You Ever Hide Something So Well Even You Couldn’t Find It?

Scripture: Exodus 12:21-27 and John 11:45-57 (NLT)

Roots, Hoodoo and Conjuration: The First African American Religion

They can buy a million and one High John the Conqueror roots, they can haphazardly slap together cloth sacks and call it Mojo or Grisgris, they can chew and spit Galanagal and say a psalm, but it will never move the same or with an equivalent efficacy, if it moves at all. The target of the work cannot also teach the work.

Recognizing the innate consciousness in plants, minerals, dirt, rocks, herbs, humans and animals, and utilizing the natural forces, and the dead in a Bantu based African American cosmology to create precise and specific outcomes to liberate ones self from the violence and oppression of White hegemonic terrorism, is Conjure.

Understanding that you are an African, that The Creator made you a free person and that you have a right to defend that freedom with force and violence, both spiritual and physical, is the foundation of this Religion.

And this is a Religion.

-by Myeshxa of Cognac and Conjure

Song: Little Lies by Odie

Meditation

It’s said by the time the Union won, only 15% of Black folks identified as Christian. Most everyone gave the credit to High John for freeing us. He flew on home to Africa, but left a little root behind, just in case we needed him again. Most all of us knew how to work a root and call our ancestors back then. There’s power in a poultice…or a poison.

They didn’t like that.

The midwives were in HIGH demand, being familiar with the body, herbs, and ills. White folks were only playing at medicine, bleeding people out to cleanse their blood when all they needed was a little hyssop. Even the bible told them that much. Nobody wanted to go get experimented on when you could visit the root doctor, and survive the encounter.

They didn’t like that.

Even back before slavery shape-shifted into mass incarceration, we were getting our freedom without a war. A good conjure man could heal a snake bite on a white child, for the price of freedom. Could even prescribe a tea to mimic a heart murmur and get a white boy out of the army. Tried to send Dr. Buzzard to jail for that one. Failed though smirk.

They DEFINITELY didn’t like that.

“If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans will come and take away both our temple and our nation.”

So they pushed a mass conversion to Christianity on us. Called it civilizing us. If they have nothing else, they have audacity. They called our religion “the devil”. They forced us to migrate away from the land to cities in the north. Then they bought up all the roots and herbs we used so we couldn't get a hold of none of em. Then they waited bout half a generation, put on turbans and blackface, and started selling our stuff right back to us.

I don’t like that.

Some of us held on. We folded our Hoodoo up in places like the Church of God In Christ. We divorced the herbal remedies from prayer and called it folk medicine. We taught our children not to mess with “that stuff”. But you better not split the pole or sweep your grandma’s feet. Greens and black eyed peas on New Year's Day, shouting and speaking in tongues? Yeah, we held on.

“And when your children ask you, ‘What does this ceremony mean to you?’ then tell them”

It’s a good thing it’s impossible to forget what’s yours by birthright. For every ounce of generational trauma we got three ounces of generational memory. As Dr. Koko put it, “You can’t have a short memory and be Black. You’ll open yourself up for attack. You’ve got to have a long memory cause you’re singing a long song.” You ready to join the chorus?

Get your High John out and set your altar up. They won’t like this either…

Song: My Power by Beyonce et al

Reflection Questions:

1. A Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self by Kerry James Marshall invites us to explore what it means to be Black in America, simultaneously invisible and hyper visible. How does this translate to your spiritual practices? Is it safe to practice out loud?

2. From Jesus to Hoodoo, governments have often sought to snuff out any spiritual movement that threatens the status quo. Hoodoo was born specifically to combat enslavement and keep our connection to Africa alive. How will you wield your spiritual practice to build connection and resist modern day oppression?

Call to Action:

***Black Folks Only*** It’s a great time to set an intention to connect or reconnect to your head (memory) teeth (DNA) tongue (communication) and arteries (bloodline). Beloved, this is your sign to connect with your ancestors. Say the prayer below today and everyday. Need help building an altar? Book time to chat calendly.com/cherizar. Gifts are welcomed but not necessary. I want every Black household to have an ancestor altar. It’s time. Ase’ Amin and Amen.

My post content

A Portrait of the Artist as a Shadow of His Former Self, Kerry James Marshall (1980)

About the Author

Cherizar Lee-Crippen (she/her) is a Black + Indigenous bisexual Hoodoo and aborisha who dedicates her time to developing BIPOC youth leadership, coaching organizers, facilitating intimate spaces, directing healer focused programs, and resting. She is Co-Creator and Founding Program Director of The Ancestral Spirit Kollective (The ASK) and Southerners On New Ground Grief x Spirit Care Cadre (SONG GSC Cadre), and First Black Stewarding Director of Highlander Research and Education Center's Children's Justice Camp.

Stay connected to Cherizar:

IG: @cherizarcrippen

FB: Cherizar Crippen

Website: www.linktr.ee/Cherizar

These Black Lent devotionals were originally curated by IG: goodneighbormovement.