The title of Komunyakaa’s poem indicates some sort of loss of power. The speaker speaks of a “revival”. As in taking back what is rightfully his. What he lost must be restored.
Due to slavery, African Americans have been forced to trade their identities and adopt new ways of life. Deserting their language, religion, customs, style of dress and even names in order to assimilate to “civilized” American, westernized way of life. Through colonization came the fight for people of African descent to maintain their culture.
“Hoodoo is the practice of spirituality carried to the United States by West Africans as the result of the transatlantic slave trade. It is a blend of practices from the people of the Kongo, Benin/Togo, Nigeria and others.”
Komunyakaa was born and raised in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
New Orleans has a rich history in all things supernatural. Magic, Witchcraft, Hauntings,
This is greatly reflected in his poem beginning with the title he uses the words Chant and Hoodoo.
When we look at the origin of “Hoodoo” we find it derives from Christianity and West African folk magic. It is a combination of both. European meets Africa.
“Over time, a few African Americans began to incorporate a few elements from the European culture, such as occultism and mysticism.”
Regarding Voodoo and Louisiana:
“The official religion--officially the only religion--was Roman Catholicism. But this moved only the whites, their households, and to a lesser extent the yellows. The blacks in the huts and fields, though touched by the white man's faith, retained a mix of African beliefs and practices that we still know as voodoo, with a strong component of sorcery.”
“Voodoo became syncretized with the Catholic and Francophone culture of New Orleans as a result of the African cultural oppression in the region resulting from the Atlantic slave trade.”
Although Voodoo is commonly confused with Hoodoo the two are actually separate.
Contrary to belief “Voodoo is a religion that has two markedly different branches: Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Vodoun. Hoodoo is neither a religion, nor a denomination of a religion—it is a form of folk magic that originated in West Africa and is mainly practiced today in the Southern United States.”
Louisiana where Komunyakaa was born has roots in both Voodoo and Hoodoo.
Christianity’s role in Hoodoo as shown below:
“Not only is God's providence a factor in hoodoo practice, but hoodoo thought understands God as the archetypal hoodoo doctor. On this matter Zora Hurston stated, "The way we tell it, hoodoo started way back there before everything. Six days of magic spells and mighty words and the world with its elements above and below was made."[8] From this perspective, biblical figures are often recast as hoodoo doctors and the Bible becomes a source of conjurational spells and is, itself, used as a protective talisman.[9]This can be understood as a syncretic adaptation for the religion. By blending the ideas laid out by the Christian Bible, the faith is made more acceptable. This combines the teachings of Christianity that Africans brought to America were given and the traditional beliefs they brought with them.”
Hoodoo practitioners heavy reliance on the Bible is made evident in the following quote:
“In hoodoo, "All hold that the Bible is the great conjure book in the world."[13] It has many functions for the practitioner, not the least of which is a source of spells. This is particularly evident given the importance of the book Secrets of the Psalms in hoodoo culture.[14] This book provides instruction for using psalms for things such as safe travel, headache, and marital relations. The Bible, however, is not just a source of spiritual works but is itself a conjuring talisman. It can be taken "to the crossroads", carried for protection, or even left open at specific pages while facing specific directions. This informant provides an example of both uses:
"Whenevah ah'm afraid of someone doin' me harm ah read the 37 Psalms an' co'se ah leaves the Bible open with the head of it turned to the east as many as three days.”
“Paralleling God-as-conjurer, hoodoo practitioners often understand the biblical figure Moses in similar terms. Hurston developed this idea in her novel Moses, Man of the Mountain, in which she calls Moses, "the finest hoodoo man in the world."[11] Obvious parallels between Moses and intentional paranormal influence (such as magic) occur in the biblical accounts of his confrontation with Pharaoh. Moses conjures, or performs magic "miracles" such as turning his staff into a snake. However, his greatest feat of conjure was using his powers to help free the Hebrews from slavery. This emphasis on Moses-as-conjurer led to the introduction of the pseudonymous work the Sixth and Seventh Books of Moses into the corpus of hoodoo reference literature”
A survival method. Africans that migrated to New Orleans were cleverly able to maintain loyalty to their brothers and sisters while seemingly aligning to American ideals. Slaves likely had to find ways in order to mask that they were staying true to their beliefs.
Hence the first sentence mentions “To hide and laugh with your hands over your blank mouth face behind the mask”
A referral perhaps to the secrecy between slaves. They’re laughing beneath the blank smile, a sort of inside joke between them. The masters in the dark about what is truly going on behind closed doors.
“Rootwork or hoodoo, in the Mississippi Delta where the concentration of enslaved Africans was dense, was practiced but under a large cover of secrecy.”
“Voodoo, both a sacred dance and a religion, was expressly forbidden in the French colonies, and from the very beginning, the colonists tried in vain to crush it.” Voodoo prevailed despite the whites’ efforts, nurtured in secret by the colony’s first slaves.”
Similarly, slaves had to find means to eat. But were only given scraps, leftovers and unwanted parts of their master’s meals. Whatever was deemed undesirable slaves were permitted to consume. Chitterlings for instance or the intestinal lining of a pig was one of those things. But today they are an important part of Southern cuisine.
Within Hoodoo there usually is a target. There spells are made to render enemies defenseless.
The Speaker states:
“Your story is a crippled animal, dragging a steel trap across desert sand”
The crippled animal reference stagnant, stunned, unable to move, stalled.
Desert sand placing more emphasis on the oppressed, controlled state of the animal which symbolizes the person that the spell was casted on. They’re already injured, moving slowly, this trap is a burden, extra baggage. A major obstacle in the “animal” escaping or advancing. The animal is in a sense in captivity, captured.
The heat of the desert only further incapacitating the “animal”. Depriving the one the spell was casted on of strength and power, control over their own lives. “Cursing” them.
“A bee’s sting inside your heart and its song of honey, in my groin.”
Bee through magic gave ability to control you, it is powerful enough. To jolt, awaken, live. Manipulate you and jumpstart your heart.
“the dog that limps away”
Another reference to the injured almost paralyzed state. The condition of the animal proves the effectiveness of the spell casters spells. The speaker clearly believes fully in the capability of Hoodoo. It has the power to punish rendering the opponent
“this story is the speaking skull on the mantelpiece”
Hoodoo commonly relies on communication with those who have passed on. Séances’ are conducted which permits entry into the spirit realm. In a way reviving and awakening the deceased for a moment. Through Hoodoo life meets death allowing that skull to “speak”.
“the seventh son’s mojo hand, holding his life together with a black cat bone”
Here the speaker once again signifies the dependency on Hoodoo. The important role it serves in the New Orleans community and life. Entire existence held in place by the black cat bone a piece of
“the six grandfathers” Perhaps following tradition for generations. Hoodoo is embedded in New Orleans culture.
The speaker refers to hoodoo as “Mama hoodoo”. Here he gives hoodoo authority, through hoodoo life is created, nurtured and restored. Residents of New Orleans born. Their trust and faith put in the hands of “mama hoodoo”. Their devotion to hoodoo strong.
“Despite rigid prohibitions, voodoo was indeed one of the few areas of totally autonomous activity for the African slaves. As a religion and a vital spiritual force, it was a source of psychological liberation in that it enabled them to express and reaffirm that self-existence they objectively recognized through their own labor . . . Voodoo further enabled the slaves to break away psychologically form the very real and concrete chains of slavery and to see themselves as independent beings; in short it gave them a sense of human dignity and enabled them to survive.”
Through Voodoo practices African slaves were able to feel a sense of belonging again. Voodoo enabled them to build relationships with each other and maintain them, it unified their communities. It served as a getaway from the realities of the brutality and abuse suffered at the hands of slave owners.
Komuy
“A Gullah basket woven from your hair”
“A Gullah basket woven from your hair”
In hoodoo practicers commonly use personal items including but not limited to hair, nail clippings, blood, semen, and urine to bind and cast spells.
“As in many other spiritual and medical folk practices, extensive use is made of herbs, minerals, parts of animals' bodies, an individual's possessions and bodily fluids, especially menstrual blood, urine, saliva, and semen.”
The speakers ending remarks are an obvious jab at the torture endured by Africans during their time in captivity.
According to Wikipedia Gullah refers to:
“Enslaved Africans of the Southeast, known as the Gullah, as well as those in Louisiana, were people who enjoyed an isolation and relative freedom that allowed for retention of the practices of their West African ancestors.”
He begins by saying:
“Our story is a rifle butt across our heads”
This is significant because it displays the willpower lost. The rifle has struck the person knocking them senseless. They’re being abused and are incapable of functioning. Dazed, confused and disoriented.
“Where they kick down our doors”
Privacy non-existent, everything taken by way of force. Overlooked and disrespected. They don’t matter.
“We swan-dive from the Brooklyn bridge, a post-hypnotic suggestion”
This self-sabotage is unintentional as the former slave is still under the control of those who enslaved them. Unconsciously carrying out the objectives of the slave master all while supposedly free. In a sense committing suicide.
It seems the speaker is referring to Post-Traumatic Slave Syndrome. This is a term used to describe the state of mind descendants of slaves are left battling long after slavery has ended. They have been programmed.
Causation is unprocessed trauma, pain and anger. These things haven’t been dealt with, so they act out. They were constantly in fear, a gene passed down from their slave ancestors. They’re carrying the burden. This can account for the destructive behavior seen in Black communities. A surge in violence predominantly against their fellow brothers and sisters. Communities destroyed, lives taken, complete destruction of self. They’re
“Skin of words” another image related to enslavement. They’re owned like property their skin bearing brands to identify which master they belonged to.
Komunyakaa wishes to avenge his people’s hardships and maltreatment. He believes he can achieve this by keeping up with tradition like his ancestors. Similar to the Haitian Revolution. Where their victory was partly blamed on their use of Voodoo magic. Voodoo being an essential component in the birth of Hoodoo.
It is said that the French were so petrified of the Haitian people’s attacks that they left due to fear.
“The Bois Caïman ceremony takes place in a thickly wooded area where the slaves solemnize their pact in a voodoo ritual. The ceremony is officiated by Boukman, a maroon leader and voodoo priest from Jamaica, and a voodoo high priestess. Various accounts from that night describe a tempestuous storm, animal sacrifices, and voodoo deities. “
References
- http://www.uky.edu/~popkin/Haitian%20Revolution%20Lecture.htm
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_Voodoo
- https://sites.duke.edu/blackatlantic/2014/03/18/whats-religion-got-to-do-with-it-reason-religion-and-revolution-in-haiti/
- https://newrepublic.com/article/72480/slaves-and-slaughter
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hoodoo_(folk_magic)#References
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