Juju
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Juju (disambiguation).
Juju or Ju-Ju is a word of West African origin, derived from the French joujou (toy) [1], that refers to the supernatural power ascribed to an object; or fetish. It can also refer to the use of such objects, making it a form of witchcraft.[2]
- "An object of any kind superstitiously venerated by West African native tribes, and used as a charm, amulet, or means of protection; a fetish. Also the supernatural or magical power attributed to such objects, or the system of observances connected therewith; also a ban or interdiction effected by means of such an object (corresponding to the Polynesian taboo)." [3]
The term juju, and the practices associated with it, travelled to the Americas from West Africa with the influx of slaves and still survives in some areas, particularly among the various groups of Maroons, who have tended to preserve their African traditions.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ Dictionary.com
- ^ For a good referenced discussion of the main meanings and origin of the term
- ^ Oxford English Dictionary. (1971). Oxford University Press.
