Religious Education
This site was created specifically for students of Religion in Secondary Schools and other persons who may be interested in learning more about the Gospels and some of the major world religions.
From Africa to the New World: Vodou and Santería
Two religions in Central America have their roots, at least partially, in African religious beliefs. These religions, Vodou and Santería, emerged in Haiti and Cuba, respectively, when the beliefs of African slaves blended with those of indigenous peoples and other migrants to these islands. The result of this cultural contact was the merger of two dominant religions that attracts many followers in modern times.
The number of practitioners of Vodou and Santería, however, is virtually impossible to calculate. Most of the people who practice these religious beliefs also practice other religions, particularly Catholicism, and they are most likely to identify themselves as Catholics. Further, both religions are extremely loosely organized. In the case of Santería, the religion goes by different names in different regions, including Candombleí in Brazil. It has been suppressed in Cuba, so arriving at an accurate head count is difficult. Some sources estimate that about three million people practice Vodou. The number of Santeríans includes about eight hundred thousand in the United States, one million in Brazil, and three million in Cuba.
Vodou
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A proper understanding of Vodou, sometimes spelled vodun or vodoun, requires distinguishing it from the Western stereotype. In the West (the countries of Europe and the Americas), particularly in the United States, "voodoo" (as it is usually spelled) is associated in the popular mind with witchcraft, black magic rituals, zombies, and other beliefs that are regarded as superstitious, such as sticking pins into voodoo dolls to bring bad luck to another person. While practitioners of voodoo can be found in the United States, voodoo is a stereotype that has little to do with the religion of Vodou as it is practiced.
Vodou is practiced primarily in Haiti, the western portion of the Central American island of Hispaniola, which Haiti shares with the Dominican Republic. It can also be found in Cuba and in parts of South America. Vodou is a blend of three different religious traditions. The first is that of the indigenous Taino and Arawak Indians who inhabited the island until it became a Spanish colony following the voyages of exploration of Christopher Columbus (1451–1506).
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The Spanish colonists, however, virtually exterminated these peoples. The survivors developed close cultural contacts with African slaves who were brought to the island by the Spanish, and later by the French, to work on Haitian agricultural plantations. The third group that contributed to the development of Vodou included immigrants from Europe, particularly France and the British Isles, during the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. These people brought Catholicism with them.
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The dominant influence on the development of Vodou, however, was that of the various African tribes. These tribal influences led to the development of at least three sects, or subgroups or denominations, of Vodou. Orthodox Vodou reflects the traditions of the Dahomean and Nigerian tribes. Makaya, another branch, shares many of the beliefs of orthodox Vodou but differs in its ceremonial practices. The third denomination reflects the traditions from the Kongo tribe. Each branch dominates in different regions of the country.
These denominations share a number of core beliefs. One is a belief in a single, supreme God, called Gran Met, meaning "Great Master," or Bondye. Practitioners of Vodou also believe in lesser ancestral spirits called lwa (sometimes spelled loa). These spirits are accessible to those who have been initiated into Vodou through spirit possession. While "possession" is often associated with demons and Satan, in Vodou, possession is a highly desirable state that allows the person to make contact with his or her ancestors. Practitioners of Vodou also believe that spiritual energy can be manipulated to perform magic.
The differences between Vodou denominations are differences in the nature of one's participation. The general term used for practitioners of Vodou is vodouisants. These people attend ceremonies, receive counseling and medical treatment, and generally take part in Vodou activities. In orthodox Vodou the main ritual is that of initiation, called kanzo. Initiates can be either men or women. Males are referred to as Houngan, while females are referred to as Mambo.