Popular Culture Review Vol. 24, No. 2, Summer 2013 | Page 24

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