Old Style Conjure

July 31, 2017
Casas, a conjure woman, veteran rootworker, and New Orleans Folk Magic Festival organizer, will bewitch readers with this accessible beginner text about the basics of the “living culture” of the magical tradition of conjure, which was first practiced by enslaved Africans in the American South. Casas emphasizes that the “work” (spell) is incorrect unless it has four core aspects: inclusion of the Bible, veneration of the ancestors, doing only “justified works,” and looking to Spirit rather than to personal power. Casas’s distinctive voice and occasional use of Gullah dialect lend a homeyness to the text, even if Casas comes off as a bit cantankerous. A section on historical figures who practiced conjuring techniques, such as Gabriel Prosser and Harriet “Mama Moses” Tubman, gives the book some context. These mini-histories, together with explicit descriptions of works and methods—even including the complete biblical passages used in each work—support Casas’s expressed interest in making sure that those who were previously unfamiliar with conjure are well grounded in the background of the practice. However, instructions for divination by reading cards or throwing bones are vague.