Voodoo as a Way of Life - Essay Example

3 May New to Voodoo Cloaked in mystery and shrouded in suspicion, the mention of voodoo often conjures images of zombies, stick pin dolls, and bloody sacrifices in the minds of many Americans. These images are at once seductive and terrifying because of their exotic and alien nature. Basic human instinct compels one to fear and attack that which one does not understand. A deeper look into the practice of voodoo, however, reveals a religion not very different from those commonly accepted in mainstream America. Voodoo has many spellings including voodoo, voudou, and Vodou. In the documentary, Witchcraft & Magic, Patrick Macnee suggests that “voodoo is generally perceived as tribal black magic practiced in primitive cultures.” Ross Heaven, the first white priest of Vodou in Europe, explains that “Vodou is a spiritual tradition of Africa and Haiti” (Heaven 7). Brandi Kelley, the Director of the Voodoo Museum in New Orleans, states that “voodoo is a compromise between African voudon and Catholicism” (Macnee). While all of these statements are applicable, the history of voodoo and its evolution is somewhat nebulous. In the book for middle school students, The Real Monsters, Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen discusses perception and reality, “sometimes movies and books portray voodoo as a dark and evil religion that is dominated by black magic and pin-struck voodoo dolls. In reality, these things are not a part of traditional voodoo practices” (45). Bardhan-Quallen relates the observations of photographer Lynne Warberg, who has documented Haitian voodoo for years. “Participation in voodoo ritual reaffirms one’s relationships with ancestors, personal history, community relationships—and the cosmos. Voodoo is a way of life” (qtd. in Bardhan-Quallen, and Cochran 45). Slavery played a defining role in the history of voodoo. From 1440-1880, 9.5 to 12 million slaves from Africa, about 500,000 came to North America before Congress outlawed trade in 1808 (Davis 7). In North America, slave owners, fearing rebellion if slaves were permitted to practice an unknown religion, prohibited slaves from worshiping and practicing voudon. Slave owners converted many slaves to Catholicism, yet the conversion was often superficial as “the slaves developed a method of dual worship—a combining process usually known as syncretization. Linking their deities […] to Catholic saints, slaves could pretend to pray to St. Barbara, for example, while really delivering their wishes to the vo-du thunder god, Songo” (Davis 8) Open to suggestion and seeking answers within the social constructs that confined them, slaves developed a new religion in which “transplanted voudon borrowed freely from native Indian cultures, European witchcraft, and other non-voudon African slave religions, for example the Kongo-based palo mayombe. And it co-opted precisely as much Catholicism as locally necessary to prevent the African content from being crushed by the Europeans” (Davis 8). In the words of Rod Davis, a reporter who researched and studied Voodoo for his book, American Voudou: Journey into a Hidden World, “Voudou took as many guises as necessary to survive, […] hoodoo, root medicine, spiritual healing, ju-ju, black magic, and dozens of other euphemisms and forms” (75). Davis states that “in different areas, voudou has different rituals and doctrines” (9). One can deduce that differing circumstances in each location, as well as other religions and cultures in the region, influenced the evolution of the religion. According to Davis, “in Haiti, the religion metamorphosed into vodun or vaudoux; in Cuba, Santeria; in Brazil, candomble; in Trinidad, Shango Baptist; in Mexico, curanderismo; in Jamaica, obeah. In the American South, it became voodoo and, in the most extreme caricature, hoodoo, the petty hexing (pins in dolls, love potions, etc.) which most people, black and white, confuse with the real thing” (Davis 9). In discussing people’s attitudes toward voodoo in early America, Davis points out that many ignored it saying that “indeed, its presence was, like that of a black hole in space, all the more powerful for the inability to account for its seeming absence in the midst of highly altered activity all around” (77). Similar to the familiar concept of ignoring the proverbial elephant in the corner, some people chose not to acknowledge its existence if they considered it at all. On the other end of the spectrum, “the Black Codes of colonial and antebellum America so regulated African culture and religious practices that any activity that even smacked of voudou, such as singing, dancing, and drumming, was outlawed” (Davis 90). The perception that the practice of voodoo is in some way illicit persists today. According to Davis, “although anti-voudou laws have vanished, it is widely assumed, among both blacks and whites, that practice of the religion is illegal. Not ineffective—illegal” (90). One common misconception is that “Vodou is a terrifying dark art similar to black magic and Satanism, which involves sacrifice, harming others through the use of voodoo dolls, unholy fetishes, and the creation of undead zombies” (Heaven 23). Davis proposes that “witchcraft and voudou are distinctly different, though frequently lumped together under the general heading of occult, a word which simply means unknown” (35). Ironically, some ascribe the same negative connotation to the word occult as they do to voodoo, immediately connecting it to dangerous dark arts and satanic rituals. The entomology of the word reveals a much different meaning: a derivative of the Latin word occultus, the word meant “secret, not divulged” in the 1530s, and “not apprehended by the mind, beyond the range of understanding” in the 1540s. In the 1630s, the meaning evolved to include “the association with the supernatural sciences (magic, alchemy, astrology, etc.)” (occult). Fear of the unknown can lead to emotions that are more complex. Heaven discusses the predisposition people may have toward voodoo in his book, Vodou Shaman, when he says, “As well as fear, a lot of prejudice and even hatred surrounds the word Vodou. It is amazing how deep-seated these prejudices can be, so much so that we do not even recognize them as prejudice anymore” (Heaven 12). Heaven believes that some prejudice is so ingrained into the fabric of American society that many people leap to assumptions about voodoo practice without all the facts. To make his point, Heaven describes a couple of “healing methods used in Haiti today,” one that uses “parts of an aborted human embryo, while another uses monkey glands, both of which are introduced into the bloodstreams of the patient.” Though these may sound gruesome and barbaric, they are actually “the ingredients of medical inoculations for hepatitis and polio” (Heaven 12). Heaven also acknowledges the “food rituals and sacrifice” that are a part of voodoo. He retells the account of one writer who related that “a pig was aborted for her and then she ate the crisp-fried embryo,” yet goes on to indicate that this had “nothing to do with Vodou, but is rather a culinary delicacy from southwest France” (Heaven 12). Heaven exhorts that “it is important to be alert to our prejudices before we pass judgment on Vodou” (12). His examples highlight the hypocrisy of condemning an unfamiliar practice when parallels may exist in the familiar, and challenge the practice of jumping to conclusions without all the facts. If one considers voodoo a religion and not a cult, and attempts to gain understanding before applying censure, one may see parallels that support an approach toward life that embraces good, not evil. Brandi Kelley relays that voodoo has rules just like any other religion and suggests that the main rule in voodoo is “Harm no one…protect yourself, but don’t harm people in achieving what you want” (Macnee). Rod Davis highlights the interconnected aspects of voodoo when he says that “in voudou, all life is of one weave—being, beauty and truth” (203). Ross Heaven discusses an expansive viewpoint within voodoo that is reminiscent of Eastern theology, expressing that “Vodou recognizes other dimensions much greater in scope than the narrow little world that, even now, our culture insists is the true reality” (Heaven ix). Heaven also imparts some history and a possible origin for the word voodoo when he shares that “Haiti was a French colony for many years […] ‘Vous Deux’ means ‘you two.’ In other words, all human beings are also something greater and carry another entity within themselves. This entity is the spirit of God, the unifying energy of the universe, which infuses all things” (Heaven 23). As a priest of Vodou, Heaven has insight into its theology that casual observers may miss. He relates that “the central principle of Vodou is this: the world we know is no more than an act of faith. We actually live in a field of energy, where we can see or sense whatever we choose. Moreover, there are many different levels even to the reality we have chosen” (Heaven 28). This aspect of voodoo worship mirrors other religions which require faith to accept its teachings. The idea that reality is fluid and subject to interpretation may seem radical to some, but natural to others. If one accepts it as truth, however, it can be liberating. In the words of Ross Heaven, “the way we see the world is, therefore, no more than convention. It is what we have been conditioned and taught to see” (29). If one challenges the convention, one may be able to change one’s reality for the better. Heaven goes on to say that, “the path of Vodou is the path of the hero who lives within us all. It is the Way to Power that only comes through facing our oppressor—whether it is an external force or the enemy within us: the tiny, finite mind that fears every challenge and always answers no” (36). The practice of voodoo is fraught with ritual and symbolism. While serving a purpose for the voodoo worshiper, these rituals and symbols are the basis for much of the misunderstanding surrounding the religion. Hollywood provides images of “dancing zombies, chicken heads, and pins in dolls,” and many voodoo rituals end with a sacrifice or snake dance (Davix ix). Many Americans are predisposed to see snakes as a representation of evil and sacrifice as something to do with Satanism; therefore, they automatically assume that voodoo is wicked. In the words of an influential voodoo priest, voodoo “has been maligned in the Western mind and Hollywood has given it a very ugly image and so nobody wants to be called vo-du, in the same way people didn’t want to be called nigger” (Davis 11). If one can look beyond the objects used in the ritual to that which the objects represent, however, those objects may become less objectionable. The snake is symbolic of Dambhalah, the main god in voodoo; while other objects—the bones, dolls, and talismans—represent spirits and provide a link to power that can help the voodoo worshiper achieve his goals (Macnee). Davis maintains that “ritual lets us believe in things we can see and do, because the gods are too remote. Christians reach God through symbols: the cross, the saints, and especially the human form of God, which they call Jesus” (313). Davis suggests a parallel between Christianity and voodoo stating that “the voudon worshiper has the orisha, the ancestors, and altars and a thousand kinds of talismans, herbs and objects of magic, all of which exist to make contact with eternity” (313). In a voodoo ritual, “priests and priestesses act as a medium between the people and the gods” (Macnee). One could compare this role to that of priests and pastors in Christian churches as they mediate with God for the people in their congregations. Voodoo worshipers believe in karma and strive to live lives that do not harm others. Contrary to the idea that many have around the use of voodoo dolls to curse others with the intent of causing harm, believers use dolls for good not evil. According to Brandi Kelley, it would not make sense to stick pins in a doll to cause harm because doing so would come back on the person using the doll in that manner. The dolls are different colors, red for love and green for money, for example, and believers use them as a focus for meditation (Macnee). Similarly, believers use gris-gris—the bags filled with herbs, seeds, and other objects which are then blessed by a voodoo priest or priestess—to enhance their lives. In the collection, Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America, Eugene Gallagher and Michael Ashcraft indicate that “the gris-gris of New Orleans can have good functions or bad ones. Some of them serve for protection from adversity or to enhance the petitioner’s health, wealth, love, good luck, and success” (133). On the other hand, the book reveals duality in the function of the gris-gris pointing out that “they could also be made with malicious intentions to seek revenge and harm” (133). The authors caution that “such evil gris-gris is considered to be very dangerous and can cause accidents, pain, illness, mental confusion, and even the death of a person” (133). Many consider the sacrifice that is part of the voodoo ritual to be questionable. Davis reports that “outside the world of voudou, however, sacrifice is still largely perceived as evil and satanic—the work of madmen, not holy men” (230). In the context of the voodoo religion, however, “sacrifice is a way of honoring the gods while seeking their assistance. It is karma’s hedge against chaos” (227). Sacrifice is termed ebo in the ritual, and the act uses only the blood of the sacrificed animal. The flesh is cooked and eaten so it does not go to waste. In the words of Davis, “ebo is at once a bribe, a tithe, a token of fealty and a eucharist. To seek divination and then fail to pay the gods their due—ebo—would be to welsh on the deal, and to risk either losing a good fate or falling into a bad one” (227). Because of the sacrificial rituals practiced in voodoo, however, society links many unrelated acts to voodoo. Davis notes that “there always seem to be examples of some psychopath dismembering someone or something and calling it a sacrificial rite. Any strange cult killings are usually seen as fringe evidence that voudou is evil because voudou, too, uses sacrifice” (230). Historically, human sacrifice was a part of the voudon religion. According to Davis, “in Yoruba tradition, human sacrifice—as opposed to that of animals and fowl—is a matter of historical evolution” (231). In a conversation with Davis, the king of the Oyotunji village in South Carolina, the Oba, discussed the difference between common Western thought and the African system regarding death. He indicated that the Western idea is that death is final, but due to a belief in reincarnation, “in the African system, if you killed a person, after twenty years or so they’re back again, and so death is never as final in the African mind” (qtd. in Davis 235). Regardless of this ideological difference, today’s voodoo does not include human sacrifice. For the voodoo worshiper, and for others on the fringe of understanding, voodoo appears to work. When it does, many attribute its success to something magical or mystical. In researching how voodoo works, Lionel and Patricia Fanthorpe compare the idea of magic with the power of the human mind. They propose that “magic and mind-power, however, seem to be almost synonymous. Thought may be a form of magic, and magic may be the expression of projected and directed thought” (249). Davis suggests that “hoodoo, like any kind of hexing, is a magic of the mind” (125). Belief in anything has infinite power and possibility. Christianity believes in miracles brought about by faith; voodoo’s belief structure seems very similar. The Fanthorpes discuss the power of the mind in positive thinking with the example of St. Paul, who “advised his readers to concentrate their thoughts on things that were pure and good and lovely. He was a very knowledgeable man, and he may have had something truly profound in mind when he wrote those words” (249). History is full of examples of people who achieved amazing accomplishments, along with others who failed miserably, both resulting from a conviction borne of strong individual belief. People are fascinated with voodoo because it is largely unknown and because of how it is portrayed in the media and popular culture. Ross Heaven discusses why he pursued his study of Vodou, saying, “Vodou was the black sheep, the one not even the scientists, anthropologists, and, particularly, the religious historians, could remain objective about. Because I was a young punk, the renegade reputation of Vodou appealed enormously to my rebellious nature” (5). Heaven goes on to say that, those places and things that others warn him away from actually draw him in and intrigue him. One believes that Ross Heaven is not alone in this area. For those not paralyzed by fear, the exotic, potentially terrifying, and unknown entities, objects and rituals found in voodoo entice many to research, study and learn more. Regardless, due to the deep ties that voodoo can claim to the history of the United States, the study of voodoo is one that many people may not be comfortable pursuing. Voodoo, however seductive and mysterious, is a religion borne of suffering and strife; “eliminating the slave religion, and replacing it with Christianity, required centuries of repressive laws, executions, maimings, and brainwashing” (Davis 12). Acknowledging the responsibility that the country bears on the evolution of voodoo in America may be more than some wish to face. In the words of Rod Davis, “Voudou doesn’t give people the shivers because it celebrates the dead—what religion doesn’t? The shivers come from a deeper chill, a very bad memory: once upon a time, in America, an entire pantheon of gods was murdered. But the deicide was not final. The souls survived” (xii). If one looks closely, one can find those souls of voodoo across America in all facets of society; as part of music, dance, and art, along with a deeper and sometimes darker thread of mysticism. While basic human instinct compels one to fear and attack that which one does not understand, a deeper look into the practice of voodoo reveals a religion not very different from those commonly accepted in mainstream America. One should seek to understand without condemnation to gain a greater appreciation of society and the voodoo hidden within. Works Cited Bardhan-Quallen, Sudipta, and Josh Cochran. The Real Monsters. Sterling Pub Co Inc, 2008. Print. Davis, Rod. American Voudou: Journey into a Hidden World. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press, 1998. Print. Fanthorpe, Lionel, and Patricia Fanthorpe. Mysteries and Secrets of Voodoo, Santeria, and Obeah. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Dundurn Pr Ltd, 2008. Print. Gallagher, Eugene V., and W. Michael Ashcraft. Introduction to New and Alternative Religions in America: African diaspora traditions and other American innovations. 5. Westport, CT: Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. Print. Heaven, Ross. Vodou Shaman: the Haitian way of healing and power. Rochester, VT: Destiny Books, 2003. Print. Macnee, Patrick, Perf. Witchcraft & Magic. Dir. Patrick Macnee. Perf. Kelley, Brandi. Highland Entertainment: 2004, DVD "occult." Online Etymology Dictionary. Douglas Harper, Historian. 04 May. 2011. . Read More