New Orleans Voodoo Altars

I'm just back from a trip to New Orleans, and of course I had to bring some Magic back...These are pictures of altars in Voodoo Authentica Cultural Center and Collection on Dumaine Street, a shop that also sells Voodoo and Santeria paraphenalia and imported gift items from Africa, Haiti and Mexico. The owner was very welcoming and allowed these consecrated altars to be photographed, which many practitioners are hesitant to do. Her idea was that if the spirits didn't want to be photographed, the pictures simply wouldn't come out. And it seems she was right.















Several altars, like the Yemaya and Oshun altar in three levels shown here came out beautifully. (Top level, above; second and third level below.)














Others pictures came out blurred, as if the saints were only allowing me to see part of who they were. (Or maybe it's becuase I didn't use a flash.)

But the weird thing is, I took one picture (I don't recall which altar) that didn't come out at all, and I can't account for it. I got an "Incompatible Image Error" something I'd never had on this camera except when I used the wrong camera card. That certainly wasn't the case, as all the other pictures came out. Hmmm....

To visit Voodoo Authentica for yourself, you can look in on their website http://www.voodooshop.com/

And to see lots more pictures (including pictures of St. Louis Cemetery #1) and read about my experiences in New Orleans, visit the companion webpage for this blog, The Crow's Nest

The Crow's Nest