The Basics of Voodoo

Voodoo in popular culture brings up nasty images of satanic rituals, human sacrifice, and brutal murder. None of these things has anything to do with real Voodoo, in fact, Voodoo isn't that much different from Catholicism.

Voodoo, also known as Vodou by its practitioners, is a synthesis of African folk magic which was brought over by the Yoruba tribe in west Africa during the slave trade, and Catholic practices. When the slaves were brought from Africa to the Americas they were forbidden to practice their native religion and forced to practice Catholicism. While learning the Catholic religion, the Africans found a similarity between the myths of their spirits and the Catholic Saints which led them to adopt and adapt the Catholic ideals to their own beliefs.

Today Voodoo is practiced in many households in the United States as well as Haiti.

The main similarity between Catholicism and Vodou is the strong belief in various deities, known as Lwa, which are lesser spirits that intervene in the daily lives of practitioners, as well as the belief in a monotheistic deity named Bondyè who does not intervene in daily life. The main form of worship is given to the Lwa with various offerings depending upon the spirit. Many Voduns, or practitioners of Vodou keep an altar in their home dedicated to their patron Lwa. Vodou also incorporates aspects of ancestral worship as well as a form of folk magic which is known as Hoodoo.

Hoodoo is normally practiced in complete secret in order to ensure the success of the magic. The magic itself is performed in a ritual format in which the practitioner envisions the goal that they would like to reach and plays it out in a dramatic fashion. Ritual objects usually include mojo bags, or charm bags, candles, different herbs, holy water, and graveyard dirt. Although the idea of magic seems a little far-fetched, almost every single religion has a form of folk magic which it practices. In magic all one is doing is asking a deity for a specified goal, therefore prayer also falls under this category.

Like all religions, Vodou is centered around morality. Philosophically Vodou focuses on the cessation of greed and dishonor. Voduns also have a strong sense of community as honor is given through the community. They believe strongly in family values as well as the necessity to protect one's own. Vodou also teaches generosity and giving to the poor, because the religion grew around tribal people, its main tenants are centered around the well-being of the community.