Welcome to JuJu & Gems with Big MaMa JuJu, where wisdom is shared, stories are told, and gems are dropped. This space is a portal into African Traditional Religions and the people who practice them. From social media trends and community conversations to my personal experiences, spiritual downloads, and interviews with fellow jujus, we'll dive into the topics that matter most to our community with honesty, humor, and a little bit of magic. Pull up a seat and let's talk juju.
From the roots of the Deep South to the streets of the North, Midwest, and West, Hoodoo has traveled, transformed, and adapted while remaining deeply connected to its ancestral foundations. In this episode of Juju & Gems, Big Mama JuJu takes you on a journey through the regional traditions of Hoodoo, exploring how migration, geography, culture, and ancestral knowledge shaped the practice across America. We dive into the herbs, roots, plants, and unique forms of juju associated with each region, highlighting how practitioners worked with the land and resources available to them. We also uncover some of the powerful spirits and historical figures connected to regional Hoodoo traditions, exploring their influence and lasting legacies.
10 Oct 2026
The Graveyard Shift: Beyond the Gates
The graveyard has rules, baby and we’re talking about what it means to respect them. In this episode of juju & gems, I explore graveyard and cemetery work, from protection, cloaking, and offerings to collecting graveyard dirt and working with it. We’ll discuss the spirits encountered within the gates, then dive into louisiana voodoo and haitian vodou, exploring their distinct traditions surrounding the spirits of the Guede.
3 Oct 2026
The Spirit of Nat Turner
In honor of Hoodoo Heritage Month, we’re honoring the revolutionary spirit of Nat Turner: preacher, freedom fighter, and a figure deeply connected to Hoodoo and resistance.
In this episode, we get into Nat Turner’s “hot” nature and what it means to attempt to invoke a spirit associated with rebellion, justice, and liberation. We’ll also discuss why October 2nd is observed by some practitioners as a day to honor him, respectful ways to acknowledge his spirit, and how to approach powerful ancestral figures with intention and reverence.
Plus, we’re talking about ways you can celebrate Hoodoo Heritage Month by learning the history, honoring the ancestors, preserving our traditions, and remembering that Hoodoo WAS and continues TO BE, about more than roots and rituals.
26 Sept 2026
American Horror story: DEBUNKED
American Horror Story: Coven gave us Marie Laveau, Papa Legba, immortality, sacrifices, and plenty of “Voodoo”, but how much of it was actually true?
This week on Juju & Gems, Big Mama JuJu is separating Hollywood horror from spiritual tradition. We’re debunking the myths Coven created around Marie Laveau and breaking down the history and spiritual legacy of the real Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Then, we’re getting into the LWA: who Papa Legba actually is, how his portrayal was blended with imagery associated with Baron Samedi, the Guede family, and the roles of other lwa within the tradition.
19 Sept 2026
Money Magnetism
This week on juju & gems, we’re getting into money magnetism the traditional way.
We’re talking money summonings, front porch conjure, money altars, and the herbs, spices, flowers, and plants our ancestors used to call money spirits into the home. I also touch on crystals and the assimilation of asian cultures in hoodoo. Working with the spirit of money ain’t nun new, we just lost touch with our roots.
12 Sept 2026
Spiritual Hygiene: Funk That Ain’t Gone Wash Off
This week on Juju & Gems, we’re getting into spiritual hygiene and the energetic funk that has a habit of sticking around. we’re breaking down what cleansing actually is, why it’s necessary, how often you should be cleansing, and the different methods you can use to cleanse yourself, your space, and your spiritual tools. We’ll also get into cleansing herbs, how to choose what works for you, and the conversation around the infamous white sage: including its benefits, the dangers of improper use, and what you should know before reaching for it.
5 Sept 2026
Protect Yo Sh!t
This week on Juju & Gems, we’re getting into the foundation every juju needs to know: PROTECTION WORK. I’m breaking down what protection work actually is, why it’s important, when you should be doing it, and how to recognize when it’s time to strengthen the spiritual boundaries around yourself and your home.
We’re getting into protective herbs & roots, candle colors, music and sound, household protection, personal workings, rituals, and traditional ancestral methods.. including some of the old-school components our folks weren’t scared to use, from bodily fluids to other materials.
Most importantly, we’re talking about how to build protection into your everyday practice instead of waiting until something goes wrong.
Because everybody wanna learn how to attract, hex, and jinx… but baby, first you betta learn how to PROTECT YO SHIT!
29 Aug 2026
Glammed Up
Before beauty became an industry, our ancestral matriarchs already understood the power of adorning, anointing, beautifying, and tending to themselves with intention.
This week on Juju & Gems, we’re getting GLAMMED UP and diving into the ancestral roots of beauty & glamour magick: how our matriarchs used beauty as ritual, spiritual work, attraction, confidence, protection, and personal power.
I break down the difference between beauty magick and glamour magick, how to begin incorporating both into your juju, and the many ways you can turn your everyday beauty routines into intentional workings. I also talk about how you can heal your hyper-independence, and step into your softness.
22 Aug 2026
Blood Magick: The Birthright of the Divine Feminine
Blood has always carried power. From menstrual blood to the blood we shed through sacrifice, injury, birth, and transformation, our ancestors understood blood as a vessel of life force, lineage, and spiritual power.
In this week’s episode of Juju & Gems, we’re getting into the history and practice of blood magick: working with menstrual blood and other forms of blood in rituals and workings, ancestral understandings of blood, the sacred relationship between the womb and spiritual power, and the guidelines that should come with working with something this intimate and powerful. But just because you can work with blood doesn’t mean you should. We’re also talking about discernment, boundaries, safety, and how to determine whether blood magick is actually right for you and your practice.
15 Aug 2026
The Mother Wound: What MaMa Gave Me
What happens when the woman who was supposed to nurture you becomes the source of a wound you carry into adulthood?
In this episode of Juju & Gems, MaMa JuJu is getting into the motherwound as an emotional experience, and through a physical, spiritual, and metaphysical lens.
We’re unpacking the signs, synchronicities, patterns, and experiences that can reveal how and why the motherwound develops, how it can shape the way we love, nurture, trust, receive, and even see ourselves, and what it means to finally acknowledge the parts of us that were affected by what Mama could, or couldn’t, give us.We’ll also explore motherhood beyond the physical, the spiritual and metaphysical meaning of the mother archetype, ancestral patterns, and what we really mean when we talk about generational curses.
This is a conversation about acknowledging the wound without becoming consumed by it, understanding where these patterns come from, and beginning the work of reclaiming yourself beyond what your mother was able to give you.
8 Aug 2026
Music is Destroying the Black Community
This week on Juju & Gems, Big Mama JuJu is joined by special guest Phoenix Aje as we unpack the spiritual power of music within our communities and the ways our ancestors have used sound as a tool for connection, healing, protection, cleansing, and workings & rituals.
We’re talking about how to incorporate music into your workings, how sound can be used for cleansing and protection, and why the music you surround yourself with matters energetically. From ancestral traditions to the songs we play in our everyday lives, we explore how sound can shift energy, set intentions, and help us align with our highest selves.
1 Aug 2026
Cast Iron & Conjure
This weeks dropped gem.. we’re stepping into the kitchen to uncover the power of cooking conjure and the ancestral wisdom that's been passed down one recipe at a time. Long before we had a name for it, our mamas, maw maws, aunties, and elders were stirring love, protection, healing, prosperity, and prayer into every pot.
We'll honor the ancestral matriarchs who kept these traditions alive, explore how food has always been a form of spiritual work, and talk about how you can begin practicing cooking conjure in your own home with intention and respect.
We'll also dive into why ancestral connection and family are at the heart of this work, and how gathering around the table can become one of the most powerful spiritual practices you have.
25 Jul 2026
Prayer Beyond Colonization
This week on Juju & Gems, we're putting a spiritual lens on prayer and unpacking what it truly means beyond the colonial teachings many of us were programmed with. We take a deep dive into the symbolism behind prayer, how intention transforms your words into spiritual work, and how to reclaim prayer and the Bible as a powerful tool in your juju.
We'll also explore how to work with the Book of Psalms in your practice, ways to strengthen your relationship with your ancestors through prayer, and how to make your prayers feel more intentional, personal, and alive. BONUS: I'm introducing my brand-new Ancestral Connection Guide for prayers & invocations eBook, where I guide you even deeper into ancestral prayer, Psalms, and building a stronger spiritual foundation.
18 Jul 2026
Pu$$y Power
This week on Juju & Gems, I'm joined by the incredible Rebecca Funderbizzle of Blooming Peak for a powerful conversation on sexual energy, healing, and reclaiming the wisdom of your body.
Together, we explore how sexual energy can be intentionally used in your juju practice to heal, create, and manifest the life you deserve. We also dive into balancing the sacral chakra, reconnecting with your body without shame, and understanding why your body is one of your greatest spiritual tools
11 Jul 2026
Ancestor-ly Speakin’
This week on Juju & Gems, MaMa JuJu is gettin personal.
I’m opening the door to some of my favorite ancestral storytimes and sharing how I first connected with my folks, the signs they sent, and the moments that altered my spiritual journey and brain chemistry forevor LMAO.
For my newborn jujus and those feeling called to the path, we’ll also talk about where to begin. I’m breaking down why asking your ancestors for permission to practice is so important, how to build your first ancestral altar, and the do’s and don’ts of ancestor veneration so you can begin your journey with respect, intention, and love.
For a copy of the Ancestral Connection guide mentioned in the episode, visit my website! www.bigmamajuju.com
4 Jul 2026
You’ll Never Be Healed
In this episode of Juju & Gems, Big Mama Juju’s is unpacking one of the biggest myths circulating on social media: the idea that one day you'll finally be "healed." Together, we'll deconstruct the cookie-cutter version of healing that's been packaged, marketed, and sold to us, and explore what healing actually looks like in real life.
We'll talk about why healing isn't linear, why it doesn't have to look peaceful or pretty, and how your journey is allowed to be as unique as you are. More importantly, we'll return to the wisdom of our ancestors, who understood healing as a lifelong relationship with the mind, body, spirit, community, and the land, rather than a finish line to cross.
27 Jun 2026
The Plague of Lust
The Plague of Lust is a conversation many of us have avoided for far too long. In this episode, we unpack how the hypersexualization of Black people has been cultivated across generations and the lasting impact it has on our minds, bodies, spirits, and communities. From media and music to historical conditioning and everyday culture, we explore how lust has been weaponized against us and why reclaiming our sacredness is an act of liberation.
MaMa JuJu also discusses the ways children are exposed to sexualization at increasingly younger ages, the spiritual consequences of normalizing it, and why protecting the next generation begins with healing ourselves.
19 Jun 2026
Decolonizing the mind
This week on JuJu & Gems, Big Mama JuJu discusses the significance of Juneteenth, the influence of social media and television on the Black community, and the importance of decolonizing the mind. Join the conversation as we explore freedom, ancestral wisdom, media programming, and reclaiming the power to think for ourselves.
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