#11
Voodoo and folk beliefs—
Symbol of purification—
Chicken feet in rituals—
Brooms for spiritual cleansing—
Black chicken aerosol spray—
Writings of the magi—
Necromancy and conjuration—
Manufacturing a magic chicken
Black Chicken candle, Black Chicken aerosol spray, Black Chicken soap and Black Chicken anointing oil
Early 21st century
Santeria religious articles
Iron Chalice of Osun
Early 21st century
Santeria religious article
Iron cup with hanging metal charms
Voodoo Chicken-Foot Amulet
Early 21st century
Chicken Foot, leather and beads.
In the barnyard, chickens are often seen scraping, kicking the ground and scratching their feet, in gestures that appear similar to sweeping or cleaning. In the traditions of Wicca, Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santeria and Folk-belief, the chicken is a powerful symbol of purification. To spiritually cleanse your body, take a dried chicken foot and make a scratching motion in the air about one inch from the surface of your skin, starting at the crown of your head, working your way down to your feet. Give your feet extra attention by working the chicken foot back and forth from heel to toe. Do this ritual for nine nights to remove a curse or jinxed condition. A broom made of chicken feathers (or in the image of a chicken) is used in many traditions for spiritual decontamination to cleanse a ritual area of negative energies. The sweeping also helps to get the practitioner’s mind ready for the ritual, while quieting the mind and narrowing the focus.
For centuries, dried chicken feet have been used as a charm for protection against evil. When hung in a doorway, a chicken foot will protect the home from evil spirits. The most powerful chicken feet are obtained from black-feathered chickens. It is a widespread belief that hens, especially black ones, have an affinity with the spirit world, and they are often sacrificed to establish contact with the dead. A black chicken candle is used to bring good luck and to ward off negativity, as well as black-chicken aerosol spray, anointment oil, and soap. The manuscript La Poule Noire (The Black Pullet), written in the 18th century, is said by some to be “the world’s most evil book.” It is a grimoire, a book of magic spells and invocations, that purports to be a translation of the writings of the Magi (the wise men of the Bible). The work includes the science of magical talismans, the art of necromancy and of the Kabbalah, and the conjuration of aerial and infernal spirits. But most crucially, the volume includes step-by-step instructions on how to supernaturally manufacture a magic black hen. A similar book, Old Style Conjure: Hoodoo, Rootwork, & Folk Magic, published in 2017 by Starr Casas, elucidates the ritual use of chicken feet for conjuration.
For centuries, dried chicken feet have been used as a charm for protection against evil. When hung in a doorway, a chicken foot will protect the home from evil spirits. The most powerful chicken feet are obtained from black-feathered chickens. It is a widespread belief that hens, especially black ones, have an affinity with the spirit world, and they are often sacrificed to establish contact with the dead. A black chicken candle is used to bring good luck and to ward off negativity, as well as black-chicken aerosol spray, anointment oil, and soap. The manuscript La Poule Noire (The Black Pullet), written in the 18th century, is said by some to be “the world’s most evil book.” It is a grimoire, a book of magic spells and invocations, that purports to be a translation of the writings of the Magi (the wise men of the Bible). The work includes the science of magical talismans, the art of necromancy and of the Kabbalah, and the conjuration of aerial and infernal spirits. But most crucially, the volume includes step-by-step instructions on how to supernaturally manufacture a magic black hen. A similar book, Old Style Conjure: Hoodoo, Rootwork, & Folk Magic, published in 2017 by Starr Casas, elucidates the ritual use of chicken feet for conjuration.