Haitian Vodou

Lore & Background

Vodou teaches the existence of a single supreme God, Bondye, a name deriving from the French term Bon Dieu ('Good God'). For Vodouists, Bondye is the ultimate source of power, the creator of the universe, and the maintainer of cosmic order. Vodouists regard Bondye as being transcendent and remote; as the God is uninvolved in human affairs, they see little point in approaching it directly. Under Bondye are the lwa, spirits that derive their names from West and Central African deities and are equated with Catholic saints. The lwa divide into groups called nanchon ('nations'), most notably the Rada and the Petwo. Vodouists seek the aid of the lwa and spirits of the dead by offering them fruit, liquor, and sacrificed animals. Communication with the lwa is sought through divination and through a key ritual in which Vodouists drum, sing, and dance to encourage a lwa to temporarily possess the dancers. Healing rituals and the preparation of herbal remedies and talismans also play a prominent role.

Reader's Guide

Haitian Vodou developed among Afro-Haitian communities amid the Atlantic slave trade of the 16th to 19th centuries. Its structure arose from the blending of the traditional religions of those enslaved West and Central Africans brought to the island of Hispaniola, among them Kongo, Fon, and Yoruba. There, it absorbed influences from the culture of the French colonialists who controlled the colony of Saint-Domingue, most notably Roman Catholicism but also Freemasonry. Many Vodouists were involved in the Haitian Revolution of 1791 to 1801 which overthrew the French colonial government, abolished slavery, and transformed Saint-Domingue into the Haitian republic. The Catholic Church left for several decades following the Revolution, allowing Vodou to become Haiti's dominant religion. In the 20th century, growing emigration spread Vodou abroad. The late 20th century saw growing links between Vodou and related traditions in West Africa and the Americas, such as Cuban Santería and Brazilian Candomblé, while some practitioners influenced by the Négritude movement attempted to remove Catholic influences. Most Haitians practice both Vodou and Catholicism, seeing no contradiction in pursuing the two systems simultaneously. Smaller Vodouist communities exist elsewhere, especially among Haitian diasporas in Cuba and the United States. Having faced much criticism through its history, Vodou has been described as one of the world's most misunderstood religions.

Did You Know?

• The word Vodou derives from the Fon language of West Africa, first recorded in the 1658 Doctrina Christiana.
• Vodouists often use the phrase 'si Bondye vle' ('if Bondye wishes'), suggesting a belief that all things occur in accordance with this divinity's will.
• The lwa are divided into groups called nanchon ('nations'), most notably the Rada and the Petwo.
• Many Vodouists were involved in the Haitian Revolution of 1791 to 1801, which overthrew French colonial rule and abolished slavery.
• The Catholic Church left for several decades following the Revolution, allowing Vodou to become Haiti's dominant religion.