”

If I Had My Way…

…This would be a tv show, movie, book series, etc. Any takers? From Myisha on Palace of Funk Antoinette “Toni” Batiste, occult detective. I choose to design a detective from Louisiana who works specifically with the occult, particularly Voodoo (or rather the stuff people get up to when practicing Voodoo maliciously, rude). She’s also a […]