Support the Restoration of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s Tomb photo by Lilith Dorsey.
Marie Laveau is the Ultimate Voodoo Queen. There is no contest. She is more famous than all the others combined, and this was even before her recent appearance in the popular media.
As many of you know back in December, the world famous tomb of Marie Laveau was painted pink by a vandal according to sources quoted by author Denise Alvarado in her piece “The Mystery of The Pink Tomb is Solved.” For more information on Marie Laveau worship and the original incident you can also check out the Voodoo Universe post “Marie Laveau’s Tomb is Pink: Shame, Shame, Shame.” Since the incident efforts have been underway to start to repair the damage.
Many thanks to author Carolyn Long for helping to solve the mystery, and author Dorothy Morrison for breaking the news to begin with. I am truly amazed and full of gratitude at what a few concerned powerful women can accomplish.
Pink Marie Laveau’s Tomb.Photo by Dorothy Morrison, copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
Many of you were shocked and outraged that such a national treasure was vandalized and even left unprotected to begin with. It is a sacred site not just for New Orleans Voodoo practitioners but psychics and curiosity seekers from around the world. Luckily the restoration is underway, and there is finally a way for all of us who have viewed this situation with a heavy heart to finally help.
I’m just a messenger. Go now to the Save Our Cemeteries site to volunteer, donate or help in whatever way you are able.
According to the site, Save Our Cemeteries, the Archdiocese of New Orleans and the local preservation company Bayou Preservation LLC have banded together to raise the monumental $10,000 or more that is required to complete the restoration. Every bit counts, I’ve made my donation, will you?
Marie Laveau’s tomb detail, before the damage and questionable restoration. Photo by Lilith Dorsey.
The Times-Picayune is reporting that the pressure washing of the tomb of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau started on Thursday (Jan 2). The tomb is being restored by the Archdiocese of New Orleans. The Times-Picayune article reports that the non profit group Save Our Cemeteries is saying that there were “chips of brick and plaster from the tomb all over the ground.” This is the second most visited grave in the United States, a sacred site for thousands of Voodoo and Vodou devotees, as well as other Pagan practitioners from across the globe. People make pilgrimages, leave offerings, have sacred moments. Unfortunately, it is painfully unprotected. It was painted what was described as a “pepto dismal” pink around the middle of December, which
Photo by Dorothy Morrison, copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
Most of the general public has seen Marie Laveau come to light on the popular television show American Horror Story Coven, which features the Voodoo Queen as a regular character portrayed by Angela Bassett. Patheos blogger Peg Aloi and I have been covering the show extensively on video chats with wrinkled brow, you can check that out here. For more information about the Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, please check out Carolyn Long’s book A New Orleans Voudou Priestess: The Legend and Reality of Marie Laveau as well as my post The Real Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau.
Photo by Dorothy Morrison, copyright 2013. All rights reserved.
Marie Laveau’s Tomb has stood the test of time. It has seen flood, violence, disrespect, haters, and now someone has painted it pink. Marie Laveau’s Tomb is a shrine to Voodoo practitioners around the globe, a mecca if you will, that is the second most visited grave in the United States. Marie Laveau is New Orleans Voodoo Queen. Immortalized in story and song, she was said to have possessed immense power which lives on through her spirit today.
The grave is a site for visitors to leave offerings and experience the majesty that still surrounds this Voodoo Queen over a century after her death. Unfortunately the pink paint is not the first time she has seen rough treatment. For years patrons have persisted in making 3 x marks on the tomb in a supposed petition for their requests. This is very damaging to the plaster which must be replaced periodically. During the filming of my documentary Bodies of Water:Voodoo Identity and Tranceformation I interviewed several practitioners from tour guides to store owners who vehemently tried to discourage this practice.
New Orleans is one of my spiritual homes. For over two decades I have been a member of the Voodoo Spiritual Temple, only a stone’s throw from St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, where the grave in question is located. On many occasions I have sung, danced and worshiped
Marie Laveau Flag photo and flag by Scarlet Sinclair
there. In New Orleans Voodoo we have a goddess known as Erzulie Freda Dahomey. She is also present in Hatitian Vodou, and as the name implies was historically revered among the Dahomey people in West Africa. Ironically her color is pink, and she cries the tears of the world because people simply don’t do the right thing. She wants people to be better: to be honest, respectful, and kind. Some people say that this Erzulie was one of the ruling Lwa, or guardians, of Marie Laveau. So if Erzulie is crying over this situation, as I am, if it was done without the family’s knowledge and consent, then Mme Marie Laveau is most likely raging. My favorite quote comes from my friend author Dorothy Morrision ( many thanks to Ms. Morrison and Denise Alvarado for filling in some of the blanks on this story for me) “If it had been painted a lovely rich-jewel tone : emerald green, sapphire blue, deep amethyst or even garnet- I think she’d be ok with that.” There isn’t much information on why this was done. Photos and reports have been reaching the Voodoo community slowly, but if anyone knows anything obviously we’d love to hear your information and reactions. Please check out my interview with Dorothy Morrison, and my post about The Real Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau, Denise Alvarado’s The Art of Conjure, and the writing and videos by Patheos Pagan Bloggers about American Horror Story Coven and it’s portrayal of Marie Laveau. All I have to say about the potential pink vandals is Shame, Shame, Shame !
Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau’s Tomb, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. Photo by Lilith Dorsey.
Queen Marie Laveau of New Orleans Voodoo, the divine lady that started the spiritual revolution.
There may have been other Voodoo priestesses before her in the city of New Orleans, but there was no one like Marie Laveau, except maybe her daughter, but I will explain that later. This legendary woman was said to do everything from providing psychic consultations for Queen Victoria to concocting psychedelic gumbo for inmates sentenced to hang in the gallows. She was the first woman to hold open Voodoo rituals for the public at the edge of the French Quarter in Congo Square, reported in the local newspapers of the time as being attended by all races and classes of individuals. There is nothing in the history of this woman that is not supremely incredible. She has been the stuff of legend, song and tribute for over 100 years. Queen Marie Laveau is said to have known all secrets of the visible and invisible world.
There are many good books on her life and lore, and her grave today is the second most widely visited in the U.S., right after Elvis Presley. She is said to have floated on the waters of Lake Pontchartrain with lit candles on her head and arms for St. John’s Eve-the most sacred night of New Orleans Voodoo Tradition. Her death, like her life was shrouded in great mystery, even the exact date of her demise and location of her body are points of contention. Part of the issue is that her daughter, of the same name continued her psychic practice right where she had left off. There are a few things that are certain, both ladies had great power, passion and skill. Maybe you are like me and you’re hoping to relieve the bad taste American Horror Story left in your snake filled mouth, so if you are looking to discover more accurate information about these ladies who paved the way for so much of what practitioners still do today there are a few resources I will briefly recommend.
Voodoo and Afro-Caribbean Paganism by Lilith Dorsey (I do write a lot about this voodoo queen in my book, I view her as both an inspiration and a divine ancestor to the modern tradition.)
The New Orleans Voodoo Tarot by Louis Martinie and Sally Ann Glassman. My all time favorite tarot deck. Queen Marie Laveau is the High Priestess card. There are many others, but this is a serious start, please check back on this blog for more Marie Laveau posts and stories.
Voodoo St. John Eve Altar photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Someone asked me during a radio interview once what was the highest holiday in New Orleans Voodoo? They thought maybe Mardi Gras … but that while still marked with some ritual service and history, is basically one of the world’s biggest parties. The real New Orleans Voodoo holiday is St. John’s Eve. Revered and celebrated by the great Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau herself, it has long held some serious magick.
Many think of Voodoo as a religion focused on negativity and darkness, in reality however many of the practices involve blessings of joy and universal connection. St. John’s eve is a celebration of light and fire and takes place on June 23rd around the days that are celebrated as the solstice. In actuality this is the longest day and therefore the shortest night.
One St. John’s Eve not too many years ago I spent the day singing and worshiping on the edge of the Mississippi River with Priestess Miriam Williams, and the music legend himself Dr. John. While there was no video taken that evening I leave you with music from Dr. John singing for Marie Laveau as only he can. Blessings to you !
Legend says that the great jazz musician Louis Armstrong signed all of his letters “Red Beans and Ricely Yours. ” Many cultures feature their own version of beans and rice. Red Beans and Rice has long been a staple food in New Orleans and the Southern U.S. The Crescent City even has it’s own Red Beans and Rice parade, a fairly new addition to the wonder that is Carnival. The Redbeansparade.com website explains it was the brainchild of Devin DeWulf and his absolute “love of beans and the culture of New Orleans.” The parade is an old school Second Line, and takes place each year on Lundi Gras. It involves much use of glue guns, and creativity. Unfortunately, I have never attended, but it is certainly on my bucket list of things to do.
The Red beans parade takes place on the Monday before Mardi Gras, because Monday is the traditional day for Red Beans and Rice. As my African-American Ritual Cookbook explains these “are eaten by New Orleans Voodoo practitioners on Monday for protection. Originally it was cooked on Monday as this was designated for washing day, and the Creole cooks needed a dish they could put on ahead of time, and leave to cook during their busy day.” The dish was also a great way to use up some of the leftover Sunday ham, also a Louisiana staple. It is said even Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau had her own version of this dish, and here’s one of my favorite versions. Enjoy it, and if you like what you have read here please remember to share!
Red Beans and Ricely Yours Recipe
4 cans Red Kidney Beans (rinsed and drained)
4 cups Chicken Stock
4 cups cold water
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 Bay leaves
2-3 Hot peppers, chopped fine
1 tsp. Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried basil
1/4 cup fresh parsley, diced
1 lb. pork cooked and diced (use andouille sausage, bacon or ham)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Black Pepper
1/2 tsp. White Pepper
3 cups hot cooked rice
Place beans in a saucepan with water, chicken stock, vinegar, onion, garlic, spices, peppers, and pork. Bring to a simmer stirring frequently. Cook over low heat, continuing to stir for 3-4 hours. Remove and discard Bay leaves. Adjust salt and pepper as necessary. Serve over hot cooked rice. Would be well paired with a Burgundy wine and a nice French bread. Serves 10-12 people.
As always if you have enjoyed what you read here please remember to like, comment, and share !
10 Easy Holiday Recipes for Pagans. Photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Last year when I wrote my popular Pagan Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup, people kept asking what’s pagan thanksgiving? Everyday is thanksgiving for pagans, a beautiful holiday and celebration of the earth and all the bounty it gives to us. I meant the recipes were pagan. Here are some more Pagan friendly recipes. They are delicious eats to place on your holiday table, that also have the added benefit of bringing sacred blessings into your life.
Holiday Love Nuts Recipe by Lilith Dorsey
Holiday Love Nuts This is one of my favorite recipes of all time. If you are fortunate enough to make it onto my delightfully nice, or deliciously naughty list this Yule you just may get some. It is a sensual treasure and is very easy to make.
Ingredients
1 lb. Cashews (raw or dry roasted)
½ lb. Almonds or other nuts (raw or dry roasted)
2 tbs. Butter
1 tbs. Orange blossom honey
1 tsp Coconut Aminos or Soy Sauce
½ tsp. Onion powder
¼ tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon powder
1 tsp. Smoky Paprika
¼ tsp. Black pepper
¼ tsp. Salt ( if the nuts are salted already you can omit extra salt here)
¼ tsp. Chili powder
Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Melt butter and add honey and coco aminos or soy sauce. Place nuts in a large bowl. Pour butter mixture over the nuts and toss to coat. Sprinkle the nuts with the remaining ingredients, mixing well to combine. Spread the nuts in a thin layer onto a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Stir, return to oven and bake 10 minutes more. Cool and enjoy!
Oshun Butternut Squash Soup Recipe photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Butternut Squash Soup -Squash finds a way onto many a holiday table. A favorite of indigenous peoples of both North and South America it is said to represent fertility, bounty, and abundance.
Chipotle Deviled Eggs -The holidays are a time for celebrating where we have been and looking forward towards the future with joy and hope. This recipe honors the great serpents of Haitian Vodou Damballa and Aida Wedo. Many cultures use eggs to symbolize new beginnings and this is a delicious way to get yours started.
Maman Brigitte Beet Salad -There have been many holidays and celebrations where I cooked for a large number of people. Each make ahead dish I could prepare was a gift from the gods and goddess, because it gave me extra time to be with my loved ones and more fully enjoy the day. This Beet Salad recipe features deep red colors and will magickally help you to connect with the spirits of your ancestors.
WTF is Winter Wassail Recipe photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
WTF is Wassail -I can and do drink wassail from the day the temperature drops below 40 degrees til springtime. I even been known to mix it with lemonade and drink it in the summer too. This recipe literally warms my heart and soul, and I hope you make it often. I just saw a post that said it was even good for atheists, doesn’t get any better than that.
Spicy Sweet Potato Salad -When I wrote my first cookbook, The African-American Ritual Cookbook, I considered titling it “101 things to do with sweet potatoes.” They dominate the ancestral menu, and so many recipes in the old and new world feature them prominently. Spicy Sweet Potato Salad is a great make ahead recipe to carry you through the holidays. It is created to bring ancestral blessings,vitality and energy.
Corn photo by Lilith Dorsey.
Bright Blessings Corn Chowder -Corn is very often a staple on the holiday table. Corn has been used magickally throughout the ages for fertility, healing, success, and more. One of my earliest teachers and Pagan friends taught me that fertility can be of the wallet, the mind, or anywhere you need it. Don’t limit yourself with traditional definitions when making this sumptuous dish.
Corn Maque Choux –Maque Choux (pronounced Mock Shoe) could possibly derive from the Cajun French term maigrchou, and is similar to creamed corn. Corn comes in many different colors and forms, and is said to be spiritually ruled by the moon. In addition to providing fertility, corn is also said to impart protection and luck to those who partake of it wisely.
Cranberry pudding recipe 1906, photo by Lilith Dorsey. All rights reserved.
Cranberry Pudding -Many of the recipes I am sharing with you here were treasured favorites of my ancestors. The Yule season is a time for making these recipes, and in that spirit I would like to share with you one of my great-grandmother’s favorites. Featured in the Taunton, Massachussets Women’s Auxilary Cookbook from 1906. This is a recipe that tastes as good now as it did over a hundred years ago. The instructions are in the accompanying photo (click to enlarge,) and for those wondering I would suggest baking at 350 degrees. Magickally cranberries are said to bring protection and purification.
Marie Laveau Bourbon Bread Pudding– No serious holiday menu would be complete without a serious dessert Marie Laveau Bread Pudding honors the New Orleans Voodoo Queen with a delightful blend of spices and Bourbon. Marie Laveau was the most famous queen of New Orleans Voodoo and she was also said to be an amazingly magickal cook. Create this recipe to bring blessings of protection and success in all you do.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my recipes, I’d love to see your favorite holiday selections in the space below. And if you have enjoyed what you have read here please take a moment to share this post!
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In