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A sequined drapo flag, depicting the vèvè symbol of the lwa Loko Atison; these symbols play an important role in Vodou ritual. Haitian Vodou[ a ] (/ ˈvoʊduː /) is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West ...
Sep 15, 2024 · The word Vodou means “spirit” or “deity” in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). Vodou is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits ...
- Understanding Voodoo
- Misconceptions About Voodoo
- Basic Beliefs: Bondye, Lwa, and Vilokan
- Rituals and Practices
Vodou is also known as Vodoun, Voodoo, and by several other variants. It is a syncretic religion that combines Roman Catholicism and native African religion, particularly from the religion of the Dahomey region of West Africa (the modern day nation of Benin). Vodou is primarily practiced in Haiti, New Orleans, and other locations within the Caribbe...
Popular culture has strongly associated Vodou with devil worship, torture, cannibalism, and malevolent magical workings. This is largely the product of Hollywood coupled with historical misrepresentations and misunderstandings of the faith. The seeds of these misconceptions began much earlier than anything seen in the movies. A well-known incident ...
Vodou is a monotheistic religion. Followers of Vodou -- known as Vodouisants -- believe in a single, supreme godhead that can be equated with the Catholic God. This deity is known as Bondye, "the good god". Vodouisants also accept the existence of lesser beings, which they call loaor lwa. These are more intimately involved in day-to-day life than B...
There is no standardized dogma within Vodou. Two temples within the same city might teach different mythologies and appeal to the lwa in different ways. As such, the information provided in overviews of Vodou (such as this one) cannot always reflect the beliefs of all believers. For example, sometimes lwa are associated with different families, Cat...
- Catherine Beyer
Vodou is a religion that originated in the Caribbean, and it has been used for social justice and resistance for centuries. Today, vodou is being used more frequently as a tool to empower people from all walks of life. One reason why vodou is such an effective tool for social justice and resistance is because it focuses on community awareness.
Haitian Vodou first took shape in the context of slavery. Once the religion of the royal family in Dahomey, in West Africa, it was then transformed by the slaves of the island of Haiti as a way of restoring a sense of identity and as a force of liberation. This explains the highly significant role played by Vodou in the largest ever successful slave revolt in history and in the creation of an ...
Apr 30, 2013 · Haitian Vodou (or Vodun), called Sevis Gineh or “African Service,” is the primary culture and religion of the approximately 7 million people of Haiti and the Haitian diaspora. It has its primary roots among the Fon-Ewe peoples of West Africa, in the country now known as Benin, formerly the Kingdom of Dahomey. “ Vodun is lifting up sacred ...
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Mar 17, 2017 · Over the years, the Americans systematically destroyed Vodou temples, sacred drums, and altars, and violently repressed Haitian anti-imperialists. A litany of books and films created during the US ...
