Witchcraft Wednesday

In this series I will share my favourite historical and folklore stories from The Book of Forgotten Witches. Let’s start with Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans!

Though her great-grandmother was taken to Louisiana from Africa as a slave, Laveau was born a free woman in New Orleans. She first worked as a hairdresser, but she was also an expert in herbal medicine and soon became the spiritual leader of Louisiana Voodoo.

Many people sought out the Voodoo Queen for advice. Laveau always helped them out, and also gave them a gris-gris or charm that protected them from evil and brought them good luck. As an activist, she paid the bail fees for women of colour and cared for the sick during the yellow fever epidemic.

On Sundays she and the Voodoo King, who played a role secondary to his queen, held ceremonies where they sang, danced and summoned spirits. Some say Marie Laveau could summon Damballah, the great voodoo lwa or spirit in serpent form known as “Li Grand Zombi” in Louisiana.

Find out more about her and other witches of history and folklore from The Book of Forgotten Witches!

Illustration by Lilla Bölecz