Vudu Tarot/Espiritismo Tarot - Caribbean Art in Your Hands

The Vudu Tarot, also referred to as Espiritismo Tarot, is a project by Monroe Rodriguez Singh that seeks to bridge the gap between traditional tarot and Afro-Caribbean/Latin American spiritual traditions. The deck is based on the Rider-Waite system but incorporates cultural and spiritual references primarily from Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with additional influences from Brazil, Latin America, and India. It aims to offer an authentic representation of these belief systems, which the creator felt were underrepresented or inaccurately depicted in existing tarot decks.

The main Vudu Tarot deck is described as a 79-card set, featuring characters based on traditional Catholic saints and Afro-Caribbean mythologies. These characters are integrated into a tarot context, with smooth gold foil accents on their faces and Afro-Caribbean pictographic ceremonial drawings in the background. The project also introduced a "Limited Edition Deck" consisting of two sets of 39 cards each, inspired by Cuban Santeria and Palo Mayombe, and Brazilian Umbanda, Espiritismo, and Hoodoo/Conjure traditions. These limited sets each contain 28 Minor Arcana cards and 11 Major Arcana cards, suggesting a departure from the full 78-card structure for these specific editions.

The creator emphasizes the deck's role as a tool for divination and a piece of art that promotes diverse traditions. It is presented as a racially and gender-diverse deck that blends fantasy and new age beliefs, making it appealing to a broad audience of diviners and art lovers, regardless of their personal beliefs. The project highlights the importance of accurate cultural representation in new age products, aiming to counteract misinterpretations often found in commercially produced decks.

This deck is ideal for tarot readers and collectors interested in Afro-Caribbean and Latin American spiritual traditions, particularly Vodou, Santeria, Palo Mayombe, Umbanda, Espiritismo, and Hoodoo/Conjure. It caters to those seeking a culturally authentic and diverse tarot experience, as well as individuals who appreciate comic book art styles and unique, fantasy-infused imagery. Experienced Rider-Waite-Smith readers will find the underlying system familiar, while the distinct cultural overlay offers a fresh perspective.

Monroe Rodriguez Singh is an exhibited artist, freelance designer, and Salesforce developer with a lifelong interest in comparative religion and mythology. Having collected over 50 tarot decks since age 11 and becoming a professional tarot reader affiliated with the American Tarot Association and Tarosophy Tarot Association, Singh was initiated into Afro-Caribbean traditions five years prior to the campaign. This experience revealed a lack of authentic representation in existing tarot decks, inspiring the creation of the Vudu Tarot to promote these traditions through a unique design.