Who is Johnny the Conqueroo?

[SunKat]

In the song “Hoochie Coochie Man,” Muddy Waters sings about having a Johnny the Conqueroo. This term shows up in lots of blues songs. What or who is it?

John the Conqueror, which is also known as High John the Conqueror or John de Conquer, was a folk hero in African-American folklore. Most probably John was entirely fictional or at the very least extremely embellished. He was mostly likely a fictional avenue for the African slaves to defeat their masters without having open rebellion. It is said that he was the son of an African king, who although he was sold as a slave in America, they could not  tame him. Many a story was told about how John tricked his masters. If he was a real being, he soon acquired a lot of the characteristics of the mythical, Legba. John played with his masters and never lost and was never outsmarted. Joel Chandler Harris’ ‘Br’er Rabbit of the Uncle Remus stories is said to be inspired by tales about John the Conqueror.

For an example of the fictional nature of John’s abilities one traditional story has John falling in love with the Devil’s daughter. To marry his daughter the Devil gives John a series  of  tasks that no mortal man could complete. He was to clear sixty acres of land in half a day, and then plant and reap the 60 acres in the other half of the day. The Devil’s daughter helped John with a magical axe and plough that allow him to finish these chores these but warns John that her father the Devil means to kill him even if he is successful. So John and the Devil’s daughter steal the Devil’s own horses and leaves with the the Devil in hot pursuit. John escapes the Devil by shape-shifting.

John is a mythical being and is not dead. He went back to Africa, but he left his power here in the root of a certain plant. The plant is known in some areas as bindweed or jalap root and is related to the morning glory and the sweet potato. If you possess the root, of that plant he can be called at any time. He is available when he is needed.  Thus that root became a good luck charm, although they say John is so powerful that just uttering the words “John the Conqueror” is enough to protect against being hoodooed. John the Conqueror is also known as High John the Conqueror or John de Conquer but regardless of which name is used, in these contexts “conqueror” is pronounced “conker” or sometimes “conqueroo”.

Fresh John the Conqueror root has a unique, spicy fragrance. In hoodoo, the root is not eaten, it is used whole, carried in your pocket or as part of a mojo bag. It’s powers were used to help in many ways. It found use improving things such as strength, virility, leadership qualities, and/or mental force, along with good luck at love and gambling . There are three roots named for John the Conqueror. Each is in a separate botanical family and has a different method of use. There is High John the Conqueror, Low John and Little John.

The root probably acquired its sexual reputation because, when dried, it resembles the testicles of a dark-skinned man. For this reason it is important that the root used be whole and unblemished. After all, what man would purchase a broken “root?”

Dried pieces and chips of the root are also prepared in the form of anointing oil, spiritual incense, scented powders, and ritual bathing and cleaning supplies. High John the Conqueror Oil is rubbed into the roots to “feed” them and also used in mojo bags. It can also be worn by a man on his body to fortify him or help him when he is gambling. John the Conqueror Oil is one the most traditional of all hoodoo ingredients, and is still very popular.

There are many ways to use whole John the Conqueror root. Here is one (more incredible spells can be found here) of the ways a John the Conqueror root can be used:

To exercise sexual attraction over women:
Fix a John the Conqueror root in a red flannel mojo bag with a lodestone that has been dressed with magnetic sand. Anoint with Lodestone Oil, Kiss Me Now! Oil, Come to Me Oil, Love Me Oil, or other love-drawing oil and wear the mojo concealed below your waist. (A woman wishing to make a similar charm to attract men might add a Queen Elizabeth root to the John the Conqueror root and anoint the mojo with Follow Me Boy Oil.)

High John the Conqueror root is one of the staples of African-American folk magic. Its use in mojo hands is extensive and its very name signifies power and prosperity to many.