Haitian voodoo: what is and what is not

Haitian voodoo, originating from the Caribbean country of Haiti, was brought in mainly by African slaves in the 16th century. These slaves had their own traditional African beliefs, called voodoo, which they were forced to suppress to convert to Roman Catholicism, the religion of their slavers. Their African religious practices were seen as a threat to the colonial system, and therefore practitioners caught practicing were imprisoned, flogged, or hung.

Come to think of it, it was easy for them to outwit their colonialists because the two religions have so many striking similarities. First of all, Roman Catholicism and voodoo believe in a supreme being, as well as in the existence of invisible evil spirits or demons and in a future life. In addition, both have a central point as a focus in ceremonies, that is, an altar for Catholics and a tree or post in voodoo. Many of the Loa (spirit that communicates prophecies, advice or warnings) also have equivalent Christian saints. Legba, an old man, for example, looks like Saint Peter, who opens the door between Earth and the other world (the world of Loa for Legba and heaven for Saint Peter). If you try to compare some more aspects, you will realize that there is much more Haitian voodoo.

However, the researchers argue that there is a big difference: Voodoo practitioners do not believe as much in free will and personal choice as Catholics. They have a different vision of the world. They believe that the Loa determine their lives.

Voodoo has been associated with Satanism and zombies, as Westerners have implanted themselves in the public mind through horror movies and novels. But the truth is that these are not parts of the voodoo religion. The use of "voodoo dolls" in the Haitian religion, on the other hand, is not to inflict harm on the other person, but to act as messengers for the other world.

Haitian voodoo may have been viewed negatively by most people due to prevailing stereotypes in the West. Although voodoo has been portrayed in popular books of darkness and evil, a cult of the devil's cult, human sacrifice, and pin-nailed voodoo dolls --- none of these really exist in original voodoo practices. However, everyone should know that it is a religion in the same way that Christianity, Islam or Judaism is. We are in no way in a position to judge people who practice voodoo because this is their religion, no matter how they practice it.