20
Populär Culture Review
Picture 2 (Personal photo; ancestor altar in Rosalie Alley, New Orleans, LA, March
2010)
Influenced by the Haitian representation of these
in general
and of Baron Samedi in particular, the
in New Orleans’ Voodoo
find representation in drawings of skeletons, banners with skulls, as well
as purple and black candles. Whereas the purple-colored candles are
Iwato ensure peace and psyc
placed on the altar to attract the
the black-colored candles shall help “to repel negativity,” to protect
against evil, and “to banish negative people from your life” (Alverado,
Voodoo Hoodoo 57).
However, it needs to be noted that apart from these positive
spiritualistic implications, purple and black have a more negative
connotation when used in spell-work.8 As suggested in Parker’s film
Angel
Heart,the two colors underline a world of secrecy and darkness; a
world that takes an unnatural and fatal toll on Harry Angel as soon as he
opens the multi-colored window in the back of Louis Cypher’s meeting
room (see Pictures 3 and 4).9