New Vudu Tarot Kickstarter

Based off the traditional Rider-Waite deck, my first tarot deck incorporates afro-Caribbean cultural/spiritual references, primarily from Haiti and the Dominican Republic. To reflect the influence of other cultures and countries on our traditions, I have also included references from Brazil, Latin America, India, and more. The Vudu Tarot Deck includes 79 different images, with 79 accompanying characters based off traditional Catholic saints as well as Afro-Caribbean mythologies, put into a tarot context featuring beautiful smooth, gold foil accents on the faces of each character. Afro-caribbean pictographic ceremonial drawings are featured in the background.

My tarot deck is unique, because it is not only one of the few truly racially and gender diverse decks, but also includes elements of fantasy and new age beliefs that are appealing to everyone. Despite its firm basis in the Afro-Caribbean tradition, this is definitely a tarot deck that can be used successfully by a wide range of diviners, and can be appreciated by lovers of beautiful artwork no matter what their beliefs or traditions.



http://voodookickstarter.com

(muttering to self, scrolling) please have a Baron Samedi card, please have a Baron card, please just---

YESSS all right, I think I see one, the something something of skulls, skull face, tophat, etc. And next to a Danto inspired card?

oh wait, I scrolled. DAAAMN, is there like a whole ghede suite?! THERE IS! Pentacles! Yes yes. Oh wow. So that's enough for me. I'm funding this in the near future. I've always thought of the King of Pents as being a Baron card--lord of the cemetery/death, king of earth/dirt, etc.

I love the veve type backgrounds and the art style. I think probably some people are gonna complain about the mishmash of traditions and how stylized it is, but the Afro Carribean religions are so syncretic that I'm very cool with it, personally. Most of the characters on the cards are very recognizable.

Maybe I looked too quick but I don't see any Oshun? Though I do see a few Erzulie aspects. Anyway, seriously, this is super cool looking. I feel like decks in this tradition aren't ever kind of, uh, hip or cool or pretty, which is shame because these religions are very ALIVE and current and evolving. So heck yes, I want some gorgeous stylized art.

Congrats on the gorgeous deck!

Looks fantastic, and the limited edition is tantalizing.

Just a couple of questions, I was having a challenging time discerning what amount/level was needed to purchase both the regular tarot deck and to also receive a full limited edition deck.

How would you say that this deck differs from it's closest Tarot relatives: The New Orleans Voodoo Tarot, the Afro-Brazilian Tarot, and the Tarot of the Orishas?

Your style of art suits me quite well so I know I will be kickstarting.

Alafia

I see Oya, Lucero, Babalu Aye and of course, Madre de Agua yeah!!. So far I really like what I see and I really want this deck.
I did not see Oshun, >crossing my fingersthat< maybe, just maybe you drew her in her very interesting albeit not always popular path of Ibukole
Can't wait to get it. I love your art and I have a feeling that I will connect very well with that deck.

Excited here.

bonebeach said:

I think probably some people are gonna complain about the mishmash of traditions and how stylized it is, but the Afro Carribean religions are so syncretic that I'm very cool with it, personally. Most of the characters on the cards are very recognizable.

Click to expand...

THIS. I'm from the Caribbean originally, and although not an initiate or a student of these very much alive, very interconnected religions, I grew up breathing them in the very air. It's so nice to see a serious deck imbued in these traditions, which I don't feel the Orishas one is (at least in my humble, unqualified opinion. Haven't really seen the other two, so I'll withdraw judgment altogether.)

Plus it's truly magnificent. And gold foil! Dang! I have been resisting Kickstarter campaigns for a while, because money is not exactly growing on trees at the moment for me, but --this deck? This I hafta have....

Oshun is in the limited edition deck.

Baron del Cementerio (Cimitiere) is Death, Baron Samedi is an Ace of Skulls. There are also Papa Ghede, Baron Kriminel, Baron Lacua who is the King of Skulls. The ghede are as material and connected to the earth as you can get. They are about celebrating life and also ancestors, healing, abundance.
All the Aces are gatekeepers for each division and suit. Atibon Legba-Cups, Ossanj-Swords, Baron Samedi-Skulls, Legba Nan Petro-Wands

The first deck is all vudu with the orisha and other influences creeping in mainly in the nago (swords) suit and some of the major arcana. Skulls(Pentacles) are Guede including multiple Barons, Cups has Rada and Indios, Wands has Petro and Congo, Swords has Nago (Ogous).
Major Arcana have other popular spirits from Erzulie Freda and Anaisa Pye to Legba

The limited edition deck has a cups suit with all Orisha from santeria and lesser known ones that are found in candomble. The wands suit is all Umbanda consisting of the most popular pomba giras and exus. The Skulls (Pentacles) suit has the mpungu (kongo spirits) from Palo Mayombe as well as nksisi, franciscos, indio, and an ireme (spirit) from Abakua. The Swords suit has popular Hindu gods and goddesses which are often venerated along side ATR traditions and in the caribbean. The Major Arcana have Orishas.

Some Spirits you will see commonalities but look radically different between traditions. Orisha Shango, Ogou Shango and Siete Rayos look completely different. So does Ossanj, Osain, and Ngurunfinda or Exu/Exu Rei/Legba Manose/Atibon Legba/Met Kalfu/Elegua.

I started with the spirits, converted them into characters and then naturally interwove them into the RW tarot setup as opposed to the other way around. None of it was forced, I just thought about the meaning of each card from an archetypical perspective and matched it with what each spirit symbolized and works with.

PS. I own all of those decks but I kinda pretended that they didn't exist because the framework I wanted to use did not agree with any of theirs so I basically started from scratch. The only commonality is that they are ATR based.

Looks fascinating. I'm in! Keep up the great (and interesting) work!

*swoons* Stunning! I must have these! I don't think I've ever said that about a deck before, heh.

Is that Marie Laveau in the suit of wands? (I hope, I hope, I hope)

Marie

Marie was my inspiration for La Reine Congo but no Marie Card specifically sorry.

Attached you can see an interview I just did.

http://kickwatcher.weebly.com/blog/innovating-from-a-cultural-perspective