VoodooHistory

BasicPrinciplesBackground
Askahundreddifferentvoodoopriestaboutvoodooandyouwillgetahundreddifferent
answers.

Theword'vodun'theHaitianword'Voodoo'isderivedfromcomesfromtheAfrican
FonLanguagewhichisstillspokentodayinBenin.Vodunmeans"divinity"or"Idol".

Thehistoryofvoodoodoesnotstart,asmanypeoplebelievearound1500ADinHaiti,
butabout15,000yearsbeforeChristinAfrica.Thus,therealsourceofvoodooisthe
Egyptianpyramids.Thesepeoplewouldlatercometobecalled'Yoruba'.Theywere
slavestothePharaohsandKings.Thesepeoplewerelaterreleasedhowevertheynever
forgottheunbelievablethingsthattheysaw.TheyhadaprofoundadmirationforGod
anddesiredtoknowhim.

AtThistimetheYorubacrossedintoAfricafromEgypt,usingaroutewhichcrossedover
intoAficafromtheNileandintoNiger.Inthisareaoftoday'sNigeria,atthetime,wasa
culturecalledthe'Nok'.Between200and500BC,TheYorubamettheNokandthetwo
culturesslowlybegantomerge.UndertheleadershipoftheYorubakingOduduwa,the
peopleofYorubasettleddowninthecityofIleIfe,whichwasconsideredaholycityby
thenatives.Descendantofthisnationconqueredlargeareasandlaidthefoundationof
theYorubakingdomandspreadvoodoothroughallofhisconqueredlands.

In1492ADColumbusdiscoveredanisland,knowntodayasHaiti,whichhenamed
"Hispaniola".Veryquickly,thesettlersdiscoveredthesugarcaneandtobacco,the
benefitsofcottonandagriculturalwealthofHispaniola.Theoriginalinhabitantsof
Hispaniola,provedtobepoorslaves,andverysusceptibletodiseases.KingCharlesV
ofSpainorderedthedeportationof15,000blacksfromAfricatomeetthedemandof
theSpanishcolonistsinHispaniola.Asindeedbelongedtomanybutnotall,ofthe
blackslavesoftheYorubaethnicgroup,soonbegantomergeculturesandreligions,
andlaidthefoundationfortoday'svoodoo.

Todayitisestimatedthatfromthe16thto19thcenturynearly12millionpeoplewere
deportedfromAfrica.Ofthesurvivorsalittlebitmorethanfortypercentpresumablywent
totheCaribbean(Haiti,CubaandJamaica),possiblyalsomanytoBrazil,approximately
fivepercenttoNorthAmericaandtheremaininginSpanish,FrenchandDutchSouth

America.ThereforeHaitianvoodoodeveloped,theCubanvariationofVoodooSanteriaas
wellastheBrazilianvariationsofVoodooCandombleandUmbanda.

InthehistoricalconsciousnessoftheHaitiansVoodoohasanextraordinarymeaning
andaswellplayedaroleinBoisCaiman,andintheensuingrevolution.Thishasmade
thevoodoointoakindofnationalreligionofHaiti.ThustodayVoodoohasacertain
militarysymbolism,whichisnotfoundinotherAfroAmericanreligions.
In1996VoodoobecameanofficialnationalreligioninBenin.April4th2003openedyet
anothernewchapterfortheVoodooreligion.Voodoowasmadetheofficialreligionof
Haiti.PriestsandpriestessesinHaitinowhavethesamerightsastheirCatholic
counterparts.Theymayperformformalmarriages,baptismsandconductfunerals.Afew
yearsagoVoodoowasrecognizedbythepopeasaseparatereligion,becauseVoodoo
priesthavehealedsomanypeopleandtheirhealingpowerhasbecomeverywellknown.

Doyouhaveafeelingthatvoodoocanhelpyou?Youcanspeakaboutthatwithus!

Contactushere!

TheCentralCore
Aroundwhicheverythingrevolves.

InthiscentralcoreofvoodooworshipisLoa(god,divinebeing,goodspirit),Oracle,
ancestralworshipandreincarnation.HeavenandhelldonotexistinVoodooism.Why?,
InVoodootheybelieveinreincarnation.Thedeedsofapersoninfluencehisnextlife.
Someonewhohasbeenagood,honestandfaithfulpersonhasthechancetoascendto
Loa.Thustheyaregivennotonlythepowerandinfluencebuttheopportunitytoshape
theworld.Ifthepersonhasnotbehavedwellandwasangrythepersonwillbeagain
bornasahumanandbeginanewlifecycle.Heagainwellhaveeveryopportunity,butall
thetemptationsfrombeforewellstillthreatenandenticehim.

Ifthepersonwasnotgoodintheirlifeitispossiblethatinhisnextlifehewillbepunished
byLoa.Thiscouldbeaspiritualorphysicalimpediments.Howeverthebeliefofvoodoo
involvesprimarilylightpunishmentforoffenses.

However,seriousoffenseswillbepunishedwithmisfortuneorillness,ortherebirthasan
animal.Ifthepersonwasparticularlybad,theycanberebornasDiab,asademonic
creaturethatonlyaspirestoharmthelivingordominateyou.Voodoobelieversbelieve
thatLoaaswellasDiabareOmnipresent.Thereforebothtakepartinoneseverydaylife
andareinformedaboutallactionsandmisdeedsofbelievers.

LoaRadaandLoaPetro
Voodoogods
VoodoofolloowersdividegodlycreaturesintoloaRadaandloaPetro.Itisnotsuchastrict
divisionasbetweenangelsanddemonsinChristianreligion.LoaRadawereworkingon
thecreationoftheworld,onmakingrulesandlifekeeping.HerearethegodslikeLoco
(godofwoods),Agwe(godofsea),Erzulia(thegoddessofbeauty).Somegodsbelongto
bothgroups.Legba(godofcrossroads),canbeinvokedasloaRadatobringthewealth
butalsoasloaPetrotocauseadisaster.LoaPetroareagroupofdemonsthatarecalled
mainlytocausedestruction.ThebondofAfricantraditionswithcultsofnativeIndians
livinginHaitimadeVoodooinHaitiaverydangerouspracticeintermsofharmfulrituals.
InvocationofanyloaPetroalwaysmeansriskingdamageofbodyandsoul!Thereforewe
wanttowarnthosepeople,whoarenotpreparedforsuchact,againstsuchaction.

LoaRada
LegbaorElegba,Eshu,Ellegua.[PapaLegba]
Godofcrossroads,singer,fighter,fool,guardianofthedoorintothespiritualspherehe
appearsaseitherachildorahunchedoldman(oldmanwithacrutch).

InHaitivoodooLegbaisworshippedintwodifferentforms:asachildorasahunched
fragileoldman.Boththeseformsexpresshisspeedandunpredictablebehaviour.Heis
seenasacheaterbutalsoasamessengerofdestiny.Heisarebelliouschildandawise
manatthesametime.InsomemythsLegbaisathiefashehasstolenthesecretsof
godsandgavethemtopeople.

Everyritualstartswithinvokinghimandendsbysayinggoodbyetohim.Thisisbecause
heistheguardianofthedoor,thereforethecontactwithhimenablesbetter
communicationwithothergods.Duringtheritualheisactingasamessengerofgodsas
heistranslatingthewordsofgods(ghosts)intohumanlanguage.Thosewhodiedcan
returnbacktotheworldoflivingpeopleiftheyobtainLegba'sblessing.

ShangoorXango,Chango[NagoShango]
Godoffire,fighter,judge,lordofthelightningandthunderbrave,healthylookingman.

InitiallyXangowasworshippedbyYorubatribeinNigeria.Althoughebelongsamong
sevenmostpowerfulloa,heisnotinvokedinHaitiasoftenasothergods.Hewasbornas
oneofthegodsofearthandlivedasakingofOyolandontheearthwithpeople.

Todayheisworshippedasagodofjustice.OnthehomealtarShangoissymbolisedby
doubleaxeorram'shorn.InvocationofShangocanhelpwithlegalproceedingoritcan
givemorepowerandcourage.

OshunorOxum,Ezili,Erzulie[ErzulieFreda]
Goddessofloveandpowerofcreation,abundanceandpassionbeautiful,seductive
youngwoman.
OshunisAfricanVenusofAfrodite.Sheisthebeauty,sensualityandlove.Erzuliaisa
ladyofvisualartsandherattributearejewels.Shespreadsthejoyoflifeandpassion.
Shehealsdiseaseswithcoldwateruponwhichsherules.Hergenerosityfeedsthe
hungry.Shespreadsuniversalabundancesothateverybodycanenjoythebeautyof
creation.
Careful,though,sheisalsoamotherofwitchesandshecoloursherselfwiththebloodof
herenemies,sheistherulerofavulture.

OyaorYansa,AidaLenso,Olla.
Goddessofwind,fire,waterandrainbowrulerofthenature,fightercourageous,beautiful,
passionateandunpredictable.

Oyaisagoddessofsuddenchange.Herenergyisshownalsointhedestructivepowerof
windstorms,floodsandearthquakes.

ThePowerofOyastemsinherspeedandherabilitytochangethingsimmediately.

YemayaorImanje,LaBalianne[Yemalla]
Goddessoftheseamotherly,shegivesnutrition,lovinganddesirable.

Yemayaisaruleroftheseaandpersonificationoffemalepower.Sheiswatchingallthe
powersthatgivenutritionandfoodandshetakescareoffemaleaffairs.Yemayaprotects
childinthewombandalsoprotectshome.Shehasthepowerstonurtureandtodestroy.Her
taskisconstantrenewal.Inmanycountriespeoplecelebrateheronthedaysoffullmoon.

ObatalaorOxala,Batala,BlancDani
Goddessofheavens,personificationofcreativeenergyoldwithwhitehair,kindand
extremelypowerful.

ObatalaisgoddessofcreationofYorubatribe.Her/hisnameisthewordforgodassuch.
Obatalaismanandwomanatthesametime.He/Sheisdirectdescendantofthehighestand
onmipresentgodOludumar.He/Shepersonifieshighestethicalprincipalssuchasjustice,
wisdom,abilitiesandgenerosity.He/Shebringswealthandwellbeingtopeople,healsthe
mostseriousorevendeadlydiseases.Obatalaisconstantlytryingtocreatethereforealways
fightsforprotectionofsourcesandnature.

OgunorOgum,Ogu[Ogoun]
Wildmanofwoods,godofironandsmithery,protectorofwealthandwork,peacefuland
dangerousman.

NigeriangodOguntransformswildforestsintonewlandforgods.Heusesmacheteand
axesformakingwaythroughthewoodland,thusheiscalledagodofpioneersand"The
onewhopreparestheway.Ogunteachespeoplehowtouseknifeforselfdefenceinthe
jungle.Heteachesthesmithcraft,hehelpspeopletobuildhousesforshelter.Heisthe
fatherofcivilisationandtechnology.Accordingtothelegendhewasinitiallycrownedasa
king,butoncepeoplelearnedeverythingfromhim,hereturnedthecrownandleftforthe
forests.

AgweorAgweTaroyo
Godofwaters,lordoftheseas,handsome,proud,helikesorder,hetakescareofhis
look.
Hehasstrongcharacterandtasks.Heprotectsalltheanimalsandplantsandhe
preservestheharmonyinnature.HeisoftencomparedtoEuropeangodofsea,
Neptune,fromwhomheprobablytookthetridentasanattribute.
Agweiscalledtocalmthewavesoftheseaorensurehappysailing,butmainlyheis
worshippedbythosewhofishandwhoselifedependsonthelifeinthewaters.People
underhisprotectionwillneverdrownandwaterwillneverharmthem.

DamballahorAidaWedo
Primordialgod,godofsnakes,hehasaformofsnake,heisuniversalpower,protector
oftreesandwatersvivacious,strictandbrave.

Damballahisaprimordialandconstantlyrenewingcreature.Heistheprotectorof
universalknowledge,heistheoriginalcreativepower(energy).

Loco
AnotherprimordialgodisLoco.Heisthespiritofvegetationandmaleformofplants.
Accordingtothelegendhewasthefirstpriest,whotransformedfromahumanbeinginto
aloa.Thereforeheistheintermediarybetweenpeopleandgods.IfLocoappearsata
ceremony,hecouldberecognisedbyagnarledstickthathealwayscarrieswithhimor
byhiscompanionwhoalwayssmokesapipeandalwaysaccompaniesLoco.

Simbi
JHeistheloaofwhitemagic.Simbiisdepictedasagreensnakeandheisverywise.A
personobsessedbySimbaisturninglikeasnakeandisattractedbythewater,because
heismorethanDamballahdependingontheelementofwater.Simbiisalsoproviding
certainconnectionbetweenpeopleandghosts,becauseamongvoodoopeoplethe
mythicalothersideisdeepinthesea.

PetroLoas

SymbolPetro
SymbolPetrohasonlydarkcharacter.Itrepresentsaggressivesideofvoodoo.Assacrificeis
givengoatsbloodforexample.

BaronSamedieandGuede
Baronsaregodsofdeathandcemeteries.ThemostpowerfulisbaronSamedie.He
appearsasathinblackmanwearingahatandholdingawalkingstickinhishand.Baron
LaCroixappearsasaskeleton,heanswersallthequestionswithsarcasmandhe
scaresbyhischillinglook.BaronCemetiereBoumbahassinisterlookandhisfrightening
behaviourevokesfear.Thecoloursofbaronsareblackandpurple.Alltheritualshaveto
bedoneatnighttimeatacemetery.Themostsuitablesacrificeoffersarecoal,black
candles,purpleflowersorstones,butalsorumandblackchickens.

Marassa
Thespecialityofvoodooistheworshipoftwins.Theyhaveanimportantmeaningthat
hasbeentransferredfromAfricantradition.Specialattentionthatispaidtoliveanddead
twinshasitsrootsinthevenerationofgodlytwins:MawaandLisa.Theysymbolise
activemaleandpassivefemaleenergy,theypersonifythesunandthemoon.Together
theycreateahermaphrodite(bisexual)godthatsymbolisesinseparabledivineunity.
Twins,especiallyifitisaboy(Dossou)andagirl(Dossa)areconsideredastheirearthly
delegates.

Thebirthoftwinsisineverycaseassociatedwithanumberofproblemsastheyare
seenasexceptionallypowerfulcreatures.Theyareforeseenasdifficult,impulsive,
sensitiveandmalicious(mischievous,vicious)beings.

Ineverydaylifeitisrecommendedtodealwithbothchildrenthesameway,astheyreact
inaverysensitivewaytoanydifferencesmadebetweenthem.Familieswithtwinsoften
sufferdiseasesorbadluck,whichisexplainedamongvoodoopeoplethatthefamilydid
notcompletethedutytoMarassa.

MoreaboutCandomble(Voodoo)andtheunityofreligions.

Recommendedreading:

HeikeOwusuVoodooritualsbackgrounds,practicesandsafeguards
PapaSanghapracticeofvoodooMagic
PapaSanghaVoodoopracticenewtechniques,ritualsandpracticesoftheVoodoo
PapaNemoThepathofVoodooFromthebasicstopractice
AstridReuterVoodooandotherAfricanAmericanreligions
GertChesiVoodooinAfrica

VoodooSoul
AncestorworshipinVoodoo
Soifafamilymemberdiesbutstillexistsinmaterialform,thenthereisnoreasontonot
talkfurtherwiththisfamilymemberandaskforhelpandadvicefromthem.Asa
paymentfortheirassistancesacrificesmustbemadeandtheirgraveskeptinorder,so
youcanrememberthemmore.WhileancestorsareconsiderednotaspowerfulasLoa,
theyhavesomeknowledgeandacertainpowertoinfluencethefutureandfateoftheir
offspring.

SoulinVoodoo
Voodoobelieversunderstandthesoulnotasacompactunity,butdivideitintotwo
parts,theTibonange(vitalsparkandconscienceVoodoo)andtheGrosbonange
(theindividualandimmortalsoul,alsocanbeequatedtotheego.Afterphysicaldeathit

returnstotheunderworldoftheminds).Togetherthesepartsformthemindandthe
soulofalivingperson.

TheTibonaneisoftheuniquevitalsparkofaperson,withouthimhecannotlive.Ifa
persondies,theTibonangegoestoDahome(VodooistischeOntheotherside),
remainswiththeforefathersandbecomesoneofthem.TheGrosbonangeisunique
andthemindofaperson.Assoonasapersonhaspassedaway,andhis
GrosbonangewaslongenoughwithDahome,hisGrosbonangeisbornagainand
receivesanewTibonangeinthebirth.Thus,itisabsolutelylogicalforVoodoo
believerstotalktotheirancestorsandaskthemforadviceandhelp,eveniftheyhave
beendeceasedformanyyears.

BonDieu
BonDieuistheuniversalpowerandprimordialGod.Hecreatedalltheoriginaldeity's
andistheepitomeofuniversalpower.Hegavethedeity'sorderinpowerintheworld.
Hiswordislaw,evenforthedeity's.BelieversofVoodooalmostnevercontactBon
Dieudirectly,itisthejoboftheDiety'stotakecareoftheworriesandconcernsof
believers