Hoodoo & Water: How Rootwork is centered in water

By Lea Molina Thursday, March 16, 2023

The Hoodoo or rootworking practice developed from the arrival of African slaves. When enslaved Africans arrived to the United States, they brought with them herbs, grains, and botanical knowledge of the power of plant uses and powers. When my ancestors arrived to this country they traded knowledge with Native people, intertwining African knowledge with Native knowledge and the practice of Hoodoo was born. Through botanical knowledge and community, Hoodoo and Hoodoo practitioners gave slaves a sense of comfort and connection to the land, their bodies, and their souls. However, slave owners saw Hoodoo and the growing strength and respect of Rootworkers as an imminent threat to their operation. Therefore, slave owners deemed Hoodoo as witchcraft and devil worship. 

If you are familiar with any religion, you know that the nature of religion is to create a particular system of faith and worship towards a being that is seen to possess superhuman abilities. This does not describe Hoodoo at all. You should consider Hoodoo to be more of a set of practices and traditions. In fact, individuals who practice Hoodoo can obtain and religious affiliation the desire.

My own interpretation of Hoodoo is the deep connection my ancestors had with Mother Earth and all it provides us. This practice comes from the deep respect and need to connect with spirit. If you are finding yourself here as a means to connect deeper with spirit, you’d be right for it.

"The Hoodoo Dance," by Edward W. Kemble.

The practice of Hoodoo is present when using energetic tools (obtaining leaving energy, not-manmade) such as plants, stones, elements (water, fire, earth, air), and even the tools our own body produces and harnessing the powers of these tools to reach a certain desired outcome. This can be as simple as using a herb for its known benefits or as lucid as manipulating an element to provide you with its source of power. With any type of practice, the belief that it works and will continue to work is one we have to pose in order to grow and build in our practice - this is in its own right - magic. If you are not open to your own magic, this may not be the practice for you.

Building relationship with your Hoodoo practice stems from your deep connection and understanding of botanicals and the elements that fuel them. Combing elements in the right way is the source of full Hoodoo power. Water, fire, earth, and air decipher the rooted motivation of all living things and therefore, we will start there.

Joseph Kossivi Ahiator (b. 1956, Aflao, Ghana) Indian King of Mami Wata, 2005  Pigment, cloth; 267cm (105") Fowler Museum X2005.5.1; Museum Purchase

Water is considered a significant source of influence, power, and resurrection in the Hoodoo practice. The practice of honoring and worshiping water goes back as far as Hoodoo itself. Between the sixteenth and twentieth centuries, after countless enslaved Africans were torn from their families, they brought with them the beliefs, practices, and arts that honored Mama Wata, Simbi, Olokun, Yemoja, La Baleine, La Sirene, Watramama, Maman d’Eau, River Maids, and other ancestral deities. Mami Wata and the relationship with water entities have inspired many cultures worldwide, including the Americas, Haiti, Brazil, the Dominican Republic, and more.

Water serves as a conduit to all magical waters, tinctures, oils, cleanses, sprays, and other uses in the Hoodoo practice. Water also has intrinsic powers that exist outside of all spells and intentions set upon it. When you combine this source of energy with that of a human, it can affect the essential nature of that water.

Masaru Emoto - Water Experiment 

Water is a vast element, and so is the magic of Water Work. Water magic can be as simple as speaking words of prayer and goodness to water to change its energy, and then drinking it to absorb that goodness. However, water should not be taken lightly or thought of as an easy practice, for it is an essential part of us as humans. Water work should be approached with the same care and discernment as fire magic, as it can be just as powerful and unpredictable. Misusing water can be like getting caught in an unexpected wave that swallows you whole.

Therefore, it is important to exercise caution and discernment when practicing any water magic. If you would like to learn more about where to start, stay tuned for "The Foundation of Water Magic" article, coming in April 2023.