Voodoo, also spelled "voodoo", comes from the African word "vodun" which means "spirit". Voodooism can be traced back to the Yoruba population, who lived in the current areas of Benin, Nigeria and Togo in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The roots of this religion, however, date back to 6,000-10,000 years ago. Voodoo is practiced in the areas of Africa from which it originates, as well as in Haiti and in some areas of Louisiana in the United States of America, taking different forms from area to area. Voodoo beliefs and practices are very different from what is seen in movies and are based on a spiritual structure.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Understanding the Spiritual Structure of Voodoo
Step 1. Believe in a supreme divinity
Although voodoo is considered a polytheistic religion, it actually worships a supreme divine entity that commands the natural and supernatural forces. In the tribes of Benin the deity is called Mawu, while in America it is known as Bondye or Bon Dieu. However, unlike the Christian God, the supreme voodoo deity is seen exclusively as a transcendental figure who does not interact directly with his faithful except through his intermediaries, i.e. spirits (voduns).
- This supreme being is also called by other names, which vary according to the deity to which one is addressed. As the creator, Mawu / Bon Dieu is also known as Dada Sêgbo. As a personification of life, he is known as Gbêdoto, while as a divine being he is known as Sêmêdo.
- According to other sources, "Mawu" is the name of the moon, which, together with the sun (Lisa) forms the pair of twins sons of the creator named Nana Baluku.
Step 2. Recognize the two forms of voodoo magic
Voodoo is a religion of dualism with forces representing happiness and sadness, good and evil. Consequently, voodoo takes two forms: "rada" and "petro".
- "Rada" is good or white magic practiced by a "houngan" (priest / voodoo king), or "mambo" (priestess / voodoo queen). Sparse magic, which is the predominant form of voodoo, is characterized by a devotion to healing with herbs or faith, but also includes the divination of dreams and the prediction of the future.
- "Petro" or "congo" is evil or black (or more correctly red) magic. This form of magic is practiced by a "bokor" (sorcerer / witch doctor). Petro magic is characterized by orgies, death curses and zombie creation. "Petro" is practiced less frequently than "rada", but it is the form we often see in Hollywood movies.
Step 3. Worship the "loa"
The "loa", also spelled "Iwa", are the spirits. Some loa are the descendants of Mawu / Bon Dieu, while others are the spirits of the ancestors of believers. Good loa are roughly equivalent to archangels and saints (and can be worshiped using the Christian symbols they most closely resemble); while the bad loa are the equivalent of demons and devil. The main loa are listed below; some are more important to African voduns, while others play a more prominent role in the voodoo practices of Haiti and New Orleans.
- Sakpata is the eldest son of Mawu / Bon Dieu, he is an "ayi vodun" or spirit of the earth. Sakpata is the leader of all diseases and his children represent diseases such as leprosy and skin conditions and pains.
- Xêvioso (Xêbioso) is the second son of Mawu / Bon Dieu, he is the "jivodum" or the spirit of heaven and justice. Xêvioso manifests himself through fire and lightning and is often represented with a ram and a double hatchet.
- Agbe (Agwe, Hu) is the third son of Mawu / Bon Dieu, he is the "tovodun" or the spirit of the sea. Agbe is considered to be a source of life and is represented by a snake (also known as Damballah / Dumballah and Le Grand Zombi).
- Gu (Ogu, Ogou, Ogoun) is the fourth son of Mawu / Bon Dieu and is the spirit of war, iron and technology; moreover, it represents the source of evil and criminals.
- Agê is the fifth son of Mawu / Bon Dieu and is the spirit of the forest and agriculture and reigns over the animals of the earth.
- Jo is the sixth son of Mawu / Bon Dieu and is the spirit of the air. Jo is invisible.
- Lêgba is the seventh son of Mawu / Bon Dieu and is the spirit of the unpredictable nature of life and for many he is also the guardian of the worlds of life and death, similar to St. Peter. Its "petro" counterpart is Kalfu. Lêgba is often represented as an old man, although in some cases he is represented as a young man.
- Gede (Ghédé) is the spirit of sex, death and healing, often represented as a skeletal figure resembling a clown with a hat and sunglasses. It can be identical to Legba.
- Erzulie (Ezili, Aida Wedo / Ayida Wedo) is the spirit of love, beauty, earth and the rainbow. Her ability is to predict the future from dreams, and she is famous for her kind and caring personality. Erzulie can correspond to the Madonna.
- Some loa names are used as family names by loa groups. Among them, Erzulie / Ezili, Ghede, and Ogou.
Step 4. Respect your ancestors
The voodoo religion includes the worship of ancestors, whether they have just died or are the founders of the clan (the Toxwyo) to which the living belong.
- Voodoo practitioners believe that every individual has two souls. The most important soul, the "gros-bon-ange" (great angel), leaves the body immediately after death to introduce herself to Mawu / Bon Dieu before going to Ginen, "the island under the ocean". One year and one day after the death of "gros-bon-ange", the person's descendants can call him back and put him in the "govi", a small clay bottle, according to the ritual of sacrificing an ox or other precious animal. (the Congolese word for "gros-bon-ange", "nbzambi", is the origin of the word "zombie").
- The lesser soul, the "ti-bon-age" (little angel), is more or less the equivalent of consciousness, and is believed to remain in the body up to three days after death. In this period, it seems that a "bokor" is able to convince the "ti-bon-age" that the body is not dead, encouraging him to animate it in the form of a zombie.
Part 2 of 2: Conducting a Voodoo Worship Ceremony
Step 1. Venerate outdoors
Voodoo temples, known as "hounfors" or peristilli, are erected in the center of a pole called "poto mitan". The temple may also have a roof, but it is still an outdoor setting.
Step 2. Dance to the beat
Both the "houngan" and the "mambo" who lead the service and the congregation actively participate in the ceremony. A good part of the veneration is characterized by singing and dancing to the rhythm of drums played according to the requests of a "hounganikon", with the assistance of women dressed in white, called "hounsi".
- During the ceremony, the "houngan" or "mambo" could shake a rattle, called "ason" and made with flask pumpkin, or ring a hand bell called "clochette".
- The service can last several hours, during which each loa is blessed with its song, starting with the good loa and ending with the evil one.
Step 3. Handle snakes
As previously mentioned, the snake is the symbol of the loa, known as Damballah / Dumballah, Agbe, or Le Grand Zombi. The snake is related to the concept of creation, wisdom and intellect, and some practitioners claim that it is the protector of the young, the defenseless, the deformed and the handicapped. Some identify the snake loa as the protector of the afterlife, just like the Legba or the Ghede.
A "houngan" or "mambo" possessed by the loa snake usually hisses instead of speaking
Step 4. Be possessed
During a service, one or more practitioners may be possessed (mounted) by the loa. It is usually the most devoted practitioners (known as "serviteurs") who are possessed. During the personification of the loa, the devotee is identified with the name and sex of the loa.
- When the loa leaves the devotee's body, the latter could be subjected to a ritual for washing the head ("lave tet") if it had never been possessed before.
- If an evil loa takes possession of a person, it can be identified by observing the serviteur's eyes, which will turn red.
Step 5. Sacrifice the animals
In voodoo, animal sacrifice serves two purposes:
- During a ceremony, the energy released by the animal's sacrifice empowers the loa, allowing it to continue its service in Mawu / Bon Dieu.
- After the ceremony, the sacrificed animal is eaten by the faithful, encouraging the bond between them.
- Not all voodoo practitioners sacrifice animals. Many American practitioners, in fact, prefer to offer ready-made food to the loa; some are even vegetarians.
Advice
- The reputation of voodoo has grown thanks to Hollywood movies. Some believe that its fame is due to the Haitian Revolution (from 1791 to 1804), which began with a voodoo ceremony that gave the slaves the strength to rebel against French colonial rules.
- The relationship between voodoo and Christianity varies by denomination. To this day, voodoo is in harmony with Catholicism - which originally sought to eliminate voodoo practices. Furthermore, to further foment such sentiments, the use of Catholic icons to represent certain loa and the fact that male loa and "houngans" are called "Papa", a term similar to "Father" (Priest), while females they are called "Mamon", similar to "Mother". Protestants, however, view voodoo as the devil's worship and seek to convert its practitioners at every opportunity.
- While voodoo practitioners may appear to have supernatural powers, many of them only enjoy temporary power. A "mambo" from Louisiana, Marie Laveau, became very famous for working as a hairdresser during the day while having access to the New Orleans Higher Society and using her powers to help the sick and needy. Many are convinced that Marie had a very long life - but perhaps because she called her daughter (also a "mambo") by the same name.
- Many are also intrigued by the transformation of people into zombies. The ritual begins by paralyzing the victim with a substance containing neurotoxins obtained from "fugue" fish (a fish consumed in Japan that numbs the tongue for a few minutes after ingestion). These toxins are then placed in the shoes of the victim who is then buried when he is still alive and then dug up a few days later. At this point, the victim is given a hallucinogen, known as the "zombie cucumber", to disorient him and force him to perform servant duties. This method is used in Haiti to punish offenders within the voodoo community.
- The use of the voodoo doll as a torture method is very famous. However, the doll can also be used to bless a person using different colored needles. It can also be used to make a person fall in love by using hair or pieces of clothing belonging to the possible lover.
- The voodoo doll is part of the talisman called "gris-gris", that is a piece of fabric or a leather bag on which verses from the Koran containing numbers associated with the person who will wear it are engraved. This method is used to bring good luck, ward off the evil eye and in some cases to prevent pregnancy. This method is often used in Louisiana.
