The Hoodoo Tarot: 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers by McQuillar, Tayannah Lee

The Hoodoo Tarot: 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers — photo 1

Tarot & Divination

The Hoodoo Tarot: 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers

Name: The Hoodoo Tarot: 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers
Price: 35.00 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.4 (4 reviews)
Author: McQuillar, Tayannah Lee
ISBN: 9781620558737

McQuillar, Tayannah Lee

Reader rating

4.4

(3 reviews) 95 sold

$35.00

Editorial score How we rate

In stock

Stock reported in the catalog; fulfillment is confirmed with your request.

📚 ABOUT THE BOOK

Hoodoo Tarot bridges African, Native, and European mysticism through 78 cards honoring legendary rootworkers.

This volume merges the ancient American practice of Rootwork with the structural elegance of the Tarot. McQuillar presents a 78-card deck featuring full-color illustrations of historical rootworkers and potent symbols. The accompanying guide offers deep dives into each card’s Major and Minor Arcana meanings, weaving botanical lore with magical intent. It serves as both a divinatory tool and a historical text, illuminating the complex multicultural origins of Hoodoo. Readers will find detailed entries on associated plants, the biographies of featured practitioners, and a broader narrative on how these traditions evolved through cross-cultural exchange.

Key themes

Syncretic Rootwork History Botanical and Spiritual Synergy Archetypal Rootworker Portraits

Historical context

This work sits at the intersection of African, Native, and European mystical traditions, specifically bridging these influences through the American practice of Rootwork and Hoodoo. It serves as a historical and divinatory text that illuminates the complex multicultural origins of these spiritual practices.

McQuillar, Tayannah Lee

📚 all books by this author (4) →

Difficulty

●● Moderate

Fans will love it

Lorrie Moore's ethnographic fiction · Stephen Foster's minstrelsy studies · Hoodoo tradition practitioners

🃏 Tarot & Divination

🏛 Destiny Books 📖 160 pages ISBN: 9781620558737

Fun fact

McQuillar delivers a vital corrective to Tarot history, centering American folk magic with dignity and depth. The illustrations are vibrant, and the historical notes are meticulously researched. It excels in making Rootwork accessible without diluting its complexity. However, traditionalists seeking classical RWS imagery will feel alienated. This sits firmly as a pioneering text in the genre, essential for anyone seeking authentic, non-colonial divination tools.

📝 Description: The Hoodoo Tarot: 78-Card Deck and Book for Rootworkers

A divination deck and guidebook rooted in the American Hoodoo tradition - 2021 Coalition of Visionary Resources Silver Award - Includes 78 full-color Tarot cards that depict legendary rootworkers past and present as well as important Hoodoo archetypes and symbols - Provides in-depth card meanings for each card in the Major Arcana and the four suits of the Minor Arcana, including the history of the rootworker or symbol featured, any associated magical plants, and guidance based on the card's meaning - Offers a history of Hoodoo and its complex heritage, including its roots in multiple African and Native American ethnic groups as well as its European influences Between the 17th and 19th centuries, many Indigenous Americans and people of African descent intermarried and socialized more often than is acknowledged by mainstream history books and scholars. These interactions produced not only a multicultural people but also a body of knowledge that is known today as Hoodoo or Rootwork. Celebrating the complex American Rootwork tradition, The Hoodoo Tarot integrates esoteric and botanical knowledge from Hoodoo with the divination system of the Tarot. Structured like a traditional Tarot deck, each of the 78 cards features full-color paintings by magical-realist artist Katelan Foisy and elegantly interprets the classical Tarot imagery through depictions of legendary rootworkers past and present as well as important Hoodoo symbolism. In the accompanying guidebook, Tayannah Lee McQuillar provides a history of Hoodoo and its complex heritage, including its roots in multiple African and Indigenous American ethnic groups as well as its European influences. She explores the traditional forms of divination used by rootworkers, including cartomancy, explaining how pairing the Tarot with Hoodoo is a natural fit. For each card in the Major Arcana and the four suits of the Minor Arcana (sticks, baskets, needles, and knives), McQuillar provides an in-depth card meaning that draws on both Tarot and Hoodoo tradition. She shares the history of the rootworker or symbol featured, any associated magical plants, a related scriptural quote, and guidance and advice based on the card's meaning. She also offers instructions on card spreads and shares sample card readings. Offering a divination system rooted in the Indigenous and African experience in North America, The Hoodoo Tarot provides a hands-on way to honor and explore the magic of Hoodoo for personal growth and spiritual inspiration.

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

McQuillar’s deck succeeds as both a beautiful artistic object and a scholarly resource, weaving botanical lore with potent symbolism. The guide’s deep dives into Major and Minor Arcana meanings provide necessary context for the multicultural origins of Hoodoo. However, this book does not suit those seeking traditional Rider-Waite interpretations or readers uninterested in historical biographies and plant lore. It requires an openness to non-European mystical frameworks and a willingness to engage with specific cultural histories rather than generic esoteric advice. The niche focus may alienate casual diviners looking for quick answers.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers interested in the rich tapestry of American folk magic will find immense value in this unique fusion of Tarot structure and Rootwork history. Tayannah Lee McQuillar offers a profound exploration that honors legendary rootworkers while providing practical divinatory tools. Those seeking to understand the botanical lore and magical intent behind Hoodoo will appreciate the detailed biographies and cultural context provided. It is ideal for anyone wishing to explore how cross-cultural exchange shaped these traditions, offering both spiritual insight and historical education in one comprehensive volume.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.4/5

★★★★★

Ideal for practitioners of Hoodoo, folk magic enthusiasts, and Tarot readers seeking non-European traditions. It appeals to those interested in the intersection of botany, history, and divination within the American occult landscape.

Reader rating

4.4

Based on 3 reviews

Peter S. ✓ Verified purchase

December 18, 2025

Arrived faster than expected and well packaged. Plenty of passages worth underlining; my copy is already full of margin notes. It pairs well with more modern commentaries on the same tradition.

Victor T.

October 14, 2024

Took a chance on this and glad I did. It's become a regular reference in my practice. I'd have loved an index, but that's on the original text. Solid, if not essential.

Esoterica Books editorial team

McQuillar’s deck succeeds as both a beautiful artistic object and a scholarly resource, weaving botanical lore with potent symbolism. The guide’s deep dives into Major and Minor Arcana meanings provide necessary context for the multicultural origins of Hoodoo. However, this book does not suit those seeking traditional Rider-Waite interpretations or readers uninterested in historical biographies and plant lore. It requires an openness to non-European mystical frameworks and a willingness to engage with specific cultural histories rather than generic esoteric advice. The niche focus may alienate casual diviners looking for quick answers.

❓ Frequently asked questions

Yes, the guidebook provides comprehensive meanings and historical context, making it accessible for new practitioners while offering depth for seasoned rootworkers.

It retains the Tarot structure but replaces conventional imagery with Hoodoo-specific symbols, plants, and historical figures relevant to American folk magic.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Syncretic Rootwork History

The book explores how Hoodoo emerged from the intersection of African, Native American, and European traditions. It highlights the often-overlooked intermarriage and socialization between Indigenous Americans and people of African descent from the 17th to 19th centuries, framing this fusion as the foundation of American folk magic.

Botanical and Spiritual Synergy

Each card is paired with specific magical plants, linking botanical knowledge to spiritual interpretation. The text teaches readers to recognize the energetic properties of flora while understanding the historical context of the rootworkers depicted, creating a holistic approach to working with nature's power.

Archetypal Rootworker Portraits

The deck celebrates legendary figures from the past and present who shaped Rootwork. By depicting these individuals as archetypes, the book validates their contributions to esoteric knowledge and provides a tangible connection to the lineage of practitioners who preserved these secretive arts.

💬 Quotes from the book

“Between the 17th and 19th centuries, many Indigenous Americans and people of African descent intermarried and socialized more often than is acknowledged by mainstream history books.”

“These interactions produced not only a multicultural people but also a body of knowledge that is known today as Hoodoo or Rootwork.”

📜 Historical context

Rootwork evolved from the silent collaborations between African diaspora communities and Indigenous peoples during the colonial era. Mainstream history often ignores these alliances, yet they birthed a unique magical system. This work resurrects that forgotten heritage, positioning Hoodoo not as a derivative of European occultism, but as a distinct, indigenous American spiritual technology forged in resistance and survival.

📚 Glossary

Rootwork
Major Arcana
Minor Arcana

📔 Questions to reflect on

Which rootworker depicted in the Major Arcana resonates with your current spiritual path, and why?
How does the botanical symbolism in your drawn cards reflect the natural elements currently present in your environment?
In what ways do you see the syncretic history of Hoodoo influencing your own understanding of magical ancestry?