When pop star Avril Lavigne and the late Pope John Paul II visited Indonesia, a Javanese mystic was called in to work his magic and ensure a rain-free event. INDONESIAN mystic Haryobintoro Tjakra enters a small hut and kneels before the tools of his trade: incense, a bowl of dirt, two black umbrellas and a ceramic burner on which he piles chunks of wood. Bowing his head, he lights the burner, sending fragrant fumes swirling up to the hut’s exhaust fan, and prays in Javanese: the rain must stayaway.
“I pray to the gods via the medium of smoke,” the 69-year-old says, dressed in black pants and matching high-necked traditional shirt. Tjakra seeks blessings from the local spirits inhabiting Java long before Buddhism and Hinduism, and later Islam, arrived. Most Javanese are Muslim but many practise kejawen, a syncretic belief that incorporates the original animist belief system here. But to keep all the deities he can on his side, this Javanese shaman always makes his offerings facing west. Tjakra conducts the simple but well-practised ritual not in a temple or religious building but in a white,pre-fabricated hut in the bustling hub of modern Jakarta, surrounded by gleaming glass skyscrapers. He has been hired to keep the clouds at bay for three afternoons and evenings by a multi-national cigarette company holding an art exhibition and promotion event in the grounds of a major sports stadium.
A woman who produced human fingers in court in a bid to explain her involvement in a £925,000 tax credit fraud has been jailed for five years. Remi Fakorede, 46, from Hackney, east London, told Snaresbrook Crown Court, she had been forced into crime by a voodoo curse on her and her family. Fakorede claimed the same voodoo curse caused the fingers belonging to one of her six children to fall off. She was convicted of one count of fraud between 1 August 2002 and 26 June 2007. Her daughter, Denise Shofolawe-Cokerenise, 21, also from Hackney, was jailed for 12 months at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of laundering £70,000 of thestolen money.
Judge Jacqueline Beech said the 46-year-old Nigerian-born defendant"s behaviour was "utterly disgraceful" and a "cynical attempt to manipulate the jury". DNA test results have since been ordered to determine who the body parts belonged to, although it is understood the defendant"s three-year-old daughter had lost part of her hand after suffering renal problems and developing gangrene. Social Services and the Child Protection Agency were also contacted following the incident in court. Passing sentence the judge, who said the fingers incident was the most "horrific" she had experienced, told Fakorede she had been responsible for a "wholesale assault on the benefit system". Disabled twins: Rejecting a defence plea for a suspended sentence, she told thedefendant from the moment the tax credit benefit was introduced she was "involved in fraudulent claims". She hid both her £40,000-a-year salary and her partner"s existence to fool the authorities. The judge said: "If that were not bad enough you also became involved with others in making other false claims." "This was a sophisticated fraud... which resulted in the Inland Revenue being defrauded to the tune of nearly £1m. I am satisfied that you were either the lynchpin in this fraud or, at least, one of the main conspirators.
Voodoo is a religion that originated in Africa
and was brought to Haiti by slaves, where it is still widely practiced by most
inhabitants. Most aspects of this religion are positive and it affects all
aspects of the people's lives, such as morality, economics, safety,
relationships and health.There is a revered God, an assortment of
spirits, and many rituals. Worshippers communicate with their God through the "loa"
or spirits. This relationshiop is based on trust and mutual give and take. The
people conduct ceremonies to honor them and loas, in return, are helpful in
their lives. The black magic aspects of this religion play a very minor role and
is not typical of voodoo.
In the early to mid 1900's, there were exaggerated claims about voodoo and
movies portrayed followers as ignorant people who were obsessed with evil.
Werewolves, zombies, the casting of spells and the use of voodoo dolls were
sensationalized as the common practices of these people. In actuality the use of
black magic is rare but this stereotype remains with us even today.
The use of voodoo dolls is unheard of in Haiti and most places where the
religion is practiced. The only recorded serious use of the dolls, among voodoo
worshippers, was in the new Orleans area in the early 1900's. Hexes were cast to
bring either good or bad luck to another person. The doll was used to symbolize
that person. The sticking of pins into the doll was to reinforce and direct the
spells that were cast.
A british army translator accused of spying for Iran was a voodoo priest who used black magic to protect the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan from the Taliban, a court heard. Iranian-born Daniel James, 45, who was the personal interpreter to General David Richards, told the Old Bailey that he used pictures, dust, candles and seashells to cast spells protect his boss. He also said he did Tarot card readings for other personnel at the Allied HQ in Kabul to predict the future. James is alleged to have passed on secret information about Allied troop movements to the Iranians - who then passed it on to the Taliban. Giving evidence, James swore on the Bible butsaid he embraced all religions before telling the court how he converted to Voodoo while on his yearly trips to Cuba to research salsa in 2003.
He claimed to be a priest who had recorded 10 Voodoo DVDs. James said: "I actually did black magic for General Richards praying to God to protect him from the Taliban. He explained: "Yoruba is the name of the religion. It is voodoo and black magic. I became the equivalent of a priest in the Church of England." Corporal James told the court he ran salsa dance lessons from his Brighton club "Capital of Salsa" and dubbed himself "King of Salsa" before selling his businesses in 2005 just as he was called up to Afghanistan as a volunteer in the Territorial Army. As a dancer he regularly appeared on 1980s TV show "Solid Soul" after an invitationby Jonathan Ross, who was then a television researcher, and he was a kick-boxing body builder who was one of Britain"s top three power lifters, the court heard. It is alleged James was a "Walter Mitty" character who had "grandiose ideas about himself and his own self-importance". He told the jury he agreed with allegations that when he translated for General Richards as he addressed a crowd of Afghan dignitaries he would sometimes act like a general.
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When pop star Avril Lavigne and the late Pope John Paul II visited Indonesia, a Javanese mystic was called in to work his magic and ensure a rain-free event. INDONESIAN mystic Haryobintoro Tjakra enters a small hut and kneels before the tools of his trade: incense, a bowl of dirt, two black umbrellas and a ceramic burner on which he piles chunks of wood. Bowing his head, he lights the burner, sending fragrant fumes swirling up to the hut’s exhaust fan, and prays in Javanese: the rain must stayaway. 
View: Full Article | Source: The Star 
A woman who produced human fingers in court in a bid to explain her involvement in a £925,000 tax credit fraud has been jailed for five years. Remi Fakorede, 46, from Hackney, east London, told Snaresbrook Crown Court, she had been forced into crime by a voodoo curse on her and her family. Fakorede claimed the same voodoo curse caused the fingers belonging to one of her six children to fall off. She was convicted of one count of fraud between 1 August 2002 and 26 June 2007. Her daughter, Denise Shofolawe-Cokerenise, 21, also from Hackney, was jailed for 12 months at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Thursday after being found guilty of laundering £70,000 of thestolen money. 
Voodoo is a religion that originated in Africa
and was brought to Haiti by slaves, where it is still widely practiced by most
inhabitants. Most aspects of this religion are positive and it affects all
aspects of the people's lives, such as morality, economics, safety,
relationships and health.There is a revered God, an assortment of
spirits, and many rituals. Worshippers communicate with their God through the "loa"
or spirits. This relationshiop is based on trust and mutual give and take. The
people conduct ceremonies to honor them and loas, in return, are helpful in
their lives. The black magic aspects of this religion play a very minor role and
is not typical of voodoo. 
A british army translator accused of spying for Iran was a voodoo priest who used black magic to protect the commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan from the Taliban, a court heard. Iranian-born Daniel James, 45, who was the personal interpreter to General David Richards, told the Old Bailey that he used pictures, dust, candles and seashells to cast spells protect his boss. He also said he did Tarot card readings for other personnel at the Allied HQ in Kabul to predict the future. James is alleged to have passed on secret information about Allied troop movements to the Iranians - who then passed it on to the Taliban. Giving evidence, James swore on the Bible butsaid he embraced all religions before telling the court how he converted to Voodoo while on his yearly trips to Cuba to research salsa in 2003. 
