Trample on the dust of the Dead lightly...This sentiment, held by old-time Hoodoos and traditional Rootworkers, is a subtle reminder of the importance of observing certain behaviors while in a graveyard. Knock before entering. Be careful where you walk. Don't step on graves or sit on tombstones. Always ask before taking anything-even stones, flowers, sticks and leaves. Never leave trash, always greet the gatekeeper and always come prepared with a pocket full of pennies, silver dimes and a bottle of rum or whiskey. The important thing to remember is that you never just walk in and take something. You must always treat the spirits with respect; both the spirits of the deceased, as well as the guardians of the cemeteries and the psychopomps. Workin' in da Boneyard is a primer for conjurers seeking a tangible connection to their past, their ancestors and the Spirit World by working with graveyards and graveyard dirt. From practical issues of safety, choosing a cemetery, locating ancestral graves, reading gravestone signs and symbols, avoiding haints and hauntings, to gathering graveyard dirt and making goofer dust, Workin' in da Boneyard has the information needed for working effective graveyard conjure, as well as words of caution for the ill-prepared.
About the Author: Denise Alvarado is a native Creole born and raised in the Voodoo and hoodoo rich culture of New Orleans, Louisiana. She is the author of several books, including the Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook and the Hoodoo Almanac 2012, coauthored with Carolina Dean and Alyne Pustanio. She is also the founder and Editor in Chief of Hoodoo and Conjure Magazine. Denise is a rootworker in the southern Hoodoo tradition with over 40 years of life experience in the conjure arts and mysticism. Madrina Angelique was born and raised in rural Georgia. She has immersed herself in the study and practice of traditional southern hoodoo since childhood. She is initiated in the Palo tradition as Madre Nganga of Munanso Centella Ndoki Nkuyo Malongo Corta Lima Cordosa, initiated by Chief Ololele Afolabi, godson of Tata Antonio Ali. She is also initiated in Santeria as Iyalorisha of Ile Ori Yemaya, initiated by Baba Ogun Solu, godson of Chief Bolu Fantunmise of the Ifa Orisha Cultural Center in Nigeria and Atlanta. Madrina is a regular contributor to Hoodoo and Conjure Magazine and coauthor of 13 Legendary Crossroads Rituals and Crossroads Mamas' 105 Spiritual Baths for Every Occasion with Denise Alvarado.