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A Voodoo Priestess Gets Back to Work

Miriam Chamani, surrounded by representations of the Voodoo religion.
Christopher Johnson, NPR
Miriam Chamani, surrounded by representations of the Voodoo religion.

More than six months later, the city of News Orleans is still coping with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Residents search for ways to rebuild, and some are also turning to their spiritual leaders to help them understand the devastation.

Priestess Miriam Chamani is a master of voodoo -- a religion created by enslaved Africans when they were first brought to America more than three centuries ago. The belief incorporates Christian themes with native African traditions.

New Orleans is the spiritual home of voodoo in the United States. Just outside the city's famed French Quarter, Chamani runs the Voodoo Spiritual Temple and Cultural Center.

During the floods, she took her parrot Mango and left the city for a month. She's back now, welcoming guests from all over the world who come seeking her insight.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.