Fayetteville’s ‘Empress JuJu’ explores, explains hoodoo

Feb 2023 04

‘Empress JuJu’ owns a store organized around African hoodoo spiritual practices. The store, JuJu Avenue, is located on Yadkin Road in Fayetteville, NC.

Often, society mixes up “hoodoo” and “voodoo.”

However, there is a major difference: Hoodoo is not a religion but a set of spiritual practices.

Voodoo is a religion with leaders, teachers, representatives, services and an organized structure.

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Hoodoo is a practice of looking inward and being in tune with your spiritual being.

Voodoo came to prominence in the regions of Haiti and throughout Louisiana, while hoodoo came from Africa.

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Both were practiced by enslaved persons who were working to overcome oppression in the United States. In addition, both practices have been associated with witchcraft and magic.

In Fayetteville, one resident has embarked on a journey to break the connotation associated with the practice of hoodoo.

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“Empress JuJu” is a 34-year-old Spring Lake native who has been practicing hoodoo for eight years. Before getting into her spirituality, she graduated from Pine Forest High School and attended the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

She decided to relocate to New York. There, she encountered a group that was studying hoodoo and became intrigued.

She began to engulf herself in knowledge. Her quest began as a means of searching for truth, achieving growth and developing a positive mindset.

She had always been raised as a Christian. However, she craved something else that felt real and natural and chose to go within for the answer.

Before she was able to absorb the teaching, Empress understood that she had to commit to some lifestyle changes, such as becoming a vegan and meditating. In addition, she says she achieved self-actualization, a higher level of personal growth.

She feels that being the captain of your own ship has helped her be in control of her own mind. Through self-actualization, she has been afforded the opportunity to live how she wants and learned to interact with society in a more open manner.

One of the greatest challenges with her transition was changing her mind. Furthermore, she had to conquerher fear of the unknown, along with “unlearning” everything she once believed and becoming closer to self.

Helping others help themselves

Empress has always wanted to help people help themselves and has worked as a hairstylist, been involved in the real estate industry and is a serial entrepreneur. Her latest business venture is the product of her spirituality and her love for helping others help themselves.

Last April, she made a post on her Facebook page captioned “manifesting my store.” Months later, she made a post that displayed her showing off a set of keys with the caption referencing her store opening November 2022.

On December 19, she made a celebratory post about her JuJu Avenue storefront sign arriving. At that moment, her manifestation came to fruition.

JuJu Avenue is a metaphysical store that offers fixed candles, spiritual baths and Florida water. In addition, Empress JuJu offers spiritual consultations and blessings for your home or business.

When one enters JuJu Avenue, they find a space filled with tranquility.

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