When it comes to voodoo, many people think of evil spells, witchcraft, black magic, and little dolls that can be used to inflict pain and other harm on unloved human beings. In short, they find it dangerous, diabolical, and frightening to be powerless against it. The blame, as so often, lies with Hollywood.
Because the film industry likes to show the dark side of the cult. And it does so in an exaggerated way. Just think of James Bond’s terrifying adversary in “Live and Let Die” (1973, see video below), the immortal voodoo priest Baron Samedi.
What is it?
It has been defined by many researchers as a spiritual practice that originally developed in West Africa’s Benin and aims to ensure law and order within a culture. The term is derived from a word of the local Fon people for “spirit” and “god” and“demigod.”
Followers believe, among other things, in rebirth. According to voodoo belief, humans live a total of eight times longer than men and eight times longer than women. This is because the goal of life is to learn.
After this process, “every human being, without exception, is called to God and begins a new existence, in which they care for the well-being of all living beings in the universe.”
In which countries is it practiced today?
Through slavery in the 16th century, the cult spread to other countries. Today, voodoo is mainly practiced in the African states of Benin, Ghana, and Togo, as well as in Haiti, where it was even the state religion until 1840. There is also a relatively large voodoo scene in the US (especially in the state of Louisiana) and Canada.
Who do followers of voodoo believe in?
The Bondyè (“Good God”) is at the highest place for them. But it is so powerful that believers cannot turn to it directly. That is why there are the Loa, divine spiritual beings who act as mediators and can change things.
There are three groups of Loas: the charitable (Rada), the destructive (Petro), and the ghede (spirits of fertility and death). To win their favor, followers must offer them gifts in special voodoo rituals (mainly fruits, flowers, fancy food, and animal sacrifices), with each Loa having its own preferences. The greatest sacrifice is the goat, which is reserved for particularly urgent matters.
According to researcher Alfred Métraux, dances also play an important role in invoking divine representatives: “They are so closely related to worship that they can be counted among the danced religions. Drums and dances attract spirits. Music and dance captivate spirits because they themselves are dancers and are carried away by the supernatural power of rhythm.”
What is the decapitated chicken all about?
Blood flows when the chicken is decapitated. According to voodoo belief, the animal’s life energy is transferred to the deity through the spilling of the bird’s blood. In this way, the animal’s head is realized and can take care of its concerns.
What do followers of these rituals think of other religions?
Believing in voodoo does not mean rejecting other religions, as the example of Haiti shows: According to travel guides, “80 percent of Haitians are Catholic, 20 percent Protestant, and 100 percent practice voodoo. However, due to Christian influences, the voodoo practiced there differs from its African origins. Many Haitians incorporate Catholic traditions into their rituals. In Africa, on the other hand, elements of Islam flow into voodoo.
Is voodoo an official religion?
This varies from country to country. In Benin, for example, voodoo is officially recognized alongside Christianity and Islam. January 10 has been a voodoo holiday every year since 1996. The biggest celebrations take place in the port city of Ouidah, considered the birthplace of voodoo.
Since 2003, voodoo has also been an official religion in Haiti. Since then, voodoo priests have had the same rights as their Catholic counterparts: they can marry, perform baptisms, and conduct funerals. In the Western world—especially in Europe—voodoo is mainly practiced in private. Worldwide, voodoo has around 60 million followers.
There are also said to be tens of thousands of believers in Switzerland. This does not bother anyone, as long as they abide by local laws. Animal sacrifices are prohibited in this country. In cases of abuse, penalties of up to three years in prison are threatened.
What about the dolls?
Originally, the dolls had a positive meaning. They were created out of necessity. Because African slaves who had been kidnapped were not allowed to practice their faith in captivity. So they made dolls that they could use unnoticed for their rituals.
Why does it have a bad reputation?
In the past, the voodoo religion was deliberately used for purposes other than religion, especially as a means of intimidation and threat. For example, between 1957 and 1971, Haitian dictator François “Papa Doc” Duvalier pretended to be Baron Samedi (a voodoo spirit of death) to intimidate his opponents and secure his political power.
In fact, voodoo priests can use their supposed powers to cast harmful spells. They are called Bocore. Those who reject these practices are called Houngan. Female priests are not distinguished between good and evil: they are always called mambos.
