Louisiana Voodoo, also known as
New Orleans Voodoo, describes a set of underground religious practices which originated from the traditions of the
African diaspora. It is a cultural form of the
Voodoo religions which historically developed within the
French,
Spanish, and
Creole speaking
African-American population of the
U.S. state of
Louisiana. It is one of many incarnations of African-based religions rooted in the West African
Dahomean Vodou tradition and the Central African traditions. They became
syncretized with the
Catholic religion and Francophone culture of South Louisiana as a result of the
slave trade. Louisiana Voodoo is often confused with but is not completely separable from
Haitian Vodou and southeastern U.S.
hoodoo. It differs from Haitian Vodou in its emphasis upon
Gris-gris, voodoo queens, use of "
Hoodoo" occult paraphernalia and
Li Grand Zombi (snake deity). This emphasis has marked the culture of Afro Diaspora, francophone Louisiana within the Western media. It was through Louisiana Voodoo that such terms as
gris-gris (a
Wolof term) and
voodoo dolls were introduced into the American lexicon.