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Blue Roots: African-American Folk Magic of the Gullah People
An inside look at the history, practices, and people of Gullah country, off the coast of South their spells and hexes, haunts and hags, the dreaded spirit called the Plateye, and the tales of the "root doctors" themselves. 24 photos.
192 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2000
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
April 26, 2016
I bought this book because my husband and I were going to visit a Gullah Island, St. Helena, and I wanted to read up on the culture. Problem is, this book is all about black magic--the negative side of magic and nothing really positive. I refuse to believe that that is the entire African culture. But if you like folklore and magic this is the right book for you. I think I need to find something more well rounded and so should have paid more attention to the title. Still, it was a fun read.
May 23, 2023
Ever heard of voodoo, or hoodoo? This book is a surface introduction to similar Gullah “rootwork” folkways and traditions in the Lowcountry (coastal South Carolina and Georgia — specifically, in this case, near Beaufort and St. Helena Island, SC).
The text is not academic: it is a readable, folkloric approach to the subject, full of second-hand descriptions and tall tales. The big positives about this book include the strong sense of place achieved in the writing, the early chapters that explore the historical formation of a distinct Gullah culture, and the tracing of how West African traditions, words, and beliefs map onto contemporary life in the Lowcountry. Some good stuff in there for sure.
As a reader, I did have questions about how reliable our narrator is — and those questions, left unaddressed, gave me pause. The author, Roger Pinckney, is a white Beaufort local who grew up in a community where rootwork was present and widely acknowledged. I think he aims to write from a place of respect, though the text sometimes feels gawking, or exhibitionist. It’s like he set out to write an engaging, scholarly account of Gullah rootwork traditions, but couldn’t help making sensational detours and flourishes to the effect of “can you believe this?!” I suspect he was trying to keep it colorful and light, but that sometimes felt trivializing for me. I wish he had directly addressed his relationship to the subject as a white non-practitioner. It’s a little awkward for him to be our guide to a subject that is, in so many ways, decidedly outside of his experience, no? Still, there were good stories and tidbits of interest here and there — even though I was wary of giving too much credence to the author as my source.
All told: it was okay. I learned some!
The text is not academic: it is a readable, folkloric approach to the subject, full of second-hand descriptions and tall tales. The big positives about this book include the strong sense of place achieved in the writing, the early chapters that explore the historical formation of a distinct Gullah culture, and the tracing of how West African traditions, words, and beliefs map onto contemporary life in the Lowcountry. Some good stuff in there for sure.
As a reader, I did have questions about how reliable our narrator is — and those questions, left unaddressed, gave me pause. The author, Roger Pinckney, is a white Beaufort local who grew up in a community where rootwork was present and widely acknowledged. I think he aims to write from a place of respect, though the text sometimes feels gawking, or exhibitionist. It’s like he set out to write an engaging, scholarly account of Gullah rootwork traditions, but couldn’t help making sensational detours and flourishes to the effect of “can you believe this?!” I suspect he was trying to keep it colorful and light, but that sometimes felt trivializing for me. I wish he had directly addressed his relationship to the subject as a white non-practitioner. It’s a little awkward for him to be our guide to a subject that is, in so many ways, decidedly outside of his experience, no? Still, there were good stories and tidbits of interest here and there — even though I was wary of giving too much credence to the author as my source.
All told: it was okay. I learned some!
July 16, 2025
Between 3&4 stars I’ll be honest. It’s a lot of Gullah literature out there written by white authors, including anthropologists and ethnologists, that get to be afforded a prominent practitioner title such as scholar or journalist for conveying what has been passed down orally for decades... centuries. None of those people get cited.
Even though he was … relaying tales like we see Zora Neal Hurston do for the South, it did feel exhibitionistic— right down to the Afterword where he’s searching long and hard for the grave of a prominent root doctor for photographic evidence. After all that digging around, I wonder if he ever reflected on the way the book ends in such an unsettling way. That and the way his cultural historic context for root work had greater dimensions to offer than this work allows.
Even though he was … relaying tales like we see Zora Neal Hurston do for the South, it did feel exhibitionistic— right down to the Afterword where he’s searching long and hard for the grave of a prominent root doctor for photographic evidence. After all that digging around, I wonder if he ever reflected on the way the book ends in such an unsettling way. That and the way his cultural historic context for root work had greater dimensions to offer than this work allows.
January 18, 2018
I learned many things and was entertained at the same time. What a great combination in any book. So much more information about the Africans brought into South Carolina, specifically, as slaves that I did not know. Fascinating details about their superstitions, most which are traceable to African ideas. Would recommend!
May 22, 2020
Really interesting stories and folklore in this one. It’s almost unbelievable from an outside perspective. Not necessarily the most well written book of all time, but certainly intriguing and full of fun information.
August 19, 2013
Even though the book has over 170 pages, it was a fast read...and a very enjoyable one at that. Yeah, I know, Llewellyn Publications has gained a reputation for being a cheezy publisher, selling books that aren't worth buying because of its tired old rehashed "Magic 101" attitude. That might be justified to a degree, but not in cases like this. They do print good books. This is one of them.
Don't let the deliberately-faded cover or the double-spaced, easy-to-read style fool you. The further you get into the story, the better it gets. Yes, it starts out with the the story we all learned in school about how Africans got here to Native American land, but it adds tidbits that the teacher didn't know about, let alone tell you. That's just the beginning of the awareness-raising experience.
Without blowing the book for you, I'll just say it's worth buying if you're interested in finding out the background on just one of the kinds of magic even now practiced here in the United States. You don't have to travel to Europe, the Pacific Islands, South America, or anywhere else to find magic when we have our own form in our own back yard. Save these traditions and start practicing them now before modern culture plows them completely under and they're lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry....
Don't let the deliberately-faded cover or the double-spaced, easy-to-read style fool you. The further you get into the story, the better it gets. Yes, it starts out with the the story we all learned in school about how Africans got here to Native American land, but it adds tidbits that the teacher didn't know about, let alone tell you. That's just the beginning of the awareness-raising experience.
Without blowing the book for you, I'll just say it's worth buying if you're interested in finding out the background on just one of the kinds of magic even now practiced here in the United States. You don't have to travel to Europe, the Pacific Islands, South America, or anywhere else to find magic when we have our own form in our own back yard. Save these traditions and start practicing them now before modern culture plows them completely under and they're lost and gone forever, dreadful sorry....
June 20, 2015
Pretty interesting read, but I was hoping for a bit more to it. The short length made it challenging for Pinckney to immerse the reader in the world of the Gullah people, so you end up just with fragments of understanding about root magic and Gullah culture. Definitely a topic of further interest for me though!
September 5, 2015
I bought this book on a trip to the Lowcountry, South Carolina, and all I can say is, I would love to know more! Everyone's heard of New Orleans Voodoo, but Lowcountry rootwork seems fairly unknown. This book was an informative overview of the culture. Nice bibliography too, which will be great for future reading.
September 1, 2009
Absolutely amazing thus far. A great and readable history, some pointed and remarkable opinions wrapped inside historical fact, and a taut atmosphere to boot. It reads almost like a supernatural thriller...
More as I read on.
More as I read on.
June 9, 2011
A very good book on the history, culture, and beliefs of the Gullah people written by a man who grew up and lived on Daufuskie Island, SC. If you're looking for practical information regarding spells and rituals, you might want to look elsewhere.
February 16, 2012
A very interesting book and recounts the real life of
Stephen Robinson, Dr Buzzard. Based in the sea islands around Beaufort, SC. It's fun to visit the areas depicted in the book
and see the Ghost Tree on lands end road.
Stephen Robinson, Dr Buzzard. Based in the sea islands around Beaufort, SC. It's fun to visit the areas depicted in the book
and see the Ghost Tree on lands end road.
August 20, 2013
This book was really cool because it showed me where some of the things that my family does and my grandparents have mentioned to me come from. Hags, boogers, choking hoot owls, blue doors, greens and peas, etc...
May 27, 2015
I picked this up after visiting Savannah where I first heard about root magic and the Gullah people. This is a very accessible read for anyone who is interesting in learning more about this culture and folklore. By no means a text book, this is a nice introductory read.
March 16, 2008
If you read this and Vance Rudolphs' Ozark magic, you find the same threads binding them all together - lots of the same root magic being worked.
The Gullah are awesome.
The Gullah are awesome.
July 13, 2010
A book about the history and beliefs of the people in Gullah country in the low country off the coast of Charleston.
September 26, 2014
Good reading - I loved the history and the stories, whether you are a believer or not, it makes for great stories.
June 14, 2008
If hoodoo is your thing this is the book for you Alot of Herbal Remedies
April 2, 2017
Off the coast of South Carolina live descendents of former slaves. Folklorists refer to them as "Gullah".The "Gullah" retained much of their language, their spiritual beliefs and practices of their African ancestors - including the Gullah type of magic called "the root".
Similar to voodoo or santia, rooting consists of potions, spells, hexes and medicines. The author was born and raised in Beaufort, SC. His book tells some of the stories of the Low Country and a disappearing culture.
Similar to voodoo or santia, rooting consists of potions, spells, hexes and medicines. The author was born and raised in Beaufort, SC. His book tells some of the stories of the Low Country and a disappearing culture.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews