Voodoo Culture In The Caribbean

Approximately 90 percent of Haitians are Catholic and 10 % are Protestant (Jacobson, 2003). Within the Haitian-American community, however, Voodoo exists side by side with Christian faiths. Jacobson goes on to explain that “many Haitians see no contradiction in calling themselves Christians while engaging in Voodoo practices” (2003). In Haiti, Catholicism is highly ritualistic and religious practices combine the ancient rituals of African-based cultures with Western-based faith practices. Jacobson explains that “Voodoo cosmology is made up of a large numbers of supernatural spirits…these spirits are believed to have great influence on human beings and for that reason, they must be respected” (2003).

The Haitian Revolution was one of the most important slave revolts in Latin American history. It started a succession of other revolutionary wars in Latin America and ended both colonialism and imperialism in the Americas. The Haitian Revolution affected people from all social castes in Haiti including the indigenous natives, mestizos, mulattos and the Afro-Latin. The idea of starting a rebellion against France began with the colony’s white elite class seeking a capitalist market. These elites in the richest mining and plantation economies felt that the European governments were limiting their growth and restricting free trades. However, the Afro-Latin, mestizos and mulattos turned the Haitian Revolution into a war for equality and built a new state. The Haitian Revolution, with the support of it large slave population and lower class citizens, eliminated slavery and founded the Republic of Haiti. Tin this essay I will discuss how mestizos, mulattos and the Afro-Latin Americans population in Haiti participate in the fight for independence and how they creation of new republics.

The area of New Orleans, Louisiana was one of the places that was strongly influence by Haiti. The City of New Orleans has the richest culture compare to others Urban area in the United States. Haitian life and elements is found in the tradition of voodoo. Which is still a part of the Culture in New Orleans today. Elements of the Haitian language was contributed to the Creole language. Which people speak in New Orleans and areas around it.

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.

One of the most famous Louisianians of all time is Marie Laveau, a voodoo practitioner with an interesting background who was considered “The Queen of New Orleans” (“Marie Catherine Laveau: Voodoo Queen of New Orleans (September 10, 1801 - June 15, 1881)”). She was the most well known practitioner of Louisiana or New Orleans voodoo, which was developed by the slaves brought to the south to work on plantations (“Voodoo in New Orleans”). Additionally, it was based on the Creole language and a strong belief in Catholicism, which greatly influenced Laveau during her lifetime. Even after death, Laveau has left a lasting legacy in New Orleans, which has inspired others and even led to the creation of a museum dedicated in her honor.

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.

The culture of Haiti is a various mix of African and European elements due to the French colonization of Saint Dominguez. I chose to research this culture for two reason one reason being that I have a friend who is Haitian and I never understood why she did what she did, or even her mother. The second reason is because many people in Haiti is associated with voodoo, and that’s something I personally wouldn’t get to involved with due to my religious views. Throughout this essay we will see in detail the differences in culture from ours to theirs. We will learn about their primary language, religion, their different values and beliefs and last but not least their social practices. While reading on Haiti I started to appreciate their culture more due to the fact that know.

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

The Voodoo tradition that is alive and well in Louisiana today is brought to the United States care of the slave trade from the early 16th century. West African slaves in the south kept their traditions alive in the US, despite an overwhelming and coercive Roman Catholic influence. Late in the evening, and behind closed doors, slaves returned to their roots to practice the traditions that their owners disapproved of. Despite their desire to keep their African traditions alive, they were powerless to stop the forceful nature of the Roman Catholic traditions. After many years, a new ritual order arose that blended Roman Catholicism and ancestral West African traditions: Louisiana Voodoo.

Voodoo people believe in God but underneath this force there is many other forces and spirits these are called the Voodoo Gods and Goddesses. Voodoo is linked very closely with nature churches are surrounded with forests rivers and valleys. The Voodoo Gods are said to control specific elements of nature. During a Voodoo ceremony there is is food, rum, and dancing. These ceremonies usually last all night and get wilder and wilder as the natives become more intact with their religion.

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.

     The Voodoo religion is one of the most, if not the most misconceived religions of our time. Often when Voodoo is mentioned, it is related to evil, black magic, devious sorcery, cannibalism, and harm. Although the Voodoo religion appears to the outsider as an illusion or falsehood, it has been an instrumental political force because it has helped the Haitians resist domination and form an identity of their own. Since the end of the 17th century, Haitian Voodoo has overcome every challenge it has been faced with and has endured. The religion is based on a polytheistic belief system and represents a significant portion of Haiti’s 8.3 million people. The engaging religion plays an important role in both the family

New Orleans voodoo rituals differ from those of Haitian voodoo because of their emphasis on voodoo queens, gris-gris, superstitions and spells. Voodoo queens were central figures to voodoo in the United States. They looked over ceremonial meetings and ritual dance while also obtaining income by making charms, amulets and magical powders that were guaranteed to have special healing powers. The most legendary voodoo queen was Marie Laveau because of her special powers and ability to do exorcisms. She quickly overthrew the other voodoo queens of New Orleans. Gris-Gris is a voodoo amulet which is believed to protect whomever wears it from evil and will provide them with good luck. New Orleans voodoo is also known for their superstitions, however, they aren't central to the actual faith. These superstitions are just resulted from ancient Louisana voodoo tradition and have influenced the faith.

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.