African voodoo: history, practices, and cultural significance

African Voodoo

Voodoo, also named Vodun, is an ancient polytheistic religion originating in West Africa. Voodoo spread from West Africa to the New World through the slaves. Today it practiced by an estimated 30 million people in Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Haiti, Benin, Jamaica, and other places throughout the world. Voodoo is often thought of as a "primitive form of magic and belief in ghost" (Rigaud, 7) however, Voodoo is more complicated than that. It consists of a complex system of beliefs which developed from many ancient world religions and cults. Due to the complexity and origin of Voodoo, there is no central authority to define orthodox beliefs or practices. Each Spiritual House acts independently and therefore a wide variety of theory and practice exists among those who practice Voodoo.

One of the basic beliefs of the Voodooist is that there is one primary creator, named Nana Buluku, who created everything. This prime deity, in one tradition, is said to have had seven children to whom she granted each a particular realm of nature to rule. For example to one she granted power over fire, to another she granted rule over the sea. In addition, the creator has many helpers called Orishas. The first born children of Nana Buluku were twins who represent the duality and balance of the world as seen in creation of males and females, and in the sun and the moon. Liza is a male who represents the sun and, and Mawu is the female and represents the earth and moon. They are thought to share the same body. Mawu-Lisa are then believed to have created children of their own, each with special attributes. The name and number of the members of the god-family are numerous and differ from source to source.

Out of the creation beliefs, arise the concept that everything in the world is connected to everything else. The universe is one; therefore, no event or person can stand alone. This belief transcends this life and includes those who have died. The living have a bond with the dead and are able to communicate with them and ask them for favors. The voodooists believe that there is a sacred cycle among the living and the dead and so incorporate ancestor worship into the practice of faith.