Voodoo in New Orleans: The role of tourism on how Voodoo exists in New Orleans

When walking down the streets of New Orleans, especially the French Quarter, you will find an abundance of musicians, artists, and psychics using their talents in order to make a living. Psychics typically make $20-$50 dollars for a session that can last anywhere from ten minutes to half an hour. According to Charlie, an Irish gypsy, on a good night, he can walk away with $300 dollars.

Tourism hits its peak during the months of February to May when people from all over the world come to enjoy Mardi Gras, jazz, and psychics. The abundance of tourists during this time allows the city of New Orleans to thrive economically.

New Orleans is one of the only places in the U.S. where tourists flock to the dead, Voodoo, and psychic readings. With its Voodoo shops, museums, and many psychics, New Orleans is a hub for all things supernatural and many visitors love it. However, with this admiration for the booths in the French Quarter and museums, very few know of the deep history that this religion has with New Orleans.

Psychic reading happening in the French Quarter. (Photo by Ram Joshi)

Voodoo magic and psychics have been in the city of New Orleans since the 1700s. Voodoo originated in West Africa and was practiced in different ways by the many unique tribes in Africa. When slaves started to be brought to America to work, they brought their religion with them. Many slaves had different ideas and traditions regarding Voodoo, so when they were transported to New Orleans these differences melted together to help form what Louisiana Voodoo is today.

Louisiana Voodoo has also been shaped by the white plantation owners, who did not like that the slaves had their own religious practices. This dislike led to Voodoo being outlawed and Catholicism being forced on the slaves. The slaves did partially accept the new religion, but they still kept some of their traditional beliefs as well, such as saints and spirits. Catholicism and Voodoo had many similar saints, which made it easier for the slaves to accept both and allow these saints to now have a double meaning. There was also the Congo Square in the Tremè neighborhood where many slaves congregated in order to keep their traditions alive and celebrate the religion. This area was close to the cathedral, allowing for the influence of Catholicism which led to the further +cultivation of Louisiana Voodoo.

This new version of Voodoo is perceived differently than Haitian Voodoo and West Africa Voodoo. Voodoo magic only became accepted into New Orleans culture in the 1800s when many colonists came from Haiti with their slaves, who practiced Voodoo. The acceptance allowed the colonizers of Louisiana to begin using psychics and Voodoo in order to gain profit and tourism in the New Orleans area. They transformed a longstanding religion into one known for a misinformed, stereotypical representation like sticking pins into Voodoo dolls, demonic possession, and fake palm readings.

Tourists’ view of Voodoo in New Orleans has also been largely shaped by what they read and saw in the media. The false portrayal of Voodoo has shaped a serious religion into one that has had to use a few gimmicks to attract more tourists and show them what they see on the screen and read in the news. Movies like The Princess and the Frog and older comic books portray Voodoo as something dark and dangerous, which makes tourists also view Voodoo in a similar manner. This portrayal in the media has led to tourism wanting to be given a spectacle rather than truly learning about the religion.

Marie Laveau I
(Photo by: Frank Schneider)

The high priestess Marie Laveau played an important part in shaping New Orleans culture since she is known as the first free colored woman that really allowed Voodoo and psychics to be a part of the culture with her sage advice and relationships in the Catholic hierarchy. However, her name is now used for a shop on Bourbon Street, Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo, which sells stereotypical Voodoo items like gris-gris and Voodoo dolls, and even contains a Voodoo altar. There are some who feel as though the shop is a tourist trap and used as a spectacle. Laveau’s mark has been left on the city of New Orleans, and her tombstone can still be visited today through a tour. The tour charges $16.99 in order to visit a tombstone (that was once free to go to) and to honor a historical member of New Orleans history.

The sign hanging directly above the entrance of Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. (Photo by Annalise Rotunda)

If tourists look past the booths in the French Quarter, many famous and genuine psychics can be found all over the city like renowned psychic Cari Roy. There are also magic schools that people can attend like Academie Gnostique, which can give an in-depth education about all things Voodoo and show what the religion looks like now. Tourism in New Orleans focuses on the upfront aspects of Voodoo, but if one were to look deeper there are serious layers to this religion lurking in the background.

Through the stands that are set up in the French Quarter, the Voodoo shops selling dolls, gris-gris, and countless stereotypical Voodoo objects, and the false portrayal in the media this religion has turned into something meant for tourists instead of truly honoring the heritage that it came from.