The idea of being pinned down by a witch is freaky. I read about this in an essay called Perceptions and Misconceptions in James Lee Burke's Dave Robicheaux Novels by Patricia
Gaitely on the louisianafolklife.org site.
Gaitley talks about Burke's depiction of traiteurs in
his novels and how his depiction of them is sort of mixed with Voodoo and
Hoodoo traditions. I guess he does that
to spice his novels up. Go ahead and
check the link out to see what I’m talking about. I asked Dad about the word cauchemar and he was
unfamiliar with it. The DLF has it as nightmare.
I know traiteurs and I’ve been treated
myself when I was a kid. There’s nothing
Voodoo or Hoodoo about it. It might be
in other places. Things change and
evolve. From what I read Voodoo is a
combination of beliefs. But I think Burke
mixes it up for entertainment purposes in his novels. It’s a good essay on a good site. I find myself going to this site again and
again.
cauchemar