Let’s forget the way Voodoo is portrayed in the media and the movies. As usual, humans have taken what they don’t quite understand and cast it out as something bad, something you should leave alone, something that should not be touched.
Voodoo
“a black religious cult practice in the Caribbean and Southern US, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterised by sorcery and possession”
Voodoo originated in the West Indies country of Haiti during the French Colonial Period. The foundations of Voodoo stems from the various tribal religions of West Africa that were brought across by slaves in the 17th century. The name “Voodoo” is derived from “Vodu” in the Fon language of Dahomey, which translates to “spirit” or “god”. Haiti being an island and fairly isolated at the time allowed for Voodoo’s development of its own traditions, beliefs and gods. About 250 years ago the raids on the “African Slave Coast” began which meant that more and more people were leaving Haiti, this introduced Voodoo to New Orleans.
Those who practice Voodoo believe that there is one Supreme Being who created the universe but is too far away to form personal relationships with its worshippers. There are lesser deities that act as a messenger between the Supreme Being and its worshippers. Followers talk to these deities called "Loa" for guidance. Loa are spirits of ancestors, animals, natural forces and the spirits of good and evil. Followers of Voodoo believe that there are two worlds, the visible and the invisible and that these two worlds are intertwined. Death is only a transition from the visible world into the invisible world. This means that those who have passed on are still watching over us, they are just in a part of the world that we cannot see.
As with many smaller religions, Voodoo comes with a long list of misconceptions. As much as the media would like us to believe they do, followers of Voodoo do not practice human sacrifice. As with most religions there are those that take it to the extreme, witch doctors that use human parts in their rituals, but this is not a common practice and is largely frowned upon within the Voodoo community. Although there have been cases of Vooduists practicing cannibalism, it is not accepted within the community. There have been cases of cannibalism in almost every religion so there is no need to point at a specific one and label them all cannibals. Although it makes for a brilliant addition to horror films, Voodoo does not centre on the “darker powers” but instead focusses on caring and healing and nurturing those around you, and the Earth you live on.
This is only a very short crash course on Voodoo, the religion has so many facets and branches that it would take ages to explain it to you fully. I do hope that this has changed the way you see the religion. Thanks to the appearances of Voodoo in film, not many people take it seriously and some even believe that it is made up. Voodoo is real and it is great and the Vooduists should be left to practice their craft in peace.
