- "Witness my desperate search for the voodoo queen, Tia Dalma."
- ―Jack Sparrow to Will Turner
Voodoo, also known as hoodoo and Obeah, often referred to as the dark arts, was the practice of ancient magic used in the Caribbean. Someone who harnessed the power of voodoo is called a Voodooist, Voodoo Priest or Priestess. Voodoo was also a religion, beginning as a tribal and spiritual belief in Africa brought over by the slaves. The power of Voodoo magic was practiced by many individuals, including Tia Dalma and Blackbeard.
History[]
- "Esmeralda, you've been sailing around the Caribbean for a long time. You know about curses, and magic, and hoodoo, and Obeah. You know that, in the Caribbean, they really exist. Right?"
- ―Jack Sparrow to Esmeralda
In the early 18th century, Voodoo was brought over by African slaves to the Caribbean. There, it mixed with Roman Catholicism and it became a religion with teachings of the Bible incorporated within it. It still used tribal and very spiritual techniques to worship and practice the magic. The knowledge of herbs, poisons, and the ritual creation of charms and amulets, intended to protect oneself or harm others, became key elements of Voodoo.
After the First Brethren Court bound the goddess Calypso into her human form, Calypso, under the guise of Tia Dalma, became a renowned mystical voodoo priestess. Her powers have helped on many occasions, most notably in helping Jack Sparrow[1][2], resurrect Hector Barbossa,[2] and made mystical crabs carry the Black Pearl.[3] Sometime after 1718, Blackbeard studied voodoo to his own ends, taking a passion for forbidden dark magic. Blackbeard learned a variety of beliefs and techniques, and knew more than just Haitian Voodoo, but mainly practiced Haitian Voodoo.[4] At work on the dark arts in the sinister captain's cabin of the Queen Anne's Revenge,[5] he would use his powers to create zombie officers, fashion voodoo dolls, and darts dipped in a sleep-inducing elixir.[6]
Notable Voodoo practitioners[]
Beliefs[]
- "So, what’s this about magic?"
"Well, a lot of that magic and Obeah lore in the Caribbean comes from the Africans that have been transported here, savvy?" - ―Esmeralda and Jack Sparrow
Besides being the practice of ancient magic, voodoo was also a religion. It began as a tribal and spiritual belief in Africa brought over by the slaves to the Caribbean. There, it mixed with Roman Catholicism and it became a religion with teachings of the Bible incorporated within it. It still used tribal and very spiritual techniques to worship and practice the magic.[7][8]
According to Voodoo beliefs, God was unreachable, so the Voodooists mainly prayed to lesser entities, the spirits known as loa. Some of the best known loas were Legba and Ogoun Ferraille.[9]
Dark Magic[]
Similar in nature to Voodoo, Dark Magic differs from other forms of magic in the intent of the person using it. This is a difficult distinction to make in many cases, as most Voodoo magic was relatively neutral—it could be used for bad or good. Some magic, however, was evil in its intention through and through. This intention to do harm places this magic into the realm of the Black Arts. Having studied a variety of beliefs and techniques, Blackbeard knew more than just Voodoo, but he mainly practiced Voodoo.[6][4] He would be at work on the dark arts in the sinister captain's cabin of the Queen Anne's Revenge.[5]
Notable Voodoo Weapons[]
Behind the scenes[]
- Voodoo first appeared in the 2006 film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.[2] It was also identified as the "dark arts", beginning in Pirates of the Caribbean Online.[8] The name "Obeah" first appeared in The Price of Freedom.[7]
- In Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio's first screenplay draft for At World's End, Captain Hector Barbossa orders Ragetti to bring up Tia Dalma's "effects", which happens to be a bag full of voodoo dolls representing Elizabeth Swann, Will Turner, James Norrington, Davy Jones, Jack Sparrow(which is holding a small bottle), and Barbossa himself.
- In Tim Powers' novel, On Stranger Tides, which was used as the basis for the 2011 film Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, voodoo was heavily featured. In his youth, Blackbeard was the hunsi kanzo, a boy deeply educated in voodoo who became an assistant to an old English magician before becoming a full-fledged Voodoo sorcerer. According to Terry Rossio, regarding his powers in the film, Blackbeard knows more than just Haitian Voodoo, but he does practice Haitian Voodoo.[4]
Appearances[]
- Jack Sparrow: The Age of Bronze
- Jack Sparrow: City of Gold
- The Price of Freedom (Mentioned only) (First identified as Obeah)
- The Compass of Destiny!
- Pirates of the Caribbean Online (First identified as dark arts)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest (First appearance)
- Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
- LEGO Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game (Non-canonical appearance)
- Kingdom Hearts III (Non-canonical appearance)
Sources[]
See also[]
External links[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest
- ↑ Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Terry Rossio about Blackbeard, Voodoo, and Magic
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Peter Mountain Blackbeard at work on the dark arts
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: The Visual Guide, pp. 40-41: "Dark Magic"
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Price of Freedom Chapter 14: "Hard Bargains"
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Pirates of the Caribbean Online
- ↑ The Compass of Destiny!