New Orleans Voodoo Handbook

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These spells can be used for good or bad. For example, inflicting harm on your enemies or healing your friends, making people fall in love with you or bringing other people together. Wall, Kim and Clerici, Caterina. "Vodou is elusive and endangered, but it remains the soul of the Haitian people." The Guardian. Nov. 7, 2015 (April 29, 2022) https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/07/vodou-haiti-endangered-faith-soul-of-haitian-people

Historical Museum of South Florida. "Orishia Worship in Miami." http://www.hmsf.org/exhibits/orisha/english/orisha-e-4.htm The association of colors, foods, plants and other items with specific loa and the use of these items to pay tribute to the loa Our view is dominated by physical, touchable reality. In Haiti the spirits are as real as your wife or your dog," Corbett said. It is a religion in the same way Judaism or Christianity is," said Bob Corbett, professor emeritus of philosophy at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. "Voodoo doesn't have a sacred text, a church, or a hierarchical structure of leaders, but it is very similar culturally." Ancient Traditions An item called a pwen is filled with objects to attract a loa and gain some kind of influence over a person. A pwen can come in many forms, one of which happens to be a doll [source: Learn Religions].

What are the Beliefs of Voodoo?

You’ll also learn how to make and use your own mojo bags, spiritual baths and incenses. And if that weren’t enough, there are 50 illustrations that make learning all of these things much easier. A Roman Catholic priest collaborating with a voodoo priestess?" asked one of the tourists, mopping his brow with a handkerchief. There are hundreds of spells using a voodoo doll that are explained in this compendium with a lovely and precise writing style. Voodoo is an important part in the day-to-day lives of many Haitians. Estimates vary, but in general anthropologists believe that 50 to 80 pecent of Haitians practice some form of Voodoo, often in concert with other religions [source: U.S. Dept. of State]. Voodoo has also played an important role in Haitian history. Guynup, Sharon. "Haiti: Possessed by Voodoo." National Geographic. July 6, 2004 (April 29, 2022) https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/article/haiti-ancient-traditions-voodoo

Several other influences affected Voodoo as well, including the traditions of the local Taino tribes. United States Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook. Haiti. 1/18/2007. https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ha.html Catholic religious holidays became Voodoo holidays for the corresponding loa. For instance, celebrations for a family of spirits called the Gedes, who are personifications of dead ancestors, take place on All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Voudon believers worship many spirits (called loa or Iwa), each one of whom is responsible for a specific domain or part of life. So, for example, if you are a farmer you might give praise and offerings to the spirit of agriculture; if you are suffering from unrequited love, you would praise or leave offerings for Erzulie Freda, the spirit of love, and so on. In addition to helping (or impeding) human affairs, loa can also manifest themselves by possessing the bodies of their worshipers. Followers of voudon also believe in a universal energy and a soul that can leave the body during dreams and spirit possession.” One common saying is that Haitians are 70 percent Catholic, 30 percent Protestant, and 100 percent voodoo," said Lynne Warberg, a photographer who has documented Haitian voodoo for over a decade.

References

Correspondence tables, Kreyol glossary, supplemental prayer texts, and an extensive list of reference books and online resources But fictional portrayals and public perceptions are only part of the sense that Voodoo is dark or disturbing. In addition, the practice of Voodoo includes activities that are taboo in other religions and cultures. Many ceremonies involve the sacrifice of live animals and the use of animal blood. Some also include the use of dried animal carcasses and animal parts [source: Guynup]. While animal sacrifice has been a part of major religions, including Judaism, it is not commonly practiced today.

Bartholet, Jeffrey. "Tibet's National Spirit Advisor." Pulitzer Center. July 16, 2013 (April 29, 2022) https://pulitzercenter.org/stories/tibets-national-spirit-advisor

All of the recommended books bring something different to the table. If you want a comprehensive overview of the general history and practice, then get The New Orleans Voodoo Handbook. Other books deal with specific topics like the Haitian Voodoo, doll spells, herbs and other matters in more detail. According to the Voodoo tradition — also known as Vodou — there is one supreme God, who is known by different names in different parts of the world. In Haiti, for example, he is called Bondye, which comes from the French phrase bon Dieu, meaning "good God." Regardless of which name people use, the primary god is immensely powerful and beyond the reach of ordinary followers. For this reason, Voodoo practitioners must rely on hundreds or thousands of other spirits to communicate with God. Schuler, Aliza. "Voodoo Dolls Aren't What You Think They Are." The Tempest. Jan. 24, 2021 (April 29, 2022) https://thetempest.co/2021/01/24/history/voodoo-dolls-arent-what-you-think-they-are/ The ceremony begins with a Roman Catholic prayer. Then three drummers begin to play syncopated rhythms. The attendees begin to dance around a tree in the center of the yard, moving faster and harder with the rising pulse of the beat. The priest draws sacred symbols in the dust with cornmeal, and rum is poured on the ground to honor the spirits.

In real Voodoo religious practice, dolls can be used to communicate with the departed spirits of loved ones. A doll might be placed on a grave or hung from a Kapok tree in the cemetery. Similar to how a loa might possess the body of a living person to communicate, Voodoo practitioners might use a doll as a medium to speak with the spirits, just as they would use drums and dancing [source: The Tempest]. According to local Haitian voodoo practitioners, all the Haitian politicians and influential people throughout their history were equally believers in voodoo as were the poor illiterate masses. The trend continues to this day. Finally, death is a substantial part of the Voodoo religion. The spirits of dead ancestors, leaders and other important people are central to the Voodoo practice. Critics argue that the emphasis on appeasing dead ancestors creates a culture of fear. Supporters counter that many other religions have placed the same emphasis on appeasing gods. In addition, since death is a topic that makes many people inherently uncomfortable, it is logical that a religious tradition that embraces death may make people uncomfortable, too. Handwerk, Brian. "Voodoo a Legitimate Religion, Anthropologist Says." National Geographic News. 10/21/2002. http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/10/ 1021_021021_taboovoodoo.htmlGandhi, Lakshmi. "Zoinks! Tracing the History of 'Zombie' from Haiti to the CDC." NPR. Dec. 15, 2013 (April 29, 2022) https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/12/13/250844800/zoinks-tracing-the-history-of-zombie-from-haiti-to-the-cdc Many of the Loa resemble Christian saints, endowed with similar responsibilities or attributes. For example, Legba, an old man, is said to open the gates between Earth and the world of the Loa, much like St. Peter traditionally throws wide the gates to heaven. Cussans, John. "Voodoo Terror: (mis)Representations of Voodoo and Western Cultural Anxieties. http://www.haitisupport.gn.apc.org/Cussans.html