Jesse Brunet, (Voodoo Name Houngan Ti Damballah), age 19,
Houma, LA, February 9, 2004 Robin Bowman

All my life I’ve had a spiritual sense, if you will. I’ve always studied world religion, but around the age of ten was when I stumbled upon voodoo and it hit me like a ton of bricks and I knew that’s what I had to follow. I couldn’t really even explain why. It’s just something you know. I guess everyone has a similar type of experience in life, where you just know something. Be it religion, or love, or whatever it may be–something you just know and that’s the way it’s gonna be and that’s it. Being a voodoo priest I have a temple, and in my temple I have children. My children are the people that come to me and ask me to teach them. My students, if you will. I’m helping them in life–not just in religion, but in everyday situations. If they call me and ask me for advice, I’m there for them. I’ll give them the best advice I can give them. That’s the way that I see myself helping the world. I didn’t graduate high school, which is something I regret. I went to Catholic school all my life. Things happened, you know, and I had to drop out. I got someone pregnant, plain and simple. We ended up losing the baby. I think it’s just the spirits planned it that way, ‘cause it wasn’t the right time. Nearly having that baby is something that I’ll never forget, because I was happy. I said, “I’ll have to work for the rest of my life and come home dirty, but at least I know when I come home I’ll have someone there waiting for me.” You know, to call me “Daddy”. But you know, things worked out differently. Nothing ever works out wrong in life. Anybody who says money can’t buy you happiness – they’re shoppin’ at the wrong store.