African American or New Orleans Voodoo deck

[alyce]

I plan to order my first deck of Tarot cards soon. I would like to hear some opinions on which is better to you and why: the African American tarot deck or the New orleans voodoo cards? I am familiar with the voodoo religion and background so that won't be confusing for me (although I lean more towards the Orishas). Plus I've lived in New Orleans before, so I def understand a lot about the culture, etc.

The opinions I've seen on both didn't help to make a decision thus far.

Even if you haven't used both, please tell me about your favorite between these two, or about maybe another deck you like that includes more diversity in their images.

Thank you very much.

 

[Alamaris]

I would highly recommend the New Orleans Voodoo! It's an absolutely brilliant deck that works great just out of the box, and also rewards intense study. Unfortunately I'm biased, since I haven't used the African American deck, but at first glance it doesn't seem to be quite as deep as the NOVT.

My humble opinion: if you want a casual reading deck, go for the AA. If you want a more personal deck for study and heavy-duty use, go for the NOVT.

 

[alyce]

Thanks for the reply--it sounds like you really love this deck. Do you meditate with it as well?

And, now that you mention it, I think I am looking for something more personal and heavy duty like what you stated. Do you find that it's accurate and helpful that majority of the time?

 

[rwcarter]

I have both and have used neither deck. I've owned the NOVT since the early 90's and every time I go to use it, the idea of having to learn an entirely new system makes me go, "Nah" and put the deck back in its box. Now that there's a fully populated Tarot Study Group for it thanks in large part to afrosaxon, I'm a little less inclined to shy away from the deck.

Lo Scarabeo decks make up the largest part of my collection. The African American tarot is one of the very few Lo Scarabeo decks that I have ever traded or sold because I was so deeply disappointed in the deck. It's definitely a deck that could've stood to have a companion book (or at least a larger pamphlet) with it. The Majors are all scenes from African mythology, archetypes and traditions. The Courts are based on mythology and historical figures. That's all perfectly fine.

Where I think the deck falls down is in the incorporation of African-Americans into the pips. The primary scene in each pip is still based on African mythology, archetypes and traditions. But then a smaller African-American scene is added to the card. And the only way for me to know what most of those images refer to is to look at the LWB, which gives me a person's name, where and when they were born and where and when they died. There's no information about how they relate to the larger scene, what they did/were known for, etc. So, I have to go research each of these people on my own and make the connections myself. I wish they had just left out the African-American part (which seems like an afterthought to me) and instead concentrated on the African part. I think it would've been a much better deck.

FTR though, I did end up buying another copy of the deck for the sake of completionism in my Lo Scarabeo sub-collection.

There's also the Afro-Brazilian Tarot by Lo Scarabeo, which focuses more on Candomble and Santeria.

HTH,
Rodney

 

[Le Fanu]

Which African American one is it? I always think that there are a few with this name. Or am I thinking of the Native American one...?

However, I would say, if you want something deep and intense and meaty that will keep you stimulated and which isn't just a reading deck but a spiritual tool too, I'd go for the NOVT. It's almost beyond tarot.

I have it and when I got it I was like "wooah! Put this away and save it for the day when you wake up and you want a really, really serious tarot deck that enables you to do some serious introspective work with."

It is a very deep deck. I'm not quite ready for it yet. But it is undeniably special. Quite unlike anything else, and the book (from the little I have read/perused) looks superb.

It's waiting for me.

 

[alyce]

Which African American one is it? I always think that there are a few with this name. Or am I thinking of the Native American one...?

However, I would say, if you want something deep and intense and meaty that will keep you stimulated and which isn't just a reading deck but a spiritual tool too, I'd go for the NOVT. It's almost beyond tarot.

I have it and when I got it I was like "wooah! Put this away and save it for the day when you wake up and you want a really, really serious tarot deck that enables you to do some serious introspective work with."

It is a very deep deck. I'm not quite ready for it yet. But it is undeniably special. Quite unlike anything else, and the book (from the little I have read/perused) looks superb.

It's waiting for me.

Goodness--I don't know whether to be excited or scared. lol But I'm leaning more toward excited. I know I'd appreciate a really spiritual deck more than I would a fluffy one, and this sounds like that kind of deck. Thanks.

 

[alyce]

I have both and have used neither deck. I've owned the NOVT since the early 90's and every time I go to use it, the idea of having to learn an entirely new system makes me go, "Nah" and put the deck back in its box. Now that there's a fully populated Tarot Study Group for it thanks in large part to afrosaxon, I'm a little less inclined to shy away from the deck.

Lo Scarabeo decks make up the largest part of my collection. The African American tarot is one of the very few Lo Scarabeo decks that I have ever traded or sold because I was so deeply disappointed in the deck. It's definitely a deck that could've stood to have a companion book (or at least a larger pamphlet) with it. The Majors are all scenes from African mythology, archetypes and traditions. The Courts are based on mythology and historical figures. That's all perfectly fine.

Where I think the deck falls down is in the incorporation of African-Americans into the pips. The primary scene in each pip is still based on African mythology, archetypes and traditions. But then a smaller African-American scene is added to the card. And the only way for me to know what most of those images refer to is to look at the LWB, which gives me a person's name, where and when they were born and where and when they died. There's no information about how they relate to the larger scene, what they did/were known for, etc. So, I have to go research each of these people on my own and make the connections myself. I wish they had just left out the African-American part (which seems like an afterthought to me) and instead concentrated on the African part. I think it would've been a much better deck.

FTR though, I did end up buying another copy of the deck for the sake of completionism in my Lo Scarabeo sub-collection.

There's also the Afro-Brazilian Tarot by Lo Scarabeo, which focuses more on Candomble and Santeria.

HTH,
Rodney

I was thinking about the Afro-Brazilian deck too, and it seems like it may be pretty decent. I'll probably get that one in the not too far future.

 

[moderndayruth]

NOVT

But dare i say that of all our members, i only know Afrosaxon who can actually read it.

Rodney is right, its all new system, you can say its simply a tradition unto itself.

Its beautiful, its deep, it gives spot on and scary accurate readings... But, i think you need a year of intensive deck study to get it.

I practiced a bit here and there and read with the book - but mind you, the book is combining Voodoo and Kabbalah - and its very complex.

I gave up at the end, knowing that in the nearest decade i won't have enough time to focus on the deck, and i didn't want it to lay down there and gather dust, so i trimmed the borders, gave up the system, read it as an oracle and enjoy the artwork.

Maybe, if it was my first deck or something, or maybe later in life when i will have sufficient time to study it indepth -but for now sadly i don't see it happening.

I mean, maybe its different for someone who is familiar with Voodoo, i don't know - but for me, having zero knowledge of the subject, its simply too much.

 

[franniee]

May I also suggest the World Spirit? I love this deck!

PS I agree with MDR Afrosaxon is the only one I know who can do it justice. Maybe she can work with you. She is a lovely soul.

 

[Alamaris]

Thanks for the reply--it sounds like you really love this deck. Do you meditate with it as well?

And, now that you mention it, I think I am looking for something more personal and heavy duty like what you stated. Do you find that it's accurate and helpful that majority of the time?

I've actually never meditated with a deck -- hadn't crossed my mind, to be honest! -- so I don't have an opinion on that. But having experienced it, I would wager that it's a very good deck for such a purpose. I found it very accurate. A little intimidating, but any deck with a very well crafted system makes me feel that way. It's very... complete, if that makes any sense; doesn't feel like it's missing anything or leaving you with unanswered questions.

Goodness--I don't know whether to be excited or scared. lol But I'm leaning more toward excited. I know I'd appreciate a really spiritual deck more than I would a fluffy one, and this sounds like that kind of deck. Thanks.

The NOVT is definitely not fluffy. I'm glad to see you're searching for a nice solid deck to start out with! Good luck, and have fun!