Use this link to add the vodun calendar to your yahoo calendar or other applications. Hoodoo and voodoo are often mistaken for one another. West african vodun simple english wikipedia, the free. African and catholic origins is an examination of vodous catholic and indigenous african religious. Vodun is an ancient religion practiced by some 30 million people in the west african nations of benin, togo and ghana. Thus, the real source of voodoo is the egyptian pyramids. Voodoo vodou, vodoun, vudu, or vudun in benin, togo. On the island of haiti, the fon people from dahomey benin, and also the yorubas, kongos, and others, combined their african beliefs with catholic lithographs, rites, and practices into a coherent whole. Vodun voodoo the transatlantic slave trade removed africans from their lands, families, and cultures. This article explores the beliefs of haitian vodou, a newworld variant of west african vodun practices, within the context of ecotheology. It is distinct from the various african traditional religions in the interiors of these countries and is the main source of religions with similar names found among the african diaspora in the new world such as haitian vodou.
Voodoo in haiti is highly influenced by central african traditions. Witness the mysterious world of west african voodoo duration. Roman catholicismnot only is haitian vodou a symptom of the african diaspora, but it is also a product of seventeenth century colonialism. Hoodoo, haitian vodou and louisiana voodoo, using haiti as the main case study. Thus do i attempt to draw a distinction between voo doo and voodoo, the complex of indigenous african religions practiced in west africa. Vodu, vodun, vodou, and voodoo are terms that refer to west african and african new world diaspora traditional religions stretching from haiti to ghana to nigeria. Haiti is the central location of the voodoo belief system but naturally it has spread throughout the world as have other faiths. If the african vodun section of the current article gets expanded to the extent it deserves, the current article will become large and unwieldy. Articles about new orleans voudou, haitian vodou, african vodun and related topics. Apr 21, 2015 the forms of voodoo practiced today, however, are the results of one of the most inhuman episodes in modern history the african slave trade that took place between the 16 th and 19 th centuries. Hwlengan means preservation in the ajafon language that originates in benin republic, west africa. The term vodun is derived from the god vodun, who was worshiped by west african yoruba men and women who lived in 18th and 19th century dahomey.
Orisha online altar learn about vodun and and related. Feb 05, 2012 vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The word voodoo, which has many different names and spellings like vodun, vodou, voudou, vudu, vodoun, vowdown, vooodooo, vundun is the name of a west african animist, spiritual folkway. Mar 28, 2016 witness the mysterious world of west african voodoo duration. To further obscure and complicate matters, in the west, the first independent black republic, haiti, is also universally credited by western scholars of developing the vodoun religion, or at least, introducing the vodou. Whereas vodun is openended, unfinished, and a holistic way of being and seeing in real life, the media and popular culture of the west turns it into something less than human montgomery, 2016. Vodoun, voudou, voodoo, sevi lwa is commonly called voodoo vudu by the public. The word voodoo comes from a west african word, vodun. The origins of voodoo, the misunderstood religion ancient. The special features of hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure complete the work and make it the best available reference on african american folk religion and magic available. The top eleven deities in voodoo mythology balladeers. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of dahomean, kongo, yoruba, and other african ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial saintdomingue as haiti was known then and christianized by roman catholic missionaries in. Vodun or voudou means spirit in the language of the west african yoruba people. T he vodoun vudu voodoo vodou vodun vaudou vaudaux religion at its cosmological, theological, ritual and philosophical core, is an african ancestral religion, practiced today largely in west africa, haiti and througout the diaspora.
Voodoo dawn 1998 or hoodoo for voodoo 2006, fuel the already existing misperceptions of the religion. Unveiling for the first time an exceptional group of voodoo sculptures from the west african nations of benin and togo, this volume brings together nearly one hundred bociosmall fetishistic figurinesfrom the collection of the renowned african primitive art collectors anne and jacques kerchache. Vodun, voodoo or vudun is a traditional organised religion of coastal west africa from nigeria to ghana. However, as with any religion, followers of vodou cannot be lumped into a single category. Contemporary issues in education research august 2011 volume. My love, my love by rosa guy, brown girl in the ring by nalo hopkinson, yvonne chireaus black magic, katrina hazzarddonalds mojo workin are some really good ones. I propose that voodoo be set up as a disambiguation page with links to separate articles about haitian vodou, african vodun in benin, and new orleans voodoo.
The history of voodoo does not start, as many people believe around 1500 ad in haiti, but about 15,000 years before christ in africa. You may worship whichever deities you like, so long as you do so respectfully, but it is important to understand that vodun and other african and diaspora belief systems are alive and have actual communities practicing in. However, its origins in africa date back over 6,000 years. Haitian vodou and ecotheology wiley online library. African voodoo by fondation cartier pour lart contemporain, paris free epub. The holy book of african vodun this is the cover you will receive. An introduction to the basic beliefs of the vodou voodoo. Pdf vodun, globalization, and the creative layering of. You may worship whichever deities you like, so long as you do so respectfully, but it is important to understand that vodun and other african and diaspora belief systems are alive and have actual communities practicing in unbroken lines for over 10,000 years. Feb 09, 2004 vodun is an ancient religion practiced by some 30 million people in the west african nations of benin, togo and ghana. Like voodoo, hoodoo shows obvious and evident links to the practices and beliefs of african folk ritual culture, having origins in west and central africa. Voodoo gets most of its influence from fon and yoruba religious outlook. Voodoo simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Voodoo is a montheistic religion, that tries to solve the ills of society.
It is based upon a merging of the beliefs and practices of west african peoples mainly the fon and ewe. This afrocaribbean religion mixed practices from many african ethnic groups such as the fon, the nago, the ibos, dahomeans, congos. Vodunvoudouvoodoo article about vodunvoudouvoodoo by. Voodoo is mingled and modified practices of many of the tribes of africa.
Simply put, voodoo is a religion, whereas hoodoo is a group of magical practices. Some believe that the terms may have a common etymology. Published by university of chicago press 1996 isbn 10. To further obscure and complicate matters, in the west, the first independent black republic, haiti, is also universally credited by western scholars of developing the vodoun religion, or at least, introducing the vodou religion into america. Haitian vodou roots of haitis vodouchristian faith. The ical file with auspicious days of the week and holidays of orisha adherents and other african and diaspora spiritual systems and traditions. Vodou or voodoo is a monotheistic religion that is often misunderstood. Haitian vodou flags drapo vodou are little known to vexillologists, but have been studied by scholars in the fields of art, anthropology, african. Candomble, lucumi, macumba, and yoruba general background. African voodoo is an exhibition of the amazing private collection of voodoo art collated by african and tribal art expert jacques kerchache. Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. Some contemporary advocates wish to discredit the power of voodoo by calling it a religion. Ritual and religious specialists among the devotees of the vodun divinities in benin any initiate may become a receptacle of the gods. Its strongest influence came from the west african kingdom of.
Even if you were to check out the word in dictionary, vodun is defined as a religion that is practiced throughout caribbean nations, particularly haiti, is a. Sometimes, it is written as vodun, voudou or vodou, the word itself refers to great spirit or god creator. Superficially understood by westerners since the eighteenth century, voodoo vodun has been reviled as abominable primitivism and. The social history of haitian vodou voodooism also voudouism n s 1. Dahomey, and the word voodoo itself means a god, spirit, or sacred object in the. In the centuriesold african american culture, we have often called the people practicing the magical traditions carried into the new world from their ancestors residing in the areas of west africa as voodoo, vodou, vudu or the vodun. Vodun as a religion observes an african tribal cosmology that may go back as many as six thousand yearsand then it combines these ancient beliefs with the teachings, saints, and rituals of roman catholicism. The forms of voodoo practiced today, however, are the results of one of the most inhuman episodes in modern history the african slave trade that took place between the 16 th and 19 th centuries. With its countless deities, animal sacrifice and spirit possession, voodoo. It is distinct from the various traditional african religions in the interiors of these. Contemporary issues in education research august 2011. However, all of these sources portray voodoo as something shadowy, highly.
A serious study that concentrates on the hidden power of objects. The name was derived from the god vodun of the west african yoruba people who lived in 18th and 19th. Dec 14, 2015 throughout the region, voodoo originally known as vodun, which means the hidden or the mystery, and sometimes now spelled voudoun influences every aspect of life the way people do business, divvy up food, haggle over bush taxi fares, socialise, and perceive the world around them. Common in haiti and new orleans, vodou merges catholic and african beliefs to form a unique set of rituals that include voodoo dolls and symbolic drawings.
The text is very informative and wellresearched, and, as the blurb on the back of the book confirms the book is of crucial interest to anyone fascinated by african, african american, and caribbean art, the african diaspora and the traditions of voudou and vodun, and also. It is distinct from the various traditional animistic religions in the interiors of these. Chapter 5 places african american supernaturalism in context by discussing its impact on other areas of american life. Throughout the region, voodoo originally known as vodun, which means the hidden or the mystery, and sometimes now spelled voudoun influences every aspect of life the way people do business, divvy up food, haggle over bush taxi fares, socialise, and perceive the world around them. Vodun meaning spirit in the fon and ewe languages, pronounced vod. Please wash your hands and practise social distancing. Haitian vodou and voodoo scholars at harvard harvard university. West african religions known as vodun and voodoo and their diasporic syncretic variants. By extension this sacred books name means the preservation.
The word vodun the haitian word voodoo comes from the african fon language which is still spoken today in benin. Vodun is practiced by the fon people of benin, and southern and central togo. Initiation is very important in most african traditional religions. Haitian vodou and ecotheology historically, nana buluku is the creator deity of the fon and ewe peoples as well as a supreme being venerated by other ethnic groups in west africa, most notably the devotees. Zangbeto, a voodoo guardian of the peace under yoruba religious belief. Worship of the vodun is the original source of the haitian religion of vodou, which emerged as a syncretism of african, roman catholic, and caribbean religious traditions by african slaves in hai. A myriad of misinformation and myths abound concerning the origins. Vodun is practised by the ewe, kabye, mina and fon peoples of southeastern ghana, southern and central togo, southern and central benin and under a different name the yoruba of southwestern nigeria. Voodoo and life in haiti and jamaica jewell parker rhodes wrote voodoo dreams a novel of marie laveau. Vodou, also spelled voodoo, voudou, vodun, or french vaudou, a religion practiced in haiti. Priest, male houngan or female mambo are agents of the religion, and usually tries to cure diseases, infertility, counsel on unruly children etc. Vodun meaning spirit in the fon and ewe languages, pronounced with a nasal hightone u. Neither one of these sources of popular culture provides the viewer with a truthful background of the african, haitian, or new orleanean voodoo tradition. Voodoo, voudou, vodou, vodun the voodoo muse online.
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