That Voodoo You Do

Well, it seems that in my rant a while back about not rebuilding New Orleans I left out one major cultural contribuition we would lose... Voodoo. Now, what would we be missing? Well according to this aritcle many things.

• Great sensitive quotes like this from Voodoo practitioners: "As of today I would say it's pretty dead".
• Expert tour guides who share what I'm sure is very factual information: "about 15 percent of the city's population actively practiced". WOW! That's alot of Voodoo and alot of dead chickens.
• Great good luck charms: "Some residents still sprinkle red brick dust on their doorway steps to ward off evil spirits." How'd that work out?
• Unique problems you can't have anywhere else: "If only she could find her snake for the closing ceremony. He was supposed to be in a bathtub of a friend's apartment. "
• Interesting understatements: The "go away" hurricane ritual was performed in July, just as it always is at the start of the hurricane season.
  "It didn't quite work out so well," acknowledged Giselle Moller, manager of Marie Laveau House of Voodoo.

So how can you help?

1) Encourage memorization with your children. It seems the younger generation has been lax to pick up voodoo because it's just so darn hard to learn.

2) Point out the benefits like...uh...well... cause ya can't just drink all day in New Orleans.

3) Remind people voodoo's not black magic, like the movies would have you believe, it's ritual magic... that doesn't work.

So I now declare tomorrow, Saturday Nov. 5th. National Voodoo Awareness Day. Go get your chickens.