Hoodoo is an American term, originating in the 19th century or earlier, for African-American folk magic.

Hoodoo consists of a large body of African folkloric practices and beliefs with a considerable admixture of American Indian botanical knowledge and European folklore. Although most of its adherents are black, contrary to popular opinion, it has always been practiced by both whites and blacks in America. Other regionally popular names for hoodoo in the black community include ‘conjuration,’ ‘conjure,’ ‘witchcraft,’ ‘rootwork,’ and ‘tricking.’ The first three are simply English words; the fourth is a recognition of the pre-eminence that dried roots play in the making of charms and the casting of spells, and the fifth is a special meaning for a common English word. (Read more.)

An argument has been made, quite soundly, that an ethereal, gnostic impulse historically impels the development of groundbreaking information technologies. Two citations for this assertion spring immediately to mind: Erik Davis’ wonderful tome, Techgnosis (see the earlier ‘seed-crystal’ essay), and Avital Ronell’s The Telephone Book which details Alexander Graham Bell’s desire to speak with the dead.