Difference Between Hoodoo and Voodoo

Main Difference

Both the terms are closely related to each other and therefore are confused to have the same meanings, but in reality that is not the case. Hoodoo and Voodoo have different meanings, but the same origins and the main difference between them are that Hoodoo which is also known as Conjure, is a type of traditional magic which is most commonly used in the African and South American regions. While Voodoo, is actually a dark religion which uses black magic and other evil powers and is practiced in the West Indies and other parts of Southern America.

Comparison Chart

Hoodoo

Hoodoo which is also known as Conjure, is a type of traditional magic which is most commonly used in the African and South American regions. It has been developed as a result of several amalgamations of Western African religions, traditions, and beliefs and has been practiced for well over a century. The word Hoodoo has been derived from the word Voodoo which is a term that will be explained in the next paragraph. There are two explanations for it, the first one being that it was initially used for a person who used the Voodoo magic. The second one is the alternative name which is root working or root doctoring in which the shape is human like and therefore, the name was used. This was a result of human trade which took place in the African countries such as Kongo, Togo, Nigeria and others. It is known as a personal power of a person who has the knowledge of many things including the human body, animals, herbs, minerals and even mundane things such as rocks. The magic is used to help people fulfill their inclinations, desires, and habits. There are certain acts involved in it which may not be socially accepted, but the belief is that the user of magic is able to access God and the powers that the things bring along with them and then use them for the betterment of the person who wants to gain from them. The main aim of this magic is to allow individuals to access supernatural powers which are otherwise only exclusive for people who have the power of controlling other beings or in other words, God.

Voodoo

This is not just another form of magic but actually a dark religion which uses black magic and other evil powers and is practiced in the West Indies and other regions of Southern America. It can be termed as a mixture of Roman Catholic and the traditional magical competencies in the African regions. It is most famous for its use as a sorcery and spirit possession act. The history of this so called religion is rather interesting, the followers believe in a distant and unknown creator who is known as Bondye. People are of the view that this God does not interfere in the matters of human beings, and therefore all the worship people do is directed towards the spirits created by the God which are known as Ioa. All of these are responsible for certain factors of life and have personalities which are different from each other based on the characteristics they have and the aspect they are connected with. To make things work and keep the god happy, people do certain sacrifices and offerings and participate in different ceremonies for spirit possession. This was originated in the Caribbean region and was developed more in the times when French ruled the area, in those days’ people were not allowed to practice this act openly and were forced to convert to Christianity. Therefore many aspects of this magic or religion are related to Catholic Church. There are some Protestants in the religion too, which are known as Haiti Protestants hence make it very close to the original religions of the world. For most people, who do not know much about it, they consider it very dangerous, but not for the people who practice it.

Key Differences

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