Louisiana Voodoo Research Paper

Voodoo is an old religion that finds its roots in west Africa. Remnants of its physical history can be found throughout the West African Coast where major slave trading markets were located. An Example of this are locations contain trees of forgetting in which slaves were “Zombified” by administering herbs to make them more compliant. Today these historical sites draw tourist learning about the horrors of the slave trade Voodoo beliefs originated from African animist religions that predate Islam and Christian influences and were not understood by the European slave owners who forbid its practice. It created a fear in the Europeans and is misunderstood even today. Its travel to the Caribbean, Haiti and America had a lasting impact and is still practiced.

For instance, the principles of Hoodoo are based almost solely on the betterment of one’s own life whereas the main goals of Voodoo are to improve one’s life but to also uphold withstanding connections within the realm of spirits and with other Voodooists (Haas, 2011). Not to mention in a sense of irony, it is Hoodoo culture that finds more use in voodoo dolls and doll magic to curse specific people or influence minds and hearts of individuals as opposed to Voodoo (Raven, n.d.). Furthermore, Voodooism is a mixture of monotheism and polytheism and requires official priests or priestesses to ordain rituals (Haas, 2011). Correspondingly, Voodoo is much akin to other religions in the sense that there are deviations of the practice; indeed, just as there are Protestants, Baptists, and Catholics when referring to the Christian faith, there are variants made in Voodoo, such as Haitian Voudon or Louisiana Voodoo (Voodoo, 2015). Hoodooism’s emphasis on individual power makes it a practice that is available to persons of any faith as it does not require a “formally designated minister” (Hoodoo (folk magic),

Voodoo is a religion also known as Vodou or Voudon. In modern day society, the word ‘Voodoo’ usually brings others to the thought of dolls with pins stuck in them to cause pain on one’s enemies and the resurrection of the dead as zombies. In addition, black magic, animal sacrifices, and circles of worshipers dancing to the beat of a drum are just a few of the many other misconceptions about the practice of Voodoo. According to anthropologist Wade Davis, however, “Voodoo is not some kind of dark mystical force, it is simply a legitimate religion” (Handwerk, 2002). Though Voodoo began in West Africa, it is practiced in various forms worldwide. As the religion of Voodoo spread, it encountered a difficult transition. In spite of this hardship,

However, all rites employ the art and practice of constant prayer, songs, costume to channel spirits, drumming and dancing during ceremonies. Voodoo can be practiced by anyone absent their race, gender, age, national origin or sexual orientation. It is not required for one to renounce any pre-existing religious affiliation. In Haiti, the vast majority of Voodooists are also Roman

The Haitians that practice Voodoo associate with the Jews because when the Haitians were African slaves, the Europeans expressly considered both Jews and Africans to be devil worshippers.

It has been almost 6 months now that my girlfriend and I came back from a trip to New Orleans. This is a town rich in history, amazing food, the locals were some of the friendliest people and the music of the city truly seemed to act as a heartbeat that gave the city life. However, something that truly caught my eye, were all the voodoo shops. One of their oldest cemeteries is home to the tomb of the “Voodoo Queen” Marie Laveau. Unfortunately when we went, they weren’t giving tours. When most in modern society most hear the word Voodoo; they probably think about what they’ve seen on movies… witch doctors, dolls that are used to curse Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom or evil possession of people’s bodies through spirits. However, that really isn’t the case, for a religion that a lot of people really don’t know a lot about, the religion of Voodoo or Vodun. “The name was derived from the god Vodun of the West African Yoruba people who lived in 18th and 19th century Dahomey.” The African people were shipped as slaves to Haiti and other islands. Slaves practiced this religion but were also forced by the masters who owned them to practice Christianity. Which if you fast-forward to modern times, you will see that most adults in Haiti and some cities in the Southern States of North America not only still practice Voodoo but are also Roman Catholic.

First and foremost, voodoo is not just black magic, spells, and voodoo dolls that everyone associates with what has been portrayed in the movies and television shows. For example, the movie Serpent and the Rainbow, directed by Wes Craven

Hey yah I think this is freaking retarted but I have to pass this class. Anyways some things I thought were interesting and kind of cool are that the Mississippi river created most of the Louisiana I didn’t know that a river could do that ya that is like so exciting however it couldn’t have made it if it stayed in one channel. Southern Louisiana exists in its present form because the Mississippi River has jumped here and there within an arc about two hundred miles wide, like a pianist playing with one hand—frequently and radically changing course, surging over the left or the right bank to go off in utterly new directions. (The Control of Nature February 23, 1987 issue Atchafalaya by john McPhee). In other words the river moving in all directions

Besides the suspicious deaths, distorted truths, and muddled visions, Eve’s Bayou also inhibits discreet references to voodoo. African Holocaust writes that: “Music and dance are key elements to Voodoo ceremonies. Ceremonies were often termed by whites "Night Dancing" or "Voodoo Dancing". This dancing is not simply a prelude to sexual frenzy, as it has often been portrayed. The dance is an expression of spirituality, of connection with divinity and the spirit world” ("Vodun: African Spiritual Religious Systems”).

According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, Voodoo means: “a religion that is derived from African polytheism and ancestor worship and is practiced chiefly in Haiti,” “a person who deals in spells and necromancy (conjouring)”. Imagine conjuring anything but a human, casting spells on those who ask. The time of slavery, whites own “blacks” and African Americans could not do anything about it without receiving any type of punishment. It was in Louisiana, New Orleans from the time of 1801 till 1881. Many people think voodoo is something evil, a demonic possession, bad juju. In the north, many did not know her, but going in the south down, the Queen of Voodoo is very impressionable. She had many names a few; mother, prison worker, healer and a civil rights advocate (Ward). Dead and gone everyone ask who was the Voodoo Queen. This paper will give you a small peak into Marguerite Laveau’s life during her time and today.

The goal of Voodoo is to serve the Spirits (sevi lwa)- offering prayers and numerous devotional rites to God and other spirits for health, favor, and protection. Spirit possession plays an important role in this religion. It is an oral tradition that is practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits and devotional practices by elders. The forms of Voodoo practiced today are the results of one of the most inhumane episodes in modern history: The African Slave Trade between the 16th and 19th century. When Africans were bought here to America they bought Voodoo with them. During slavery an underground religion (voodoo) started to emerge among slaves. It was a combination of African religious traditions with elements of Catholicism. Many of the early Voodoo priest came from a Muslim background. During slave times, Voodoo equaled revolt. To

Many Haitians also still practice their native religion of voudou (“voodoo” in the west). So, while it is clear that European religions have persisted since the time of colonization, it is interesting that Haitians have also maintained their native beliefs. Some estimates of Haitians that practice voudou are as high as 90 percent.

Thus, when outsiders see these images, they fear this religion. In truth, however, Voodoo has many Catholicism roots and many of those practices that are said to be Voodoo, are not. For instance, voodoo dolls are not associated or have ever originated with this practice (Tann, 2012). In fact, it has ancient Egyptian roots that were then adopted by Greco-Roman which then found its way to medieval and Renaissance magicians. In contrast, to Haitian Voodoo New Orleans Voodoo and Hoodoo, do use Voodoo dolls in their practice.

Many of today’s religions share strict beliefs that are found only within their own religion, they restrict the possibility to believe anything other that what the religion tells its followers to believe, in Voodoo you are not a follower. Voodoo is a religion influenced by many other religions; it allows its followers to feel free. When Voodoo worshipers left Africa and reached the far away island of Haiti, the Voodoo religion changed. Catholicism of the slave owners, and various alternative religions from native islanders, influenced Voodoo. Voodoo easily incorporated these other religions because of its welcoming nature. Voodoo was appealing, especially to the slaves and poor members of a community. Because it was so inviting, it became a way for people with troubles and turmoil to unite. The slaves united through Voodoo to throw off white rule. It was the first successful slave

Voodoo is a religion rich in heritage and founded in faith and community. The religion has been villainized by western culture and has been wrongly portrayed as malignant and dangerous. The religion is not founded in any of the (known) "black magics" or fear popularized by Hollywood films, but rather it is based on balance and tradition. The religion is not something that should be encountered with inhibition or fear induced from childhood horror stories, but embraced for its strength and history.