Welcome To My Brain

So, I am a nerd. Well, really several nerds. I am a science and history nerd, a music and art nerd; a martial arts and wilderness nerd; and at the core of it all, a B movie, anime and comic book nerd. I tend to mix these interests a lot and then rant about them. My friends seem to like my rants So I thought I would start posting a few of them on here. :3

[bloodyvampires]

it's world goth day!! 🩶🦇

here's a quick guide of ways to celebrate + my recommendations:

- learn about the subculture

- listen to goth music

- support organizations

- watch gothic films

- local ideas

learn about the subculture! here's some books i recommend as well as links to check out:

- season of the witch: the book of goth by cathi unsworth

- music to die for by mick mercer

- https://post-punk.com/the-batcave-documentaries-and-more-on-the-original-goth-club/

- https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/the-batcave-club-london-goth-movement-1980s/

- https://thequietus.com/interviews/alien-sex-fiend-interview/

listen to goth music! here's some of my go to bands/albums:

- sisters of mercy: first and last and always

- siouxsie and the banshees: juju

- bauhaus: in the flat field

- christian death- only theatre of pain

- joy division - unknown pleasures

- the cure: disintegration

support goth organizations! here's a few of my favorites:

- sophielancasterfoundation.com

- gothcollective.org

- inlandempiregoth.com

- theaegisarchive.org

watch gothic films! here's some of my favorites:

- the crow (1994)

- crimson peak (2015)

- elvira: mistress of the dark (1988)

- nosferatu the vampyre (1979)

- nosferatu (2024)

- cronos (1992)

- bram stoker's dracula (1992)

- frankenstein (2025)

- sleepy hollow (1999)

local ideas!

- thrift/diy

- donate clothes to baby bats

- visit a goth club

- shop from a small business

- visit gothic architecture

[saydesole]

Black American Southern Goth 🖤

[drwakanda]

Probably my favorite Aesthetic✨️🖤✨️

[uniquezombierebel]

[drwakanda]

❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

[kungfuwushuworld]

[boardsdonthitback]

Hwang Jang Lee, Sammo Hung - Where Is Officer Tuba? (1986)

[drwakanda]

The most amazing agility ❤️‍🔥

[endangered-justice-seeker]

Rare Photos of Black Rosie the Riveters

During World War II, 600,000 African-American women entered the wartime workforce. Previously, black women’s work in the United States was largely limited to domestic service and agricultural work, and wartime industries meant new and better-paying opportunities – if they made it through the hiring process, that is. White women were the targets of the U.S. government’s propaganda efforts, as embodied in the lasting and lauded image of Rosie the Riveter.Though largely ignored in America’s popular history of World War II, black women’s important contributions in World War II factories, which weren’t always so welcoming, are stunningly captured in these comparably rare snapshots of black Rosie the Riveters.

[fuckyeahblackgoths]

[ohmovie]

Mako. What was all that about? I mean… I'm not crazy. You felt it, right? We are Drift compatible.

Raleigh Becket & Mako Mori PACIFIC RIM│2013

[comparativetarot]

Father Simms. Art by Katelan V. Foisy, from The Hoodoo Tarot.

Who gives the ibis this wisdom or gives the rooster understanding? — Job 38:36

Plant: Peavine

The Image Father Simms is dressed in the purple satin robe in which he liked to work. The rooster represents him, and the two streams of water represent his baptism as a two-headed doctor (a Hoodoo that does “good” and “bad” work). 

Father George Simms, born Joe Watson and nicknamed “the Frizzly Rooster,” was a preacher and rootworker from New Orleans. They called him the Frizzly Rooster because many people kept at least one chicken in the backyard, for the sole purpose of scratching up any roots that may have been placed there by an enemy. He had a reputation for being able to effectively place or lift curses and read anyone. Father Simms was a bit eccentric and was comfortable doing “good” or “bad” workings. 

He gave sermons at Myrtle Wreath Hall, and that’s where his most famous student, Zora Neale Hurston, made his acquaintance. After weeks of performing superficial tasks without anything being explained to her, she was initiated by Father Simms, given the name “The Boss of Candles,” and finally taught the deeper mysteries. It is a common misconception that rootwork is never an initiatic system, because while this is the case for many, initiations are not unheard of. 

Meaning When Father Simms comes up in a reading, it’s asking you to review your position regarding your inquiry. If you’ve taken an extreme or one-sided position, now’s the time to consider things from a more balanced perspective. Things do not have to be black and white, so don’t force it to be! Id you have been asked to compromise or cooperate, but you feel resistant to the idea, this card is a good sign that you haven’t considered all the aspects of the situation. If you’ve been asked to give someone an answer, don’t respond until you feel more centered. To do otherwise may cause deep regret and feelings to be hurt unnecessarily. Try to e fair. 

If you receive Father Simms in a reading, consider the following: 

• What would be gained by compromising? Is it worth more than the perceived loss?  • Are you being fair?  • Sometimes less is more.  • Extremists never think they’re extreme.  • Peace is priceless.  • Focus on healing and recovery.  • An alliance is not such a bad idea.  • What am I bringing to the pot luck dinner?  • Perhaps add something else to the mix.  • Other races, religions, and ethnic groups exist. Maybe it’s time to learn more about other people? 

Text by Tayannah Lee McQuillar.

[gfydpart]

By meeee 🙋‍♀️ inspired by by father, Mestre Luis Negão

[randomfactsandinfo-blog]

Voodoo Mythology: Kalfu

Voodoo mythology is a mixture of Fon, Yoruban, Dahomey, and Christian mythology with a tinge of Caribbean beliefs. It is a common misconception that voodoo is the only practice alone, when voodoo is actually a type of voodoo, the original practice in Haiti. Voodoo was formulated based on Vodou in New Orleans. Vodou is a polytheistic religion, meaning that the belief involves worshipping more than one god. There are many gods, or loa, but ask any Haitian, and they will tell you that the most malicious and feared loa would have to be Kalfu without a doubt.

Kalfu goes by a few names: Kalfou, Carrefour, etc. He is the son of Eshu and the twin brother of the sun god, Legba. He and his brother are almost indistinguishable, if not for the fact that Kalfu prefers rum infused with gunpowder as an offering.

Kalfu is the god of the moon, night, fire, crossroads, misfortune, destruction, and sorcery. He is the patron god of those who practice black magic. Crossroads are very important for the practice of vodou rituals. Draw a veve such as the one below in the middle of a crossroads, and you will invite a loa through. Think of a crossroads as a door between the spirit world and the mortal world. The veve below belongs to Kalfu, and if drawn at a crossroads like I mentioned, you will summon him.

Kalfu controls the crossroads, and sort of acts like a gatekeeper between the two worlds. He holds the power to either grant or deny access passage to the mortal realm to all the loa. Being an evel and malevolent loa, he prefers to let bad luck, destruction, misfortune, and injustice through.

[rockofeye]

There’s a lot to unpack here.

Haitian Vodou is a wide-ranging religion, with influences from all up and down the slave-trading coast of Africa, Taino and Arawak influences, and a deep and unique understanding of Catholicism. It is not a polytheistic religion; Vodou acknowledges one supreme god and numerous spirits.

Mèt Kafou is a lwa, but not inherently a fearsome spirit nor the most fearsome spirit, and certainly not an evil spirit…unless someone seeks to treat him as such, which is true of any lwa, even the ‘nice’ ones.

Kafou is not the son of Esu/Eshu because Esu (and Eleggua) are not part of Haitian Vodou. He is not the brother of Legba, either, and they are not twins. They are quite different, and the least of those differences is what they drink.

Mèt Kafou is indeed the lwa of the crossroads and is also the embodiment of the crossroads, and going and drawing a generic veve at a crossroads may get you something that is willing to be called Kafou by someone who perhaps not thought through why standing at a crossroads and calling for a spirit they don’t have the authority to bother might be a bad idea…but that is also buying a WHOLE LOT of trouble. That might be the way to discover how Kafou works destruction and misfortune, but I wouldn’t suggest it. He has nothing really to do with the moon, and no more with the night or fire than other spirits who have spicier temperaments. He is a great sorceror, but his magic can come with a HIGH price even for priests…and that can’t be met with a veve traced at a crossroads.

There is no such thing as black magic in Haitian Vodou, it’s all just magic. 'Black magic’ is sort of a dogwhistle towards a lack of understanding of Diasporic and Traditional religions based in historically colorist and racist perspectives. It particularly pushes a button of 'I wanna do something kinda spooky’ for me and Haitian Vodou is probably not going to get a person what they want in that respect.

Kafou is mostly presented as an evil, conniving sorceror by ceremonial magicians, who often pull info from E.A. Koetting, who is on some strange white boy acid trip, and/or from what very limited and fairly eh writing there is on Ginen-adjacent rites in Haiti (often called 'secret societies’ in Haiti). He can play that role for sure, but the sometimes literal fatal flaw that most folks who wanna go kick dust on his crossroads forget is that evil conniving sorcerors eat what annoys them.

I was planning on trying to do some actual blogging soon, so I guess a good place to start woule be with Legba and Kafou because 'tis the season!

[night-dawn-day]

Samurai Rebellion (1967) dir. Masaki Kobayashi

[drwakanda]

Truly a classic

[hellboys]

WESLEY SNIPES as Blade in Blade (1998)

[drwakanda]

Ah yes, the primary source of my whole Jagun Goth aesthetic 🥷🏾🧛🏾‍♂️❤️‍🔥

[drwakanda]

Happy Juneteenth! ✨️ The Holiday I didn't even know about till like, maaaaybe 6 years ago? In celebration of the day I would like to talk about Oxossi, Orisha of the Forests, Hunting, and Justice. (Also a wearer of very nice hats)

So like I said, I didn't know this holiday was a thing till only a few years ago. Much of what I know about Black and African history is rather recent. I grew up with various traditions that I didn't have much context for. But upon coming into adulthood and being introduced to things like Capoeira and authentic Vodou. I have been on a long hunt for the history and context that was never provided to me. Hence Oxossi

Oxossi is an Orisha the pantheon of Yoruba spirituality. Many African American cultural practices are derived from Yoruba traditions. Oxossi back in West Africa tended to not be super popular. The kingdom of Benin and it's neighbors were very advanced and metropolitan areas with only the more country folk paying attention to matters of the forests. But in the slave trade, a lot of Yoruba descent people's found themselves having to run and hide from slavery, or having toake due with minimal resources for food and medicine. So Oxossi in the new world, particularly Brazil, was engaged with far more frequently.

Oxossi, often paired with Aja, is known as a great hunter and explorer who protects the balance of nature and seeks out new understanding and truth of the world. His ways are that of understanding herbs and plants, the movements of animals, being environmentally aware and adaptable. He is a seeker of beauty and good vibes which I think also ties into his association with Justice. He is constantly seeking righteousness and comes to the aid of those with legal troubles and those who have been wronged.

I find the connection be Justice and the Hunter to he very interesting, because so often injustice springs from ignorance, from truth being denied or hidden. A hunter is one who has to know the lay of the land, one who understands how things fit together and when something is out of place. In the history of oppression and exploitation in the Americas, it would be the people with cunning, the ability to read spaces and extract resources from difficult situations, these would be the people most capable to come to the aid of others. It would be the hunters that could uncover the truths hidden for the purposes of harming and manipulating an entire people.

In my life, I have had to be a hunter, not only to uncover the history and culture that was long hidden from me, but also to uncover the injustices that happen right under our noses. Because those who wish to harm and exploit, most of the time, they just try and keep their mouth shut and hope that the enslaved will never learn of their right to freedom. Something to give thought to today. Stay vigilant my friends✨️ (and don't forget your fancy hats toda

[starlatte27]

In regards to the Voodoo Symbols within Hazbin Hotel.

The misuse of Voodoo signs is NOT superstition.

These signs come the type of Voodoo that has it’s origin within the country of Haiti.

A country that is majority black.

The culture has always seen these signs as genuinely sacred.

(And also dangerous as Voodoo is something NOT to be reckoned with!) 

And therefore the Haitian culture is BLACK CULTURE.

They are not your art project.

The are not your fan fiction.

They are not your toy.

HAITIAN CULTURE IS BLACK CULTURE.

Black 👏 Culture 👏 is 👏 not 👏 your 👏 toy.

Voodoo is NOT something to play around with and using it improperly is genuinely dangerous.

Therefore Haitian people deserve to be represented with actual research and GENUINE RESPECT.

And before someone tells me:

“Oh the cross is used everywhere and thats a religious symbol too!”

The cross is multi culture and to use it was to honor Jesus Christ.

“Its in HELL! Who cares about the religions!”

The creators of Hazbin Hotel are not in Hell.

Therefore as human hands we should respect other cultures and religions within media!

“What if im an atheist??? I dont like any religions so it should matter to me if they are disrespected by the creator if im not a part of the culture?”

This isnt just about religion,

This is about the BLACK CULTURES Hazbin Hotel has been misrepresenting instead of using actual respect!

So for anyone who see’s this message:

Our black cultures are not your toy.

The misuse of Voodoo is genuinely dangerous and has caused actual deaths.

These are the cultural traditions of an actual country.

None of you who have misused it have ever been approved by an actual practitioner of Haitian Voodoo.

You should avoid using it Voodoo or Haitian Culture within your fan fictions or media unless you have done either genuine research or actually asked an Haitian about the culture.

The creator did NOT do proper research and is therefore disrespecting the cultures and traditions of Haitian and Creole people by using their signs and cultures without actual sources or ACTUALLY SPEAKING TO THOSE WHO ARE CREOLE OR HAITIAN.

Vivziepop is not immune to cultural appropriation and therefore she should have ALSO did proper research and had some genuine respect towards Black Cultures and our ancestors.

Creole and Haitian culture belongs to THOSE people and therefore the misuse is cultural appropriation and disrespect.

Black Culture belongs to those who are BLACK and therefore the denial of doing research on our cultures is anti blackness.

All I can say for everyone in the fandom is this:

Read a book, Do your own research, Ask around.

Stop using cultural appropriation for your cartoons.

Thank you.

[viceandmature]

Barbenheimer Double Feature

[aguycalledkwest]