A Mongo Witch in the Rootwork Tradition: Untangling Hoodoo & Witchcraft

A powerful Facebook post draws a clear line between Hoodoo and Witchcraft. We explore this vital distinction and how my ancestors revealed my specific path as a "Mongo Witch" working within the Conjure tradition.

A post crossed my path yesterday from the esteemed practitioner Sen Elias of Crescent City Conjure, in New Orleans, LA that made me nod in deep agreement. He stated:

"Hoodoo is not witchcraft, witchcraft is not Hoodoo and your misunderstanding of this is a clear indication that you don't truly understand this either."

This is a boundary drawn not from gatekeeping, but from clarity, respect, and a deep reverence for the origins of these sacred paths. As a practitioner who stands firmly at the crossroads of both, allow me to break down this distinction and share how my own ancestors clarified my unique calling.

The Vital Distinction: Tradition vs. Practice

Understanding the difference starts with recognizing what each path is at its core.

Hoodoo (Conjure, Rootwork) is an African American Folk Tradition.

· It is a cultural and spiritual system born from the ingenuity and survival of enslaved Africans on American soil.

· It is ancestor-centered. Your lineage and the spirits of your dead are your first and most powerful allies.

· It is practice-based and result-oriented. The focus is on tangible outcomes: protection, justice, drawing love, and turning around bad luck using the roots, herbs, minerals, and other materials available in the new environment.

· It is not an organized religion and does not require a specific theological belief. It is a tradition of practical spiritual power.

Witchcraft is a Practice & Craft.

· It is a method of manipulating energy and working with the natural and spiritual world to create change.

· It can be incorporated into many different religions and spiritual paths (e.g., a Wiccan witch, a Christian witch, a secular witch).

· It often involves working with deities, spirits of the land, and the elements, but its core is the willed focus of the practitioner.

In simple terms: You can be a Rootworker without being a Witch. You can be a Witch without practicing Hoodoo. But when the two meet in a practitioner, it is with the understanding that the Rootwork tradition provides the cultural container and the witchcraft provides a broader magical methodology.

My Ancestral Revelation: The "Mongo Witch"

For me, this is not a theoretical debate. It is my lived reality, confirmed by my ancestors in a powerful dream. They came and told me plainly who I was: a Mongo Witch.

The Mongo people are an ethnic group from the equatorial forest of Central Africa. Traditionally, they were:

· Healers and Witch Doctors: The spiritual leaders who worked with plant medicine, ancestors, and nature spirits.

· Ancestor Worshippers: Their traditional religion was built on a foundation of venerating the dead.

· Shamanic Practitioners: They engaged in spiritual work that bridged the human and spirit worlds.

When my ancestors called me a "Mongo Witch," they were doing two things:

1. Rooting me in a specific lineage of Central African spiritual technology (healing, ancestor work, shamanic practice).

2. Using the word "Witch" as the accurate English descriptor for the type of spiritual work my lineage has always done—the work of a shaman, a witch doctor, a connector of worlds.

Standing at the Crossroads of My Blood and My Land

So, how do I reconcile this?

My Hoodoo practice is my connection to the African American spiritual tradition—the one forged in the fire of this specific land. It is my relationship with the herbs, the roots, and the spirits of this continent, and it honors the struggles and genius of my people here.

My Witchcraft practice is the activation of my inherent Mongo lineage—the ancient, shamanic energy of healer and spirit-worker that runs in my blood. It is the broader magical language I use to speak to the universe.

They are not the same. But in me, they are in a sacred and powerful conversation. I practice Hoodoo as a Mongo Witch. My roots are deep in both the soil of Central Africa and the American South.

Sen Elias is right. Confusing the two shows a lack of understanding. But for those of us called to walk both paths, the key is to walk with respect, clarity, and the unwavering guidance of the ancestors who paved the way.

Source & Acknowledgement: The powerful quote that inspired this discussion comes from Sen Elias of Crescent City Conjure. You can find his work and teachings at www.crescentcityconjure.us (Please note: This link is provided for educational credit and is not an endorsement by or of the aforementioned practitioner.)