What if everything you thought you knew about Voodoo was wrong?
Beyond the Hollywood curses, sinister dolls and frightening stereotypes lies a spiritual tradition shaped by resilience, powerful women, ancestral connections and the belief that death need not sever our relationships with those who came before us.
This week, we return to New Orleans to explore the history, rituals and mysteries of Voodoo, from the enduring legacy of Marie Laveau to extraordinary first-hand accounts of spirit possession, sacred ceremonies and an unsettling haunting that called for the intervention of a Voodoo priestess.
Dr Rory O'Neill Schmitt returns to Haunted History Chronicles to take us beyond the myths and misconceptions, drawing on the research she undertook with her mother, Dr Rosary O'Neill, for their book New Orleans Voodoo. Together, we uncover the significance of ancestor veneration, the spiritual authority of women, the symbolism of altars, charms and ritual objects, and the powerful role of music, dance and prayer in ceremonies intended to invite the spirits into the world of the living.
From the history of Congo Square to the continuing spiritual legacy of Marie Laveau, this is a journey into a New Orleans where faith, folklore, history and the supernatural are closely intertwined — and where the dead are not necessarily regarded as absent, but as ancestors whose presence may still be felt.
My Special Guest:
Dr Rory O’Neill Schmitt @roryschmitt8162 the author of six books exploring history, culture, art, and the enduring mysteries of place. Much of her work is rooted in New Orleans, where the past is never entirely past: its houses, streets, legends, and larger-than-life figures continue to inspire stories of hauntings and restless memory.
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