Hey, in this article, I am going to talk about an important figure within Hoodoo, and his name is Dr. Buzzard.
I think he is a person who has been forgotten, but people need to know who our ancestors were and who came before us. So, by looking into who Dr. Buzzard was and how he contributed to Hoodoo and African American culture, I want to share what I’ve learned. While there is not much information about him, through the stories I have been told about Hoodoo, and through continued research on the pioneers within the tradition. I wanted to talk about these figures for those who may not be familiar with the practitioner or with Hoodoo itself.
Doctor Buzzard, or Stephany (or Stephney/Stepheney) Robinson, was a root doctor from South Carolina, and he was Gullah—a group of African Americans who live on the Sea Islands of South Carolina and Georgia and who have their own distinct language and culture. Doctor Buzzard became one of the strongest Hoodoo workers in the South, and his name has become synonymous with Hoodoo.
To begin, Doctor Buzzard (Stephany Robinson) was born sometime in the late 1800s. In those days, birth and vital records for African Americans were not consistently kept, so it is believed he was born sometime in that period. Robinson was born in South Carolina’s Lowcountry, which is home to the Gullah/Geechee culture. I could write an entire article about that—which I will do soon. I’ll write it after I finish my Hoodoo series, covering both prominent and lesser-known Hoodoo figures.
The Gullah/Geechee culture spans from North Carolina down through Florida. It is a rich and vibrant culture that uses a Creole language for communication, and it includes traditions such as creating sweetgrass baskets and quilts. One thing people always love is the traditional foods—because the Gullah/Geechee people live on the coast, their dishes are mainly seafood and rice-based. There is so much more I could write about, but I’ll save that for a later date. Now, back to Doctor Buzzard.
He was born in the Lowcountry of South Carolina, and it is alleged that Doctor Buzzard’s father was a witch doctor from Africa who taught him everything he knew. Being in America and having to work with the materials and environment available, the system of Hoodoo was formed and adapted. In researching Doctor Buzzard’s background extensively, I could not find much documented information, but I can speak about his spiritual work and what he was known for.
Let’s start with how he got his name. There are conflicting stories, but the two most prominent ones are these:
He used buzzard feathers in his spiritual work. For those not from the South, buzzards are vultures—large black scavenger birds that feed on dead animals. Because he used buzzard feathers in his work, the nickname stuck.
He could “sniff out” lies, evil, and malicious intentions, similar to how a buzzard has an incredible sense of smell. This reputation earned him the name Doctor Buzzard.
From there, he gained widespread recognition for his spiritual work.
When it came to various types of work, Doctor Buzzard could help you. If you needed help with a court case, he was the person to see. If you needed success in your business and wanted to bring in more customers, Dr. Buzzard was the one people went to.
Court case work:
Doctor Buzzard was especially known for getting people out of legal trouble. His methods were famous. He would use a cow’s tongue, pins, a carefully selected psalm to induce confusion, and red pepper mixed with vinegar to confuse the judge. This was said to make the judge unable to think clearly. One of his most famous tricks involved using Little John Chew and spitting it on the courtroom floor. Spitting the Little John to Chew would cause all kinds of problems: witnesses might convulse on the stand, the prosecution might become confused, and they would fail to present their case clearly.
During a time when Black people were rarely given a fair chance in the legal system, Dr. Buzzard’s ability to influence the outcome of cases was powerful and deeply respected.
Not only was Dr. Buzzard a great court case worker, but he was also highly skilled in family uncrossing and curse-breaking. His ingredients were simple, but his results were effective. Another important service he performed was protection work for the Gullah community, ensuring their safety and well-being.
All in all, Dr. Buzzard lived a full life, and he was known among both the African American and white communities as a proficient Hoodoo man and conjure worker. He died in 1947. Based on the research available, it was reported that he died of stomach cancer, and he passed away on St. Helena Island, where he was from.
So, I hope that through this article you now understand a little more—despite the limited sources available—about who Dr. Buzzard was: a man who cared about his community and a powerful rootworker who chose to use his gifts to help others. Thank you so much for reading this article.
“Knowledge without wisdom is like water in the sand.”
- African Proverb
