"Rootwork, Hoodoo, Conjure, Juju" … these terms are often followed with horror stories that exemplify their negative connotations. The question is "Why?" Why are these terms describe an ancestral form of alchemy as "evil". These rituals of resistance were brought to America by enslaved Africans. Before we get to our original question, let's explore what "Rootwork" is. Rootwork is an ancestral form of alchemy which includes herbalism, mediumship, and divination. Herbalism (herbal medicine) is t…