1. good or bad luck, stemming from good or
bad deeds.
2. good or bad luck, stemming from a
juju object, potion or spell.
3. a positive or negative vibe, aura, or sensation emanating from a person, place or thing.
4. Nigerian pop music developed from Christian congregational singing, Yoruba vocal and percussion traditions, and assorted African and Western popular genres.
Juju music celebrities include
Tunde King,
Ayinde Bakare, I.K. Dairo,
Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny
Ade.
I am angered that the top three entries for "juju" in this urban dictionary are so spectacularly wrong.
The top entry says, "
Gypsie word for luck." Juju has absolutely nothing to do with gypsies.
The second entry says, "jungle speak for magic, or good luck!" "Jungle speak"? No. "Juju" is most likely from the
Hausa word "djudju," meaning evil spirit or fetish. Hausa communities are scattered throughout northern Nigeria and southern Niger, predominantly in the SAHARA DESERT. Even if the word comes from Yoruba or French, "jungle speak" is utterly inappropriate and offensive.
The third entry says, "voodoo bad luck or good luck". Voodoo, known as Vodun in West Africa, is not related to juju in any way. Whatsoever. Period.
In traditional terms,
JUJU IS:
1. an object
venerated superstitiously and used as a fetish or
amulet by tribal peoples of West Africa.
2. the magical power attributed to such an object.
3. a taboo effected by a juju
Gossiping about the boss can be
bad juju.
"A `
SPIRITUAL HEALER" is selling lonely hearts magic potions to jump-start their sex lives with juju." ~Sun,
News of the World (2000)
This house has some bad juju; I can feel it. Let's get out of here.
