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Roman Catholicism is the official religion of Haiti, but voodoo may be
considered the country's national religion. The majority of Haitians believe in
and practice at least some aspects of voodoo. Most voodooists believe that their
religion can coexist with Catholicism. Most Protestants, however, strongly
oppose voodoo.
Misconceptions about voodoo have given Haiti a reputation for sorcery and
Zombie. Popular images of voodoo have ignored the religion's basis as a
domestic cult of family spirits. Adherents of voodoo do not perceive themselves
as members of a separate
Religion; they consider themselves Roman Catholics. In
fact, the word for voodoo does not even exist in
rural Haiti. The
Creole word
vodoun refers to a kind of dance and in some areas to a category of
spirits. Roman Catholics who are active voodooists say that they "serve the
spirits," but they do not consider that practice as something outside of Roman
Catholicism. Haitians also distinguish between the service of family spirits and
the practice of magic and sorcery. Click here for a list of
Haitian Voodoo Stores
all over the world.
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The belief system of voodoo revolves around family spirits (often called
loua or mistè) who are inherited through maternal and paternal
lines. Loua protect their "Children" from misfortune. In return,
families must "feed" the loua through periodic rituals in which food,
drink, and other gifts are offered to the spirits. There are two kinds of
services for the loua. The first is held once a year; the second is
conducted much less frequently, usually only once a generation. Many poor
families, however, wait until they feel a need to restore their relationship
with their
spirits before they conduct a service.
Voodoo
Services are usually held at a
sanctuary on family land.
In voodoo, there are many loua (
Ogoun,
Azaka,
Ghede,
Damballa, Legba, Agwe). Although there is considerable
variation among families and regions, there are generally two groups of loua,
the rada and the petro. The rada spirits are mostly
seen as "sweet" loua, while the petro are seen as "bitter"
because they are more demanding of their "children." Rada spirits
appear to be of African origin while petro spirits appear to be of
Haitian origin.
Vèvè is a symbolic design, formed on the ground (in the peristyle) by
sprinkling wheatmeal, cornmeal, or some other appropriate powder from the hand,
at or before the beginning of a ceremony. Such a design represents a Loa to be
invoked, and serves both as a focal point for invocation and a kind of altar for
offerings. The following is a list of Vever signs. For more information
regarding Vever signs, please visit:
Voodoo Authentica of New
Orleans
504-522-2111 New
Orleans La
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Vever for Ghede
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Vever for Legba
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Vever for
Ayizan
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Vever for Agwe
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Damballah &
Ayida Wedo
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Vever for
Erzulie
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Vever for Kalfu
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Vever for Ogu
Fer
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Loua are usually anthropomorphic and have distinct identities (Ogoun,
Azaka,
Ghede,
Damballa, Legba,
Agwe). They
can be good, evil, capricious, or demanding. Loua most commonly show
their displeasure by making people sick, and so voodoo is used to diagnose and
treat illnesses. Loua are not nature spirits, and they do not make
crops grow or bring rain. The loua of one family have no claim over
members of other families, and they cannot protect or harm them. Voodooists are
therefore not interested in the loua of other families.
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Loua appear to family members in dreams and, more dramatically,
through trances. Many Haitians believe that loua are capable of
temporarily taking over the bodies of their "Children." Men and women enter
trances during which they assume the traits of particular loua (Voodoo
Ceremony ). People
in a trance feel giddy and usually remember nothing after they return to a
normal state of consciousness. Voodooists say that the spirit temporarily
replaces the human personality. Possession trances occur usually during rituals
such as services for loua or a vodoun dance in honor of the
loua. When loua appear to entranced people, they may bring
warnings or explanations for the causes of illnesses or misfortune. Loua
often engage the crowd around them through flirtation, jokes, or accusations.
The followings are additional resources for voodoo:
Haitian Voodoo
Haiti Religion
Voodoo Flag
Sequin Art
voodoo Resources
Ancestors (le mò) rank with the family loua as the most
important spiritual entities in voodoo. Elaborate funeral and mourning rites
reflect the important role of the dead. Ornate tombs throughout the countryside
reveal how much attention Haiti gives to its dead. Voodooists believe the dead
are capable of forcing their survivors to construct tombs and sell land. In
these cases, the dead act like family loua, which "hold" family members
to make them ill or bring other misfortune. The dead also appear in dreams to
provide their survivors with advice or warnings.
Voodooists also believe there are loua that can be paid to bring
good fortune or protection from evil. And, they believe that souls can be paid
to attack enemies by making them ill.
Folk belief includes
Zombies and
witchcraft.
Zombies are either spirits or
people whose souls have been partially withdrawn from their bodies. Some
Haitians resort to bokò, who are specialists in sorcery and magic.
Haiti has several secret societies whose members practice sorcery.
Voodoo specialists, male
Houngan and female manbo, mediate
between humans and spirits through divination and trance. They diagnose
illnesses and reveal the origins of other misfortune. They can also perform
rituals to appease spirits or ancestors or to repel magic. Many voodoo
specialists are accomplished herbalists who treat a variety of illnesses.
Voodoo lacks a fixed theology and an organized hierarchy, unlike Roman
Catholicism and Protestantism. Each specialist develops his or her own
reputation for helping people.
Haitians believe strongly in the powers of voodoo to solve
medical problems,
including AIDS.
Haitian Health
professionals believe that instead of trying to
make people change their beliefs, working with
Voodoo
priests can possibly help
spread AIDS awareness.
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