Black Hawk, Hoodoo, and Spiritualism.
Black Hawk was a Native American man who led Sauk and Fox warriors against settlers in Illinois and Wisconsin in the 1832 Black Hawk War.
Mother Leafy Anderson was a spiritualist born in 1887 in Balboa, Wisconsin she married William Anderson in Lousiana but moved to Chicago, IL after their separation. In Chicago is where she established her spiritual temple around 1914 later relocating to New Orleans around 1918 soon the spiritualist movement was established in the 1920s. The kind of music played at her church including Jazz, Rock, and Roll, Afro Caribbean, and Negro Gospels. Soon practitioners dropped the ist of the title spiritualist to just calling themselves spiritual. White was mandatory to wear in her temple and most Spiritual Churches.
According to Archbishop B. S. Johnson, who worked under her closely for many years, Leafy Anderson was born to Black and Native American parents. She was half Mohawk and she believed Black Hawk was her spirit guide. Written in the book "Spirit World" it explained that Mother Anderson's teachings were "spirit returning" (your loved ones come back and guide you). "It's like when you hear an inner voice telling you what to do, That's one of your spirit guides. You should listen to what your spirit guides tell you." It said Mother Leafy Anderson's spirit guides were Queen Esther, White Hawk, Black Hawk, and a Father Jones whom she worked under in Chicago. Spirit guides can be adopted from the living world or the world beyond. Communication with one's spirit guides can be established either through a medium or through prayer. In this way, people who have shown you the greatest truth and inspiration become an integral part of your subconscious and can speak to you from within or from "beyond."
Black Hawk is considered a protector and over justice. His altar consists of dirt of Illinois or. Colored candle used for him include is Red. Offerings to Black Hawk are corn, beans, and alcohol. A statue of him or a symbolic native American statue is placed on his altar. Many people will put this statue along with his tools such as a tomahawk into a tin bin. In New Orleans because of Catholic influences, he is paired with saints such as St.Micheal. He is called through Negro spiritual hymns and the combination of Native American hymns. There are many Native American spirit guides in Hoodoo such as Sitting Bull. Although, these spiritual temples consider themselves to be Catholic and Protestant Christian based they admit they're of African Heritage and there is Hoodoo "ism" as people may see it in the church but everything done is in the Bible.
Because of the establishment of spiritual temples in New Orleans and the Mississippi delta. The Afro Caribbean influence was incorporated into the culture further spreading the pantheon of Native American spirit guides costumes used in ceremonies was soon to be used in Mardi Gra parades. Later establishing a tradition of honoring a spiritual lineage.
