Mojo (pronounced [ˈməʊˌdʒəʊ] or [ˈmoʊˌdʒoʊ]) is a term commonly encountered in the African-American folk belief called hoodoo. A mojo is a type of magic charm, often of red flannel cloth and tied with a drawstring, containing botanical, zoological, and/or mineral curios, petition papers, and the like. It is typically worn under clothing. The word mojo originally referred to a magical charm, and in modern usage often refers to male sexual potency. ... Languages Predominantly American English Religions Protestantism (chiefly Baptist and Methodist); Roman Catholicism; Islam Related ethnic groups Sub-Saharan Africans and other African groups, some with Native American groups. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Not to be confused with Magic (illusion). ... Look up charm in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... A young man wearing a tartan flannel shirt. ...

Terminology and manner of use

The word mojo traces its origins to Africa and entered the English language during the era of slavery in the USA. It has been widely known from the 19th century and early 20th century to the present. Other regional names for mojo bags, or for specific types of mojos, include gree-gree (a Bantu word typically spelled gris-gris by people in Louisiana because of the state's Francophone origins), mojo hand, conjure bag, conjure hand, toby, jomo, and nation sack. In Haiti, the usual name for this sort of charm bag among those of African descent is a wanga, oanga, or wanger. A world map showing the continent of Africa Africa is the worlds second-largest and second most-populous continent, after Asia. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Slave redirects here. ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ... (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Map showing the approximate distribution of Bantu (light brown) vs. ... Gris-gris is an African talisman, amulet or incantation made of jewery that protects the wearer from evil. ...

Mojo hands are carried for their supernatural powers, such as protecting from evil or crossed conditions, drawing love, or bringing good luck or success in gambling and other money matters. A mojo bag can also be prepared for use in more nefarious spell-craft, such as to render a man impotent by tying his nature. The mojo bag usually contains a mix of herbs, powders, personal concerns such as a hair or fingernail clippings, sometimes a coin or dice, a lodestone, a petition paper or prayer, and other objects thought to promote supernatural action or protection. The tying of the bag is an important part of its making, as this keeps within it the spirit whose aid is being sought. Once thus fixed and prepared, the mojo is fed to keep it working, generally with a liquid, such as a perfume, an anointing oil, or in some cases a drop of urine. This article is about fortune. ... Caravaggio, The Cardsharps, c. ... This article is about monetary coins. ... Dice (the plural of die, from Old French de, from Latin datum something given or played [1]) are small polyhedral objects, usually cubical, used for generating random numbers or other symbols. ... Magnetite Lodestone or loadstone refers to either: Magnetite, a magnetic mineral form of iron(II), iron(III) oxide Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides. ... Mary Magdalene in prayer. ... Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, objects, and living spaces a pleasant smell. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

References to mojos, nation sacks, and tobies are common in 20th century rural and urban blues songs by musicians such as Blind Willie McTell, Robert Johnson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, the Memphis Jug Band, Muddy Waters, and Lightnin' Hopkins. Some of the earlier blues tunes were covered by white rock & roll bands in the 1960s and beatboxers in the 2000s. The tunes thus reached audiences unfamiliar with the folk beliefs referred to in the lyrics of the songs. “Blues music” redirects here. ... Blind Willie McTell (May 5, 1908–August 15, 1959), born William Samuel McTell, was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. ... For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation). ... Blind Lemon Jefferson (September 1893 – December 1929) was an influential blues singer and guitarist from Texas. ... This music article needs to be wikified. ... McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915 – April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is generally considered the Father of Chicago blues. He is also the actual father of blues musician Big Bill Morganfield. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Popular songs such as "I Got My Mojo Workin" by Muddy Waters use the reference of mojo to male virility, libido, or the penis itself. Waters refers directly to John the Conqueror root which is believed to have magical sexual powers. The root is a possible item in a mojo bag and in dried form is believed to resemble the testicles of a dark-skinned man. Likewise, Jim Morrison of The Doors named himself "Mr. Mojo Risin" — an anagram of "Jim Morrison" — in the song "L.A. Woman." This usage of the word was spoofed by Mike Myers in the 1999 film Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, in which the title character has his mojo stolen, and loses his sexual confidence and prowess. McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915 – April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is generally considered the Father of Chicago blues. He is also the actual father of blues musician Big Bill Morganfield. ... The roots of Ipomoea jalapa, when dried, are carried as the John the Conquer root amulet. ... James Douglas Morrison (8 December 1943 – 3 July 1971) was an American singer, songwriter, writer, film director, and poet. ... This page is about the rock band. ... For the game, see Anagrams. ... This article is about the actor. ... Austin Powers: the Spy Who Shagged Me is the second film in the Austin Powers series started with Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and continued in Austin Powers in Goldmember. ...

Some other slang meanings of mojo in common use include: charisma, karma, and cocaine (as in "Gimme that mojo!"). The word charisma (from the Greek word χάρισμα (kharisma), gift or divine favor, from kharizesthai, to favor, from kharis, favor: see also charism) refers to a rare trait found in certain human personalities usually including extreme charm and a magnetic quality of personality and/or appearance along with innate and powerfully... For other uses, see Karma (disambiguation). ... Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. ...

Despite these variant usages, the word mojo continues to be widely used to mean what it always has meant in the African-American community -- namely, a conjure hand.

The many types of mojo hands

Mojos are made for all sorts of purposes, many of them documented in blues music: “Blues music” redirects here. ...

• In "Spider's Nest Blues" by Hattie Hart and the Memphis Jug Band, Hart wants to go to New Orleans to get her toby (mojo) "fixed" because she is "having so much trouble" -- the mojo is protective and its power is wearing off, as witnessed by the "bad luck" she is having.
• In "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin' Hopkins, the singer complains about a woman who is "always raising sand" (causing arguments and fights) and he wants to get a mojo hand so that the women will "come under [his] command" -- in other words, he wants to rule, control, and dominate a woman instead of being the target of her bickering...or at least influence her to be more subdued.
• In "Louisiana Hoo Doo Blues" by Ma Rainey, the mojo is protective of an established love relationship and the singer is going to Louisiana to get a mojo hand because she's "gotta stop these women from taking my man."
• In "Little Queen of Spades" by Robert Johnson, the woman has a mojo and uses it to gamble at cards and win, and the mojo explains her otherwise inexplicable winning streak: "everybody says she's got a mojo, 'cause she's been using that stuff".
• In "Hoodoo Hoodoo" by Sonny Boy Williamson I, the mojo is used to break up a love triangle: "I'm goin' down into Louisiana and buy me another mojo hand, all because I got to break up my baby from lovin' this other man."
• In "Mojo Boogie" by J. B. Lenoir, the narrator is given a jack (mojo) by his aunt but doesn't know how to use it: "I got one jack, sure is crazy / My aunt forgot to teach me, just how to operate it / I went to a night club, I was squeezing it tight / I believe that's the cause of them people's start to fight ." The mojo in this case causes people to quarrel.
• In "Hoodoo Lady Blues" by Arthur Crudup, the mojo is again protective of a relationship by causing a break-up with an outside lover. The narrator asks, "please give me a hoodoo hand; I wanna hoodoo this woman of mine, I believe she's got another man." As with Lightnin' Hopkins, what bothers the man is not sexual, rather it is the woman's argumentativeness: "Now, she squabbles all night long, she won't let me sleep / Lord, I wonder what in the world this woman done done to me."
• In several songs -- notably "Scarey Day Blues," "Talkin' to Myself," and "Ticket Agent Blues" all by Blind Willie McTell -- a woman has "got a mojo and she's tryin' to keep it hid." The hidden mojo is a metaphor for her hidden genitals and the male singer says that he's "got something to find that mojo with." The bag or purse-like mojo symbolizes female genitalia, and in this very sexualized sense, mojos are more often associated with women than with men. Preston Foster's "I've got my mojo working but it just don't work on you" was not intended as a song for Muddy Waters, and the first recording of that song was by a woman, Ann Cole.

This music article needs to be wikified. ... New Orleans is the largest city in the state of Louisiana, United States of America. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (September, 1882 – December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation). ... John Lee Williamson (March 30, 1914- June 1, 1948) was an American blues harmonica player and the first to use the name Sonny Boy Williamson. ... J. B. Lenoir (March 5, 1929 – April 29, 1967) was an American Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter born in Monticello, Mississippi. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Blind Willie McTell (May 5, 1908–August 15, 1959), born William Samuel McTell, was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. ... Preston Foster (August 24, 1901-July 14, 1970) was an American stage and film actor. ... McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915 – April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is generally considered the Father of Chicago blues. He is also the actual father of blues musician Big Bill Morganfield. ... Ann Cole (born Cynthia Coleman on January 24, 1934 in Newark, NJ) was an R&B/former gospel singer who was the first artist signed to the popular 1950s label Baton Records. ...

References in popular music

• "Mojo Box" by Southern Culture on the Skids
• "Aunt Caroline Dyer Blues" by The Memphis Jug Band (mojo)
• "Automatic Mojo" by the Meat Puppets (on Huevos (album))
• "Bad Mojo Stomp" by the Mojomatics (on A Sweet Mama Gonna Hoodoo Me)
• "Blues Passion" by Steve Miller Band ("mojo")
• "CAUTION (Do Not Stop On Tracks)" by The Grateful Dead ("mojo hand")
• "Come in from the Cold" by Joni Mitchell ("are you just checking out your mojo")
• "Come On In My Kitchen" by Robert Johnson (nation sack)
• "Come Together" by The Beatles ("mojo filter")
• "Compton" by Beenie Man and Guerilla Black ("you loose your mojo")
• "Egg Raid on Mojo" by Beastie Boys
• "Got My Mojo Working" by Muddy Waters (mojo) (and the original "Got My Mo-Jo Working" by Ann Cole (mo-jo))
• "Got No Mojo" by The Naked Brother's Band
• "Haitian divorce" by Steely Dan (Semi-mojo)
• "I Ain't Got You" by The Yardbirds
• "I Got My Mojo Working" by The Zombies (I got my mojo working)
• "I'm a Mojo Man" by Lonesome Sundown (Cornelius Green) (mojo)
• "(I'm Your) Hoochie Coochie Man" by Muddy Waters (mojo)
• "I Put a Spell on You" by Nina Simone (live version)(So I went to Alabama and I got me some mojo dust, and I put a spell on you)
• "Jomo Blues" by Waymon "Sloppy" Henry (jomo)
• "Keep Your Hand Off Of My Mojo" by Coot Grant and Kid Sox Wesley Wilson (mojo)
• "L.A. Woman" by The Doors (explained above)
• "Leroy" by Wheatus (mojo man)
• "Little Queen of Spades" by Robert Johnson (mojo)
• "Look at all those idiots" by Simpsons (Montgomery Burns and Waylon Smithers) (mojo)
• "Louisiana Blues" by Muddy Waters (mojo hand)
• "Louisiana Hoo Doo Blues" by Gertrude Ma Rainey (mojo hand)
• "Lowdown Mojo Blues" by Blind Lemon Jefferson (mojo)
• "Mojo" by Peeping Tom ("gotta get my mojo runnin'")
• "The Mojo" a.k.a. "Mojo Boogie" by J. B. Lenoir (mojo)
• "Mojo and Princess" by The Enders 7
• "Mojoe Blues" by Charlie Lincoln (Charlie Hicks) (mojo)
• "Mojo Hand" by Lightnin' Hopkins (mojo hand)
• "Mojo Hand Blues" by Ida Cox (mojo hand)
• "Mojo Pin" by Jeff Buckley
• "Mojo - That's My School" by The Kitty Chasers
• "Number one spot" by Ludacris ("and I never lost my mojo")
• "Powerless" by Nelly Furtado (Broken teeth, broken jaw, broken mojo)
• "Pray for Mojo" by Mustard Plug (mojo)
• "Ramble on Rose" by Grateful Dead ("just like mojo hand")
• "Scary Day Blues" by Blind Willie McTell (mojo)
• "Secret Mojo Blues" by Brownie McGhee (mojo)
• "She broke my Mojo" by B.A. (Bat) Taylor (She broke my Mojo)
• "She Drives Me Wild" by Michael Jackson (mojo in her pocket)
• "Spider's Nest Blues" by Hattie Hart and The Memphis Jug Band (toby)
• "Tell Me Woman Blues" by Texas Alexander (mojo)
• "Thee Most Exalted Potentate Of Love" by The Cramps (I got a mojo hand that fits like a glove)
• "Ticket Agent Blues" by Blind Willie McTell (mojo)
• "Voodoo" by Michael Stanley Band (I can hear your mojo screaming in my ear.)

Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... This music article needs to be wikified. ... The Meat Puppets are an American rock band formed in January 1980, in the Sunnyslope neighborhood of Phoenix, Arizona. ... Huevos is an album by the Arizona alternative rock band the Meat Puppets. ... ‹ The template below (Expand) is being considered for deletion. ... Jerry Garcia later in life The Grateful Dead was an American rock band, which was formed in 1965 in San Francisco from the remnants of another band, Mother McCrees Uptown Jug Champions. ... Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943) is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and painter. ... For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation). ... Music sample Come Together ( file info) Problems? See media help. ... The White Album, see The Beatles (album). ... Beenie Man (born Anthony Moses Davis August 22, 1973 in Kingston, Jamaica), is among the most popular reggae entertainers and is a well established dancehall artist. ... Guerilla Black (born in 1977 in Chicago, Illinois as Toni Guy) is a West Coast rapper from Compton, California. ... Beastie Boys is a hip hop musical group from New York City, consisting of Michael Mike D Diamond, Adam MCA Yauch, Adam Ad-Rock Horovitz and the official DJ for the group Michael Mix Master Mike Schwartz. ... McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915 – April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is generally considered the Father of Chicago blues. He is also the actual father of blues musician Big Bill Morganfield. ... Ann Cole (born Cynthia Coleman on January 24, 1934 in Newark, NJ) was an R&B/former gospel singer who was the first artist signed to the popular 1950s label Baton Records. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Not to be confused with Yard Birds. ... The Zombies, formed in 1961 in St Albans, were an English rock band. ... McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915 – April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is generally considered the Father of Chicago blues. He is also the actual father of blues musician Big Bill Morganfield. ... Eunice Kathleen Waymon, better known by her stage name Nina Simone (February 21, 1933 – April 21, 2003), was an American singer, songwriter, pianist, arranger and civil rights activist. ... This page is about the rock band. ... Wheatus is an American pop rock group from Long Island, New York. ... For other persons named Robert Johnson, see Robert Johnson (disambiguation). ... The Simpsons. ... Charles Montgomery Burns, normally referred to as Mr. ... Waylon Smithers, Jr. ... McKinley Morganfield (April 4, 1915 – April 30, 1983), better known as Muddy Waters, was an American blues musician and is generally considered the Father of Chicago blues. He is also the actual father of blues musician Big Bill Morganfield. ... Gertrude Malissa Nix Pridgett Rainey, better known as Ma Rainey (September, 1882 – December 22, 1939), was one of the earliest known professional blues singers and one of the first generation of such singers to record. ... Blind Lemon Jefferson (September 1893 – December 1929) was an influential blues singer and guitarist from Texas. ... Peeping Tom is an experimental collaboration album by Mike Patton. ... J. B. Lenoir (March 5, 1929 – April 29, 1967) was an American Chicago blues guitarist, singer and songwriter born in Monticello, Mississippi. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Ida Cox (25 February 1896 - 10 November 1967) was a popular African American singer, best known for her Blues performances and recordings. ... Jeff Buckley (November 17, 1966 – May 29, 1997), born Jeffrey Scott Buckley and raised as Scotty Moorhead,[1] was an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. ... “Luda” redirects here. ... Nelly Kim Furtado (born December 2, 1978) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and instrumentalist, who also holds Portuguese citizenship. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... This article is about the band. ... Blind Willie McTell (May 5, 1908–August 15, 1959), born William Samuel McTell, was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. ... Walter Brownie McGhee (November 30, 1915 - February 16, 1996) was a folk-blues singer and guitarist, best known for his collaborations with the harmonica player Sonny Terry. ... Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958), commonly known as MJ as well as the King of Pop, is an American musician, entertainer, and pop icon whose successful career and controversial personal life have been a part of pop culture for the last three decades. ... This music article needs to be wikified. ... The Cramps are a punk rock band originally formed in 1972. ... Blind Willie McTell (May 5, 1908–August 15, 1959), born William Samuel McTell, was an influential American blues singer, songwriter, and guitarist. ... This article is being considered for deletion in accordance with Wikipedias deletion policy. ...

References in entertainment

In the English translation of the video game Chrono Cross, Mojo is the name of a human-size sentient voodoo doll. Image File history File links Broom_icon. ... Chrono Cross ) is a console role-playing game created by Square Co. ... The following are characters from the PlayStation game Chrono Cross. ... A large sequined voodoo banner by the artist George Valris The term Voodoo (Vodun in Benin; also Vodou or other phonetically equivalent spellings in Haiti; Vudu in the Dominican Republic) is applied to the branches of a West African ancestor-based Theist-Animist religious tradition. ...

MOJO, is the war cry/alter ego of Permian High School, located in Odessa Texas, also highlighted in the movie Friday Night Lights. The school opened in 1960 and the word "MoJo" has been part of the schools history ever since.

Another Video game called 'Earth worm jim' related a mojo with a little dancing elvis.

MOJO, is a cable channel that features programming geared towards men. Most of the programming revolves around sports, music and drinking alcohol. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

MOJO is the name of the lead guitarist for the modern Rock band Curbside Life.

Mojo is the name of Sam Witwicky's dog in the Transformers movie.

Mojo is Laney and Ronan's best friend.

Mojo-Jojo is the Mutant Monkey Experiment in the Popular, Powerpuff Girls Cartoon.

Mojo is apparently what powers Austin Powers' sex drive, in the "Austin Powers" movies.

Mojo is a hero unit in the Blizzard Entertainment RTS StarCraft Blizzard Entertainment, a division of Vivendi Games, is an American computer game developer and publisher headquartered in Irvine, California. ... A real-time strategy (RTS) video game is one that is distinctly not turn-based. ... “Starcraft” redirects here. ...

See also

• http://www.ector-county.k12.tx.us/Schools/PER/, Permian High School
• John the Conqueror, a root used in mojo bags
• Rabbit's Foot, a zoological curio used in mojo bags
• List of English words of African origin

The roots of Ipomoea jalapa, when dried, are carried as the John the Conquer root amulet. ... An exceptionally lucky rabbit gets to keep all four of its feet. ... This is a list of English language words that come from any of the sub-Saharan African languages. ...

External links

• Hoodoo in Theory and Practice by cat yronwode: http://www.luckymojo.com/hoodoo.html
• Blues Lyrics and Hoodoo by cat yronwode: http://luckymojo.com/blues.html
• Since I met you Baby by : http://www.myspace.com/mojosound