Hoodoo Heritage Month: A tradition visible around the world, through Black American culture.
Celebration!
Autumnal equinox through All Soul’s Day.
This is a time to upkeep gravestones and
sites. Update family records, genealogy
information, will and trust, etc. Plan family
gatherings for the next year and
communicate the needs of elders, children,
and widows.
By Kimia Holmes
Salvation is in the blood!
October 30th marks the anniversary of my maternal grandmother’s passing, Delores “Tig” Holmes. Born in Los Angeles, California, Tig’s father was drafted into the Marine Corps in 1942 and served in World War II, served in the Nansei Islands and Montford Point. The highest-ranking Marine received the rank of Corporal (E4). Tig was born a decade later and raised in the Midwest. On November 10th, we buried her, a day after my birthday.
Tig took me on our bi-annual shopping trips and rode me around town, reminding me to read the street signs and be aware of my surroundings. She taught me how to keep a home and the challenges of raising grown children. She also instilled in me the power of prayer and the importance of having faith as vast as a mountain. Tig was a living embodiment of God, much like my mother.
My matriarchal education began with Tig. With a radiant smile and a complexion that envied the heavens, Tig embodied strength, a sense of belonging, discipline, honor, and unwavering commitment. Not even the slightest sound could escape her keen ears. Her voice was the law, codified in its very essence. She was celebrated for the creations of her hands and the unwavering faith she displayed. Tig was loved, and her memory lives on. Visiting her birthplace felt like finding the wind beneath my wings, Chicago. There, I met her mother, brothers, sisters, nieces, and nephews, all with faces I had only seen in Granny’s mirror. Their cheeks swelled with joy, revealing those morning glory smiles. My very own Mount Olympus.
The Mystic is the believer, and spiritualism is the practice. We believe in the edification, protection, progression, and liberation of the Black American community. Hoodoo is our practice, our solutions, and our traditions, all centered around that belief.
Also known as Roots
Celebration!
Autumnal equinox to All Soul’s Day is a time to maintain gravestones and sites. Update family records, genealogy information, wills, and trusts. Plan family gatherings for the coming year and communicate the needs of elders, children, and widows.
Veneration <3
Altars, prayer spaces, consecration tools, and blessing tools should be maintained and charged. Altars dedicated to venerating the departed should be maintained and expanded. Craft requests that benefit your bloodline, past, present, and future, should be made for here now and forever. Amen.
“What keeps you in such positions is a fear of having to sink or swim on your own.”
— 50 Cent, Mogul, Actor, Rapper, Entrepreneur
Communal Advice
The Black American community has been a source of innovation and creative expressions for centuries, and in this current decade, we are witnessing a resurgence of this spirit. This renaissance is an opportunity to reimagine how we show appreciation and respect to our people. With every endeavor we create, we open up new avenues for inspiration. During Hoodoo Heritage Month, we encourage you to share your family’s legacy with the world.
Overview:
The celebration spans from the autumnal equinox (September 22, 2025) to All Souls’ Day (November 2, 2025). During this period, it is essential to maintain all the gravesites of the departed or commission their maintenance.Additionally, take some time to understand the needs of yourself and your family and ensure that these needs are addressed. Finally, craft several prayer requests that uplift your bloodline and your community.
Find Your Ancestors!
The first step is organization. How will you save and store the documents and information you find? Consider using an old-school USB drive or utilizing the storage on your device. Set up a naming system that’s easy to understand. In the Information Age, with access to the cloud, you can find storage anywhere. However, physical storage remains the most secure option, similar to a crypto wallet app compared to cold storage. Temporarily, websites like Ancestry and FamilySearch offer storage and access to databases that you may not be physically close to.
Resources
Databases are being constructed and maintained globally every day. Access and utilize them to their full potential. Local libraries are the initial resource suggested to exhaust. Your current state serves as the limitations of that database, so if your family has migrated throughout the country, whether voluntarily or involuntarily, be prepared to travel to other states. Ancestry’s subscription service separates US documents from global documents into two separate databases with different pricing. Additionally, check local colleges, churches, and organizations that maintain member records.
Arts & Crafts
Creating keepsakes to preserve the memory of your ancestors is an ideal activity for family gatherings, classroom assignments, holiday celebrations, and many other occasions. Whether you make Christmas ornaments, photo albums, jewelry, or anything else, it serves as an opportunity to honor, respect, and adore those who came before you..
Prayer for The Dearly Departed:
Lord, we humbly come before you with hearts full of joy and lips overflowing with praise and worship. Lord, grant comfort to those who have passed before us, those whose lives serve as living testimonies to your grace and mercy. May all those still in the land of the living, those who love and cherish them, find solace in their memory. Grant the Ancestors the strength to carry our prayers and intentions through the spirit realm and to you, The Creator, to be heard and answered by the one true God.
By the blood from his side,
Amen.
Blog written by Kimia LaShawn
Published by The Studio by Shawn
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