It was a hellishly hot summer’s day during the mid-1980s. My voodoo mentor, Earl Marlowe, and I where walking by the Thames, not far from Tower Bridge. It was the early days of my association with Earl. He was telling me how, as a seasoned hoodoo man, he preferred curing to killing, but that if the situation demanded it, and there was no other choice, he would lay a fatal hex on an adversary or wrong-doer.

While Earl’s sorcery was rooted in the tradition of swamp voodoo, he also utilized modern technology in his magick – as evidenced by his favored death curse, which involved a camera. This is what he said about it:

“You wanna eliminate someone best way is with a photo [note: this was pre digital cameras]. You capture your enemy on film. You can also capture their car, their business, their whole life, on film. You then get the film developed and you hold the photos of your enemy over a candle flame so his or her face melts. Don’t go settin’ the photos on fire, just melt the image of your enemy. Do the same if you have pictures of his house, car or business.

Put the burned photos in a box and bury it in the graveyard. Then petition the Graveyard Snake to kill your enemy. Always remember to leave an offering for the Graveyard Snake, could be cigars or liquor….or even a line of cocaine, he’s partial to that. If you do this right, your enemy will be dead before the next new moon.”

Believe me, cameras can kill. Even today far flung tribes fear their souls will be captured if they are photographed. For good reason; they know the shadow and the reflection carry a part of your soul.