Meet Louisiana’s Current Voodoo Queen, Sallie Ann Glassman
Lafayette, Louisiana (KMDL) - When you think of Louisiana voodoo, you think of Marie Laveau, the famed Voodoo Queen of New Orleans.
Laveau passed away in 1881, so who has been carrying the voodoo torch in the New Orleans area?
Well, there have been quite a few voodoo priestesses since Laveau's passing including her daughter, but is there a current Voodoo Queen of New Orleans?
There sure is.
What Is Voodoo?
There are quite a few misconceptions when it comes to voodoo.
Voodoo is not about voodoo dolls or worshiping Satan.
Voodoo is a religion that focuses on healing, protection, and guidance from spirits.
There are voodoo priests and priestesses that carry out the ceremonies, religious music, and dance.
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From louisianastatemuseum.org -
Voodoo (also spelled Vodou) derives from the term for deities used by the Fon people of West Africa and is a religion that believes all things have spirits.
In this religion, humans in the physical world and invisible spirits called orishas (or lwa in Haiti) guide human and natural lives. The Voodoo faithful tend to the spirits with worship and devotion.
As a religious system, Voodoo keeps people in harmony with their spirit ancestors and nature.
Who Is The Current Voodoo Queen Of New Orleans?
While there are several current Voodoo Queens currently operating in New Orleans like Kalindah Laveaux and Ava Kay Jones, there is one Voodoo Priestess that has been practicing voodoo in New Orleans since 1977 considered to be the leading Priestess in The Cresent City.
That Priestess is a woman by the name of Sallie Ann Glassman.
Born in 1954 in Maine, Glassman is of Ukrainian Jewish descent, making her background highly unusual in the world of voodoo.
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Despite her unusual background, she has gained a great amount of respect from the voodoo community for her devotion, in-depth study of the religion, and integration into the Vodou religion and tradition.
According to newsroom.journalists.org In 1995, she was formally initiated in Haiti as a Manbo Asogwe, which is the highest rank of Voodoo, or Vodou Priestess.
Back In 1992, Glassman published a set of tarot cards called "The New Orleans Voodoo Tarot".
In addition to being a Voodoo Priestess, Glassman is also an artist and author of the book "Vodou Visions: An Encounter with Divine Mystery".
You can read more about Sallie Ann Glassman over at myneworleans.com.
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Gallery Credit: Jude Walker