About me: The Niagara Voodoo Shrine is the name of our Temple and the people who serve it. We have a large extended family who serve both the Loa and Orisha nation of spirits.
Within the last eight years we have had the privileged honour of awakening and rekindling some of the lost arts and secrets of the historic Niagara Voodoo tradition. Located in St. Catharines Ontario Canada, is the Harriet Tubman historical centre and church(B.M.E.Church). It is in our town that the main branch of the legendary Underground Railroad ended. Harriet Tubman brought freedom seeking slaves to St. Catharines every year (it was just far enough from the U.S. boarder to make it difficult enough for bounty hunters to recapture escapees). She would depart with some scouts and runners each spring to early summer, walking on foot through harsh conditions as far south as Virginia, there she would meet up with runaway slaves who had made it that far. They would walk back following the North Star and would return to St. Catharines Niagara by early to mid December. We celebrate the feast day of the Gede(nation of ancestor spirits) of the Underground Railroad, and Harriet Tubman in December as a ceremonial homage and welcome home to the spirits with joyous music, dancing, food offerings and cleansing magikal baths. It culminates with opening the doors to the December night and inviting and welcoming in the Gede to warm up, party and rest.
By definition Niagara Voodoo is Carolinian forest magik (Hoodoo, African American tradition of folk magik, conjuring & herbal medicine). The band of forest that runs northwest from North Carolina to southern Ontario is unique in that many of the same trees, marsh, swamp plants and animals are also indigenous to our area. This includes the Massasauga rattlesnake found in remote marsh and boggy forests in the region, as well as the fox snake, possums and vultures, all unique to extreme southern Ontario (The Niagara escarpment keeps the area sheltered and warmer than both Toronto Canada and Buffalo N.Y. which are within an hour in each direction).
Much of the healing, juju, gris-gris, and mojo comes from the animals and the flora as it was brought by escaped slaves from the Carolinas along familiar stretches of land right across the boarder into Niagara. Harriet Tubman and many of her followers were indeed devout Christians (The B.M.E church in St. Catharines is a British Methodist Episcopal church), but there were many who were renowned bush healers, diviners and practitioners of voodoo. Harriet Tubman, herself the daughter of a plantation witchdoctor was also a conjurer. This is what makes Harriet Tubman such a compassionate power; referred to as "the Moses of her people" she did not discriminate among them for their religious practices. She was known to have said during times of tribulation while on journey, "You pray to your spirits and I'll pray to my god and we'll turn out fine."
When some on the train wanted to return to the plantation, which would have risked the others being caught, she was also known to point her always handy rifle and say, " Your going to be free one way or the other, make your choice!"
From the time of the Underground Railroad to the 1930's there was a vibrant African community (called by locals "little Africa") concentrated in a few block radius of St. Catharines with the B.M.E church at its heart. However the labour that supported this community ran out and by the 1940's there was but a remnant of what had existed. Many of the black settlers moved to other parts of Canada, to pockets in Northern Ontario and many going to the Nova Scotia area on Canada’s East coast.
With that mass exodus there was much forgotten and neglected in the swamp charms and traditions. Black cemeteries became overgrown fields (great place's to do ritual), stories and traditions fell on a devoted few, and direct descendants. Maintainers the B.M.E church give tours to this day. With a bigger focus on church activities, whole bands of local Gede became hungry and forgotten, slipping into the silent sleep. However for many years now members of the N.V.S along with help from extended friends and family have gone to great lengths to uncover and preserve a very special and unique tradition of Niagara Voodoo.
Through research, handed down information and traditions, as well as an eager skeletal hand of friendship from the Gede themselves, the tapestry of Niagara Voodoo has become alive once again. At its core Niagara Voodoo is celebratory and inspiring, transformative and empowering. For it is in this small area, that over years thousands of slaves found freedom (as well as alot of hard work), and a marsh tradition of magik was founded on it.
We feel it is our duty and service to continue to honour and homage the spirits and memory of the men and women who practiced the art of Niagara Voodoo. We will continue to uncover and put together the pieces of a beautiful form of magik and healing so it may be passed on to willing hearts and hands.
Underneath the Northern Star, shining bright you will find the Niagara Voodoo Shrine.
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