Magic in North America
Hoodoo and conjure, Appalachian folk magic, Indigenous ceremony (some of it closed to outsiders), modern Paganism and the stage magic of Houdini to Las Vegas. 187 entries on EveryJaadu so far.
Places of magic
New Orleans 6Salem 4Boston 2Chicago 2Harlem 2Liverpool 2Los Angeles 2San Francisco 2Adams 1Alaska 1Alberta 1Albuquerque 1Alexian Brothers Hospital 1Atlanta 1Balzac 1Beaman 1Bell Witch Cave 1Berks County 1Big Horn County 1Blythe 1Boulder Valley 1Braddock Heights 1Brisbane 1Bristol 1Broadway 1Brownsville 1Buffalo 1Central Park 1Chattanooga 1Chesapeake Bay 1
Rites of the region
Pennsylvania German powwowAppalachian charm for stopping bloodHoodoo mojo bagHoodoo floor washingCasting a Wiccan circleSpiritualist seanceThe Ouija boardSmudging, and who may do itNavajo sandpainting
Countries
PurposeProtectionHealingSeeing and foretellingLuck and prosperityLove and attractionCursing and harmCleansing and purificationSpeaking with spirits and the deadChange and initiationBinding and oathsPower and authorityWonder and entertainment
WhoShamansFolk healersPriests and ritual specialistsWitches, sorcerers and cunning folkDiviners and readersMediums and the possessedCeremonial magicians and alchemistsHouseholds and ordinary peopleStage magiciansScholars and sceptics
BeliefHindu and TantricBuddhistJainMuslim and SufiJewishChristianSikhZoroastrianShinto and TaoistIndigenous and shamanicAfrican and Afro-diasporicPagan and NeopaganEsoteric and occultFolk and village customSecular and stageOther traditions
馃嚠馃嚦 IndiaStreet magic
Public performance of illusions for passersby, from traditional busking to impromptu guerrilla tricksIllusion 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesSawing a lady in half (sample)
A famous stage effect, described without its method.Illusion 路 Wonder and entertainment Performed
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesCurse of Tippecanoe
An urban legend linking US presidential deaths to election years ending in zero.Belief 路 Cursing and harm Fading
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesKennedy curse
A pattern of tragedies linked to the American Kennedy familyBelief 路 Cursing and harm Historical
馃嚚馃嚘 CanadaSpoon bending
A magic trick and paranormal claim involving the deformation of metal cutleryBelief 路 Wonder and entertainment 路 Power and authority Historical
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 1 moreFinancial astrology
A practice linking planetary positions to stock market trendsBelief 路 Seeing and foretelling 路 Luck and prosperity Fading
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 1 moreCurse of 1940
A superstition explaining a long championship drought for the New York RangersBelief 路 Luck and prosperity Historical
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesAshtar
A channeled extraterrestrial figure central to mid-century American ufology and New Age spiritualityBeing 路 Speaking with spirits and the dead 路 Seeing and foretelling Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesHail Satan
A Satanic exclamation used as ritual greeting, rebel cry, and pop-culture punchlineBelief 路 Power and authority 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 5 moreMagic
A performance art using natural means to create the appearance of impossible featsIllusion 路 Wonder and entertainment Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United States and 1 moreChurch of Satan
An atheistic religious body founded in 1966 that practices ritual magicTradition 路 Power and authority 路 Change and initiation Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesBaseball superstition
Rituals and beliefs held by players and fans to influence game outcomesBelief 路 Luck and prosperity 路 Protection Living
馃嚞馃嚙 United Kingdom and 1 moreSuperman curse
An urban legend linking misfortunes to actors and creators in Superman adaptationsBelief 路 Cursing and harm Living
馃嚭馃嚫 United StatesSecond-term curse
A belief that U.S. presidents face greater trouble in their second term than their first.Belief Historical
Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Kennedy curse: Walt Cisco, Dallas Morning News, Public domain, source
- Street magic: Hieronymus Bosch and workshop / Workshop of Hieronymus Bosch / After H, Public domain, source
- Spoon bending: Sgerbic, CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Curse of Tippecanoe: Albert Gallatin Hoit, Public domain, source
- Church of Satan: Palnu ., CC BY-SA 3.0, source
- Baseball superstition: Johnmaxmena2, CC BY 4.0, source
- Curse of 1940: Trophy: Unknown Photo: Alexey Chernyadyev Derivative work: J . delanoy, CC BY 3.0, source
- Ashtar: Evedawn99, Public domain, source
- Second-term curse: Achille Beltrame, Public domain, source
- Hail Satan: Paul Sableman, CC BY 2.0, source