Marie Laveau and Her Spellwork

The Lady Was the Legendary Supreme Voodoo Queen of New Orleans

Jul 3, 2008 Jill Stefko

She was respected and feared by many. The people she helped and tended to were from all social classes. Read three fascinating cases of Marie's working Voodoo.

Marie Laveau mixed Catholicism with syncretic Voodoo. People believed she could cast powerful spells. Her obituaries state she was a devout Catholic; however, she gained fame as a Voodoo practitioner.

Playboy

The rakish son of a prominent Creole family allegedly raped a young woman. Evidence against him was strong. Marie was asked to help to get an acquittal. At dawn, the morning of the trial, she went to church, put three Guinea peppers in her mouth and prayed. She went to the courtroom and put the peppers under the judge’s chair. She left a gris-gris bag on his doorstep and pinned a signed note on his door stating the young man was innocent.

During the trial, she tossed a note with one of her hairs in it on the prosecutor’s shoulder. Although the attorney made a passionate plea for conviction, the accused was acquitted.

Rich Elderly Bachelor

The man was in love with a woman young enough to be his granddaughter. She spurned his overtures. Because her father was having financial problems, he tried to convince her to marry him. She refused. Finally, the father and the bachelor asked Marie for help. She promised the two would marry.

Marie gave the father a love powder to put in his daughter’s food. She gave the bachelor a gris-gris bag. Then, she told them not to beg the girl to marry for two weeks. After the time was up, they repeated their plea and she finally agreed.

The wedding was a grand one. The bride and groom were waltzing. Suddenly, the old man collapsed and died, leaving his bride a wealthy widow.

When Marie was asked what role she played in the events. She said she had only promised they would marry.

Condemned Prisoners

Marie was known for her works with prisoners. Anthony Deslisle and Jean Adam were going to be hanged for murdering a servant girl and stealing money from her employer’s home.

On the day of the execution, Marie brought them gumbo, prayed and talked to them until the appointed hour arrived. She joined the crowd that was waiting to see the men hanged.

The prisoners appeared to be intoxicated, although they drank no alcohol. The day was sunny. Deslisle shouted that he was innocent and pleaded for a decent burial. Clouds began to gather above the scaffold. He raised his arms. Wind raced through the trees. A woman yelled it was like the Crucifixion. Many became afraid. The men were prepared for the executions. As the trap door was opened, torrential rain fell and lightning streaked in the sky.

The ropes broke and the men fell to the ground. They were taken to their cells, then returned to the gallows. These executions were successful. Those present noticed Marie was there and believed she caused the storm and almost saved the men’s lives.

Coincidence? Voodoo Magick?

Playboy: The jury was made up of his peers, other rakish sons of prominent Creole families. It might be they wouldn’t convict one of their own.
Elderly Bachelor: It could be the girl, who had been threatened and beaten by her father because she refused to marry the old man, acquiesced to stop the abuse. It could be the groom suffered a fatal heart attack or stroke.
Prisoners: Perhaps, the storm was coincidental.

Marie was a legend in life and remains so in death.

Gris-gris, Resquardo & Gurunfinda

Marie Laveau I: Rise to Power

Witchcraft: Storm Raising

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits, Rosemary Ellen Guiley, (Facts on File, Inc., 1992)

Voodoo in New Orleans, Robert Tallant, (Pelican Publishing Company, 1994)

The copyright of the article Marie Laveau and Her Spellwork in Paganism/Wicca is owned by Jill Stefko . Permission to republish Marie Laveau and Her Spellwork in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.