Vodun and the related Voodoo religions of the African culture - Essay Example

?Vodun and the related Voodoo religions of the African culture Vodun and the related Voodoo religions of the African continent are considered as one of the most ancients of the religion. It is estimated by many eminent scholars that this strange but interesting religion, which is the part and parcel of the African society, dates back to 10000 years. None of the part of this great continent can claim absolute ownership regarding the origination of Voodoo. However the Voodoo in its present form had been originated in Haiti when the Europeans colonized the Hispaniola. The origination of Voodoo has strong connection and interlink with the transportation of African slaves to the other parts of the world. When Africa first came under the European domination; the Africans were readily started to be considered as cheap labor and worthy of transportation as slaves. The European colonists were confident that since these slaves belonged to different ethnic groups hence, they can never come together and build any resistance against their so called white rulers (Chesi, 6-7; Louis, 47). Interestingly Voodoo evolved as a phenomenon within unity in diversity. The continuous oppression of the European rulers and the misery of slavery created a common thread among those who were oppressed and in search of salvation they created a religion that was a mix of different faiths and practises; cumulatively referred as Voodoo (Christoph and Oberlander). The term Voodoo has evolved from the West African term Vodun and is a fusion of different beliefs that came from various African Ethnic groups namely “Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos , Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches.” (Voodoo) According to Voodoo doctrine the Universe is one and all where each event is connected with other and everything runs through a chain reaction. Voodoo also believes that each individual is a part of the other and hence an action towards other good or bad is an action towards oneself. The spirit of the ancestors holds great importance in Voodoo as they are considered to be the messenger of the god, bringing good or bad on us (Okpewho, Davies, and Mazrui, 352). To assure their blessings they must be honoured in ceremonies that are meant to embrace the sacred cycle of life and death. Such rituals are a culmination of “prayers, drumming, dancing, singing and animal sacrifice” (Edwards, 296). Among many other animals; serpent holds the prime spot in Voodoo rituals. The importance of serpent in Voodoo rituals can be easily grasped through the fact that the word Voodoo means “the snake under whose auspices gathers all who share the faith” (Voodoo). The serpent expresses his immense power through the Papa or Maman who is the high priest. Among all other deities Bon Dieu is considered as most powerful and prime of them all. In Voodoo spirits are called Loa who on one hand controls Mother Nature and on the other determines human fate through influencing their health, financial prosperity and happiness. Some important deities in Voodoo are Damballah, Ezil, Ogu, Agwe and Legba (Michel, 63; Owusu, 43). In Voodoo ceremony the spirit or the Loa occupies the soul and body of the faithful participants and delivers his advice, warnings and desires through them. Voodoo is closely associated with nature and every possible natural phenomenon is considered to be the act of a Loa. In western culture there is a misconception regarding Voodoo dance that forms an important part of any Voodoo ceremony (Owusu). Such dance as described by the western experts is sexual expression. In reality they are just the opposite; these dances are spiritual expression and an attempt to get connected with the divine being. Unlike many other religions Voodoo is mainly based on practical experience and is deeply routed with the family and the community. An excellent example of that might be considering the dead ancestors as a part of the Loas (Rigaud, 50). Somewhere such belief is deeply routed with history and tradition. Participants of Voodoo ceremonies and the believer of the same often approach the high priest to seek advice or healing from mortal problems and diseases. Treatment is often done through traditional medicines that are made out of different herbs. Apart from the medicines the possibility of healing through simple faith can not be ignored and even accepted in modern medicine. What have been discussed so far focuses on the practical and positive aspects of Voodoo. Historically Africa has been promoted as the land of darkness and for Voodoo the common concept resembles the same. In most western nations Voodoo is considered as evil and an act that despise god. Every coin has two sides and Voodoo is no exception. It should be Kept in mind poison can be used to ill or to heal; it depends on the person who is using it. Voodoo far from being evil consists of many vital spells such as “healing spells, nature spells, love spells, purification spells, joyous celebration spells.” (Voodoo) No doubt Voodoo operates through the awakening of spirits but they are asked for helping in increasing luck, health and happiness. As mentioned earlier the negative publicity that Voodoo attracted was mainly for European propaganda. Even after that as the enslaved Africans came across the Atlantic to America they brought their religion with them. There with change in their language, heritage and culture; Voodoo also underwent some changes and started to be practised in secret. This was also important for the imposition of prohibition on practise of African religion. Even 300 years of struggle and oppression on the Voodoo practitioners; the religion managed to exist and even spread in other parts of the world. Brazil, Caribbean, Togo and Ghana are most important countries where Voodoo won legitimacy (Voodoo; Michel). It is believed that the credit of success of Haiti in revolting against the oppressive French rulers goes much to the Voodoo priests there. They had learned through Voodoo that what will be the right time to announce the revolt and how that should be led to be victorious. Finally in 1971 the revolt started with a ritual named Petr and in 13 years from the initiation of the revolt gave Haiti the much awaited freedom in 1804 (Voodoo). Voodoo is still practised by the African in and abroad their continent and nowadays it is more a part of the African culture than only a religious practise that once formed as an answer to all oppressions. References 1. Chesi, Gert. Voodoo: Africa’s Secret Power, Perlinger, 1980 2. Louis, Andre J. Voodoo in Haiti, Tate Publishing, 2007 3. Christoph, Henning and Hans Oberlander, Voodoo, Taschen, 1996 4. Edwards, Linda. A brief guide to beliefs, Westminister John Knox Press, 2001 5. Okpewho, Isidore, Davies, Carole Boyce and Ali A. Mazrui, The African Diaspora: African origins and New World Identities, Indiana University Press, 2001. 6. Michel, Frantz, From the fear of Voodoo to the fear of God, Xulon Press, 2009. 7. Owusu, Heiki. Voodoo Rituals, Sterling Publishing Company Inc, 2003 8. Rigaud, Milo. Secrets of Voodoo, City Lights Books, 1985 9. Voodoo, African Holocaust, 2001, April 27, 2011 from: http://www.africanholocaust.net/news_ah/vodoo.htm Read More