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1: Teachings on the Vodou In Haiti

The roots of the Vodou religion can be traced to the 16th century during slavery. Millions

established the Haitian Vodou religion on enslaved African people who were sol to work in the

French sugarcane plantations in Haiti (New Atlantis Full Documentaries, 1:25-1:80). Africans

who were captured and sold as enslaved people integrated the African traditional religious

practices into the components of Catholicism to establish the Haitian Traditional religion which

is currently practiced in the Caribbean island. The Vodou movement is credited for forming the

revolutionary Vodou movement that fought for the island's independence. The Haitian Vodou

religion has some unique customs, rituals, and beliefs that make the traditional religion maintain

its existence in Haiti.

Firstly, the Vodou religious performs various spiritual rituals to please their spirits. The

Vodou spiritual ritual is carried out by priests who lead the congregations in their spiritual

ceremonies. The Vodou priests are called Houngan and are responsible for leading the

worshippers in their religious activities. The Houngan is accountable for offering people

spiritual, political, and economic guidance and advice. The believers highly respect the Vodou

priests because of the spiritual guidance they provide to the members of the society (Voodoo

Priest Man, 05:30- 06:80). It is the responsibility of the Vodou believers to follow the guidance

of the priests in worshipping the various Vodou spirits. The Vodou religious system believes in

the existence of Spirits called lwas in different natural settings. The people believe that the lwa

can manifest through the mountains, where some meet to worship the lwas. People meet in this

natural setting to worship or meditate on the various Lwas (New Atlantis Full Documentaries,

08:90-09:70). This natural setting is believed to be real sanctuaries that enable the believers to

communicate with the lwas who act as intermediaries between the people and their god.
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According to the Vodou religion, most human activities and natural occurrences, whether

positive or negative, are highly related to the interventions by the lwas or the spirits.

Secondly, the Vodou believes in the existence of spirits that can reveal their will by

possessing a human host. The Vodou priests and preachers are responsible for summoning the

Lwa using special religious equipment and rituals. For instance, the Vodou preachers invoke

Erzulie, the lwa of love, by offering sacrifices of animals such as Ram to please the goddess to

possess one of the believers (New Atlantis Full Documentaries, 10:83-11;53). Erzulie can

possess either a man or a woman. Still, the possessed individual can be easily recognized due to

the movements of the lwa inside the body of the possessed person ((Voodoo Priest Man,16:00-

17:02). The Vodou believers respect the spirit possessed individuals because they believe that the

individuals are being used by the lwas who are the direct intermediaries between the people and

god. The Vodou priests responsible for summoning the have different salutations, showing the

responsibility and authority of a particular priest within the society.

There are various rituals carried out to celebrate different ceremonies in Vodou culture.

For instance, the Vodou perform celebrations to commemorate the marriage between multiple

spirits. The Vodou female priestess known as Mambo performs rituals during a ceremony to

celebrate the spirit of the sea and the spirit of love (Voodoo Priest Man, 12:00-12:40). The

people celebrate the tradition by offering various foods such as cakes and liquor to the wedding

spirits. The people usually dedicate these foodstuffs with love to agwe, the lwa of the sea, and all

aquatic plants. The people perform these ceremonies and rituals to seek protection from the

divine lwa, who intercedes on behalf of the people to the supreme divine being. In Vodou,

different lwa spirits play different roles within the community. The believers hold that these lwas

guide them in making daily decisions affecting their human activities. For example, Oguon is a
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spirit of might and power and is regarded as a powerful political figure with massive healing

power.

The Vodou religion incorporates various components of French Catholicism. The Vodou

lives together with the elements of the church since the Vodou believers practice various church

rituals. For instance, the Vodou believers hold candles during their religious church ceremonies

while incorporating aspects of Vodou traditional practices. For example, most of the lwas are

recognized according to the names of the catholic saints (New Atlantis Full

Documentaries,14:00-14:36). The people practice Vodou worship with the Vodou ritual while

also incorporating the practices of French Catholicism. Additionally, the Vodou believers use

white flags to indicate sacred places where they believe spirits or the lwas dwell. The Vodou

lwas revealed to the believers how they should maintain and uphold the divinity of holy places

where the divine Vodou spirits dwell. The lwas may communicate to the believers through

dreams or other visions that guide the believers on the expectations of the lwa who dwell in

various natural settings. The Vodou philosophy does not allow the destruction or cutting down of

some species of trees because it is believed that some of the lwas reside in these trees.

2. The Vodou Understanding of The Relationship Between God and the Lwas

The Vodou religion is predominately practised in the majority parts of Haiti. The Haitian

Vodou incorporates the beliefs and practices of the traditional African religions, which were

introduced by the enslaved African in Haiti, and incorporates some elements of Catholicism

According to the Vodou beliefs, there are various Spirits called Lwas who play a mediatory role

between the Vodou believers and their monotheistic god. The Vodou believers believe there is

one supreme being, the creator and the good god Bondye. Thousands of lwas connect the Vodou

believers and the supreme being by playing essential roles such as offering protection, guiding
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the Vodou believers, and healing the people on behalf of the supreme creator Bondye. The spirits

are vital in the voodoo religion because they play a major role in connecting the Vodou believers

to their god.

The Vodou people do not have closeness with Bondye. The believers send their

intercessory prayers through the Lwas because Bondye is considered distant from believers.

After all, god is beyond human cognizance. The believers carry out their prayers and other

religious rituals by summoning the spirits since humans cannot have a direct line of

communication with the supreme being. Therefore, it's the sole responsibility of the spirits (lwas)

to offer the intermediator assistance to the believers by facilitating the transfer of message

between the people and their god. The believers do not pray to god directly, but they pray to the

lwas who intervene for good on behalf of the people concerning their earthly concerns and

desires. The people carry out special Vodou rituals to either please the spirits to intervene for

them to their god.

The lwas can manifest to the people through spiritual possessions. The spirits may bring a

certain message from god by taking hold of a human host, where these spirits may reside

temporarily until the intended message is delivered to the believers. Unlike in other religions,

spiritual possession by the Lwas is not necessarily considered an adverse situation for the

believers. The Vodou believers hold that spiritual possession is the primary means of

communicating with their spiritual divine. A Lwa can use possession to communicate to the

spiritual leaders and the believers to deliver the will of Bondye to the Vodou believers. For

instance, possession can be used as a primary means of guiding the Vodou priests on the

demands of Bondye to his people. The Vodou believers hold that Lwa can manifest through

various realms of nature, such as mountains, water, trees, and fire.

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The people believe that Lwa presides over a specific realm of nature to deliver a specific

message from Bondye. The spirits usually occur in different forms of nature to deliver messages

concerning various human activities carried out by believers. The manifestation of lwa through

different natural forms is believed to rely upon messages concerning various human activities

such as death, marriage, war, agricultural anticipations, love, or sex. The Vodou believers hold

that a particular spirit is present during a person's life from the period of birth to their death. The

inherent spirits in a person's life are vital in guiding the people as they go on with their daily

human activities for their lifetime.

Additionally, spiritual leaders can invoke lwa when carrying out spiritual ceremonies or

rituals. Spiritual leaders or worshippers can invoke lwa during prayers or carry religious

sacrifices and offerings. For instance, the believers offer animals such as goats, pigs, bulls, or

chickens depending on the wishes of a particular spirit. The religious ritual of feeding Lwa is

vital among believers, and it can be practised in the family or communal gatherings to please the

spirit in question. The people believe that specific lwa have different food and drink preferences.

For instance, Legba likes enjoying foods such as roast meat, vegetables, and tubers, while

Damballah favours meals such as eggs. In Haitian Vodou, it is believed that lwa are uncountable,

and some may exist without the knowledge of humans.

Furthermore, the Vodou worshippers hold that different lwa plays different intermediary

roles between the believers and their god. Legba, a very powerful lwa, is believed to be vital in

assisting believers in dealing with situations dealing with stagnation or in making complex life

decisions. The people believe that Legba is very powerful such that the lwa can even change fate.

It is believed that Legba is the leader of all the other lwa, and he is invoked first as a means of

contacting all other lwa. Legba is responsible for providing a link between Vodou believers and
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the spiritual world. Baron Samedi is another powerful lwa among the Vodou believers, and the

lwa is the head spirit among the spirits of death. Baron Samedi is usually invoked during the

Haitian Vodou traditional burial ceremonies. The worshippers believe that lwa Baron Samedi

will guide them to pass into the next world when they die. Therefore, the believers hold that lwas

are very important in facilitating the interactions between the people and Bondye.

3. The Conceptualization of the Catholic Saints in the Vodou

The Haitian Vodou religion developed due to the integration of the traditional African

Vodou practices with some elements of roman Catholicism. The Haitian Vodou religion believes

in the existence of various Vodou spirits known as lwas, which are closely related to various

catholic saints. The lwas derive their names from the traditional Vodou divinities, and the names

of these lwas are equated to various roman catholic saints. The Vodou spirits are the primary

assistants to the monotheistic Vodou god, Bondye. Majority of the Haitian practice an

incorporated religion which contains the elements of both Vodou and Roman Catholicism. The

Vodou believers hold that the Catholic saints are powerful like the lwas. The Vodou worshippers

believe that the catholic saints are miraculous and link various powerful lwas with the catholic

saints. For instance, the believers invoke various lwas during prayers to intervene in various

human activities such as healing and seeking justice. The people believe that, like the lwas, the

catholic saints have massive powers which help the people in dealing with daily life challenges.

The Vodou believers incorporated the Catholic saints in their religious settings to avoid

punishment from the French colonial masters who introduced the catholic faith in Haiti.

The Vodou believers hold that like the catholic saints, the lwas were also humans who

lived revered lives. The saints are used by the Vodou catholic during prayers as the messengers

to the supreme god. The believers seek special intervention from the lwas, who are used to
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promote a direct connection between Bondye and the worshippers. Each Vodou lwa is associated

with a particular catholic saint, and the believers hold that the particular lwa is similar to the

associated catholic saint. Therefore, the Catholic saints and the lwas are one due to their

association and the roles they played in society. In Vodou, the lwa Papa Ogou is associated with

the catholic saint James the elder. In Vodou, Ogou is regarded as the patron of iron used in daily

human activities. For instance, Ogou is responsible for promoting the security and protection of

the people. During times of war or various challenges, the Vodou believers invoke the spirit of

Papa Ogou to fight on their behalf. Like Ogou, St James was regarded as the Christian conquer

who fought in wars to protect Christianity. The Vodou associate loa Ogou with Saint James

because they invoke ogou when they are in distress and require him to intervene to protect the

people. The loas and the catholic saints are embedded in the same divinity among the Vodou

because they believe they are the representatives of God on Earth.

The Vodou believers recite various catholic prayers and songs while invoking their lwas

during the Vodou rituals. Like in Catholicism, the Vodou hold that the religious sacraments are

sacred, and various Lwas are summoned as a mark of respect to a particular sacrament. For

instance, during marriage ceremonies in Vodou, the people believe that the marriage union is

sacred and entails various responsibilities among the people getting married. Therefore, the

priests invoked the lwas associated with marriage or love to protect and watch over the human

spouses. The ceremonies are associated with the catholic saints because the settings of the Vodou

rituals involve some elements of Catholicism, such as a prayer book, candles, holy water and

food to celebrate the holy sacrament of marriage. The Vodou marriage altars are covered with

various paintings representing the Roman Catholic saints. For instance, the essence of life is
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attributed to the marriage between two lwas. The marriage between Danballah and his wife is

associated with life. In Vodou, Danballah is associated with saint peter in Roman Catholicism.

In Vodou lwa, Papa Gede is associated with saint Gabriel in the roman catholic concept.

Gede is believed to be the lwa of death among the Haitian Vodou believers. The lwa is

associated with death, and a death ritual is usually celebrated in honour of the lwa. Papa Gede is

associated with trickster spirits, but he can also be a healer. In addition, the Vodou believers hold

that Papa Gede plays the role of the spirit of human sexuality and the protector of children. Papa

Gede is loosely associated with Saint Gabriel, who, according to the roman catholic, was

compassionate among other people. Saint Gabriel loved the poor and showed compassionate

feelings toward other people in society. In Vodou, the Papa legba is vital in promoting

communication between the human and spiritual world. Papa legba is considered the leader of

other Vodou lwas or spirits, and the Vodou believers speak to other spirits through Papa legba.

The Vodou believed that Papa legba could speak a different language, and he was the primary

gatekeeper between the real and spiritual worlds. In Catholicism, Papa Legba is considered a

version of Saint Peter to help the Vodou believers have a close link with other saints. Therefore,

the roman Catholicism saints are incorporated into the Vodou beliefs through various Vodou

lwas.

4. How Vodou View of Human Being Affect Post Mortem Rituals

The Vodou religion and beliefs hold the body in high regard in matters relating to the

death of a person. According to the Vodou religion, the human body is a manifestation of their

god. Hence the human body contains the spirit, and the harmony of the body should be
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maintained throughout life. The Vodou customs hold that the human body comprises three major

parts: the physical being, the personality and conscience, and the gwo-bon-anj, or an individual's

divine origin. After death, the gwo-bon-anj of an individual leave the body and begins its'

journey back to the watery abyss back to its ancestral home where the spirits reside. Therefore,

for the successful return of the deceased's divine origin to the ancestral world, the Vodou directs

that the gwobonanj should receive unique funeral treatment. Failure to carry out the special

funeral rites on the dead may result in revenge from the deceased to their relatives or

descendants. The descendants of the deceased should ensure that they provide the special

funerary rite to avoid the misery and havoc that can be caused by the deceased when their bodies

are not handled well. Therefore, the various Vodou beliefs on human beings and death have

reduced the practices of post-mortem among the dead.

The Vodou priests, the haunga and other spiritual leaders are responsible for carrying out

the funerary rites and rituals to facilitate the transfer of gwobonanj from the deceased's physical

body to Ginen. According to Vodou's beliefs, Ginen is a crucial aspect that facilitates the transfer

of the deceased divine origin from the real world to the spiritual world. The Priests are also

required to facilitate the removal of the dead's gwobonanj from Ginen after one year and one day

from the date of the deceased's burial. According to Vodou's beliefs, failure to remove the body

under water can lead to severe consequences for the deceased's descendants. Post-mortem rituals

may lead to disturbances on the deceased's body, hindering the process of moving gwobonanj to

Ginen. The recovery of the gwobonanj from the underwaters is essential because it means the

dead has been brought back to the land of the living. The Vodou believer believes that an evil

post-mortem practitioner may indulge in practices that may lead to disturbances of the deceased's

soul hence angering the dead. The soul or the divine origin of an individual is fundamental;
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therefore post mortem rituals are avoided because the rituals may disturb the peace of the

deceased. Conducting a post-mortem on the dead can hinder the gwobonanj's process of

searching for peace in the spiritual world.

Handling the deceased's body is critical to the Vodou people because the body is closely

related to the soul. When Vodou believer dies, their bodies are left to an elderly family member

who takes good care of the body to protect it from any disturbances. The older family member is

responsible for conducting the traditional Vodou funeral rite to ensure that the body receives the

requisite care and attention to ensure that the deceased is peaceful in their death. Post-mortem

rituals are less in the Vodou community because their beliefs prohibit any form of bodily

disturbances. The people believe that after death, the deceased goes to be with the ancestors who

take good care of the deceased. An autopsy is discouraged because the Vodou believers hold that

the dead can come back to life through other people. The Vodou believers oppose post-mortem

rituals because they believe that autopsy examinations disturb the divinity and the sanctity of the

deceased person. The believers hold that it would not be moral to interfere with a person's body

after death. Interference with the body may lead to violating the deceased's peace to rest, leading

to increased bad fortunes among the family members who allowed the autopsy examinations.

In addition, the Vodou believers believe that the lwas are responsible for bodily

wellbeing. The believers hold that majority of the health-related challenges and health issues are

the responsibility of the lwas. Therefore, the people believe that the health challenges can be

handled by their lwas; hence they do not hold that deaths are caused by scientific means, which

would necessitate the need to carry out an autopsy examination. Most vodou deaths are

psychogenic when the deceased feel it is their time to die. Most Vodou believers hold that death

is either caused by a curse or hexing; hence there is no need for carrying out post-mortem
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examinations on the deceased's body. Therefore, the Vodou believers hold that the human spirit

is immortal; thus, the body must be preserved in its original form with all its parts. The believers

have that the body can be vital in zombification. For instance, a person possessed by a spirit can

be healed by a lwa, and conducting a post-mortem on such an animated body may hinder the

healing process. A person who has been punished by death through zombification can be healed

where the separated tombonanj is restored to the person by a lwa, facilitating their restoration to

life.

5. Characterization of African Derived Religion in The Caribbean

Vodou is one of the African religions that has spread in the Caribbean. Vodou spread in

the Caribbean during the 16th century due to the massive enslavement of Africans captured and

sold in Caribbean countries such as Haiti. According to Professor Matory, the Vodou religion is

characterized by various elements reflecting African culture, customs, and ways of life. The

Vodou religion was mainly influenced by the African daily activities, which determined how the

Africans related to their spiritual world.

The Vodou traditional religion is characterized by various elements in conducting

multiple religious rituals. The ancient Vodou religion has an old Flag representing the Vodou

believers from across the Caribbean. However, most non-Vodou believers have misused these

Vodou elements or instruments by associating the religion with evil or sorcery. In addition, the

traditional Vodou religion has various deities or gods known as the lwas. According to professor

Matory, the traditional African religion believed in multiple gods and goddesses who played

different roles in the conventional African believers' lives. The ancient African religion believes

that the gods play various roles, such as healing, protecting, and guiding the people. Professor

Matory explains that various African deities are vital in preserving traditional African believers.
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In addition, the traditional Vodou religion is characterized by the beauty of its religious

practices. The Vodou religion is characterized by various religious activities such as dances,

songs, and African animal sacrifices to different Vodou spirits called the lwas. For instance, the

Vodou festivals and multiple ceremonies are characterized by drumming and dancing when the

Vodou priests are invoking the spirits. Most Vodou religious practices draw their practices from

the Fon of Benin or the ancient Congo communities. The traditional African religions believe

that human beings are used as the vessels of spirits that dwell within the members of these

communities. The believers hold that these spirits are nourished and provided in a manner that

reflects the lives of human beings. For instance, the believers nourish the spirits with their

preferential foods and gods, which fits the status of these traditional gods. The traditional African

religions celebrate their god through dances where the people come together to celebrate their

deities. During these celebrations, the believers believe they are celebrating their rituals and

dining with their gods.

The majority of the Traditional African-inspired religions invoke the spirits through

massive dancing and singing. The worshippers and priests believe that the drums can speak,

invoking their gods' spirits. Once the priests and the priestess invoke the spirits, they possess a

particular person where they reside along with the worshippers. Once the spirits possess a

person, it becomes a means of communication between the gods and the believers. The African

traditional religions in the diaspora are vital in upholding the spirit and the cultural beliefs of the

African culture in the diaspora. In addition, the traditional African religion believers hold that

people can influence each other, and it is difficult to gauge the people's intentions to determine

the person who has positive or negative motives towards one another. The believers are very
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careful when dealing with the complexities of human beings because it is challenging to

ascertain a person's intention.

Nature is fundamental across a variety of ancient African religions. The people believe

that the spirits can manifest themselves to the people through various natural settings. According

to professor Matory, Trees are crucial in African religions because trees are understood to be

essential manifestations of life. For instance, according to the Vodou, some trees are associated

with their ancestors. The believers hold that the trees should be conserved to maintain the

people's relations to their ancestral origin. The Vodou believers hold that the natural setting

involving trees and other physical elements, such as the mountains, provides an essential

connection between the physical and ancestral worlds. The trees are also vital to the ancient

Vodou priests who acted as healers because they used the trees as a critical source of traditional

medicine used in the healing process.

The African-inspired religions have high regard for their ancestors. The believers hold

that the ancestors continue to play very significant roles in life. Hence, the believers need to

continue honouring the physically dead because they are essential in traditional African

communities' natural and social lives. For instance, the Kota people from Gabon exhume the

dead bones of their ancestors and house them in beautiful sacks because they believe that the

ancestors continue to play an essential role in the lives of the community. The traditional African

religions are characterized by a belief that the ancestors play a vital role in determining the

prosperity of the people. Without protection from the ancestors, the believers continue to face

various challenges that may hinder their progress.

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References

Duke University. (2010). Office Hours with J. Lorand Matory on Africa- Inspired Religions.

[Video]. [YouTube].

Métraux, A. (2016). Voodoo in Haiti. Pickle Partners Publishing.

New Atlantis Full Documentaries. (2013). Vodoo (Full Documentary). [Video]. [YouTube].

Vodoo Priest Man. (2016). Voodoo Documentary- Divine Horsemen. [Video]. [YouTube].