Voodoo via NYC

In researching my article on Atlantic City's occult origins for Diving Horse Issue 3, I came up with far more material(s) than expected and outgrew my allotted space in the printed zine. In the spirit of the season - on the most autumnal day yet - I'm going to spill over a little here, with an interesting oddity I uncovered in my studies.

The unlikely source I stumbled upon was a book by Joseph J. Williams, a Jesuit missionary who moved to Jamaica in 1912, spurring his interest in anthropology and folklore. After his return to the United States in 1918, he went on to publish a number of scholarly works concerning African and Caribbean history and belief systems, including Voodoo & Obeahs - Phases of West India Witchcraft in 1932. Atlantic City is briefly spotlighted in its introduction, but is otherwise unrelated to the rest of the text.

Here's the excerpt:

Honestly, I can't tell if these are good prices or not. Keep in mind that "prices ranging from $1 to $1000" in 1925 = $18.50 to $18.5k due to the bloodthirsty gods of inflation. $740.52 for Happy Dust seems steep, but I guess it depends on quantity and quality. I could probably spare the $2k for Easy Life Powder if it works fast. I just don't really have time to sit around waiting...

I'm very curious about the use of "King Solomon's Marrow," but for that price I'll keep wondering. The "Black Cat's Wishbone" has me wondering about the salesman's understanding of feline anatomy, but, for that price, they probably don't have to worry about coughing one up. Any thoughts on "Buzzard Nest"? I mean, I know what it is, but for what magical use? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?

Send all answers and inquiries to slenkovshchyna@gmail.com

Disclaimer: I do not have any of these items for sale. (Yet.)

Anyway, this voodoo stuff is honestly pretty unrelated to my the article in the forthcoming zine, which is more focused on how the first occult practitioners to work the Atlantic City boardwalk had a lasting impact on the world. Think palmists, psychics, numerologists. The New Thought movement. The famous Martini.

I was excited to delve deeper, into the rise of Theosophy and the growing influence of Spiritualism into the mid-1900s, but perhaps there will be time and space for that in a future zine or blog article, if the interest arises. Until then,

C. M. Slenko

cmslenko.com