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No, it isn't. When you combine Christian symbolism with voodoo and African spirit worship, it no longer has anything to do with Christianity. It is from a different spirit/s.
*Sighs*
Vodoo (or at least, new Oreleans vodoo) was syncretized from Roman Catholic elements.
When it first arrived in North America in the early 20th century, slave owners were white Christian guys. Slaves were forbidden to participate in their own religion, so thee slaves just dressed it up with Catholic trappings so it looked like they were 'falling in line'.
It still has a lot to do with Christianity, if only in its origins.
Vodoo (or at least, new Oreleans vodoo) was syncretized from Roman Catholic elements.
When it first arrived in North America in the early 20th century, slave owners were white Christian guys. Slaves were forbidden to participate in their own religion, so thee slaves just dressed it up with Catholic trappings so it looked like they were 'falling in line'.
It still has a lot to do with Christianity, if only in its origins.
That makes no sense.
First of all, Voodoo in New Orleans is so derivative of what is practiced in Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti or Puerto Rico as to be unrecognizable.
Second, you can't syncretize from, but you can syncretize with, and the distinction isn't just grammatical nit-picking. Vodu in all it's forms does not derive from Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism was a facade erected to disguise the practice and has been jettisoned by most contemporary practitioners now that they are free to practice there religion without fear of opprobrium.
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yes when the "Christians" enslaved the africans (because of course jesus would do this) they stopped their religion, language ..so since they couldn't practice their own religion without being harmed they hid the names of their demons/gods in christian saints and etc...
First of all, Voodoo in New Orleans is so derivative of what is practiced in Brazil, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Haiti or Puerto Rico as to be unrecognizable.
Second, you can't syncretize from, but you can syncretize with, and the distinction isn't just grammatical nit-picking. Vodu in all it's forms does not derive from Roman Catholicism. Roman Catholicism was a facade erected to disguise the practice and has been jettisoned by most contemporary practitioners now that they are free to practice there religion without fear of opprobrium.
The administrator of the ritual frequently evoked protection from Jehova, the Christian God, and Jesus Christ. This openness of African belief allowed for the adoption of Catholic practices into Louisiana Voodoo.
What is interesting is that the reason that Voodoo for the longest was associated to Haiti was because there was never a need for the religion to be practiced underground, the country having thrown off foreign direct rule of the country's cultural affairs (economics and governance is a whole other story). In Cuba it has only been in the last 20 or so years that Santeria has been allowed to come out in public the result being the further abandonment of the Catholic Church. Here in the U.S. the 1993 decision in Church of the Lukumi Babalu Aye, Inc. v. Hialeah, 508 U.S. 520. blew the doors open for the open practice and acceptance of Voodoo/Santeria as a recognized religion.
Never heard of this. Off to Google go I. Thanks.
A Haitian woman who belonged to the same writers' group I did some years ago submitted for group critique an interesting piece on Voodoo/Voudon. It was so interesting, and shed a different light on the little I knew of it from popular culture/movies/TV.
I also have a good friend whose mom is from Cuba, one of those who came over in the early Sixties. Although they are Catholic (and white), they retained certain Santeria practices in the family that she's pulled out from time to time over the years. Placing certain types of rocks under the kids' beds for protection, for example. And one time, when my friend was trying to win the affection of a certain man, I remember she had something tied up in a small piece of fabric that she was carrying around that was supposed to draw him to her.
She remembers being a little girl, and her grandmother's husband had taken up with a younger woman and got her pregnant. Her grandmother started doing some rituals, and the younger woman miscarried. My friend said she asked her mother, "Did Abuela DO that?" and her mother replied, "She thinks she did!"
I like Wiki as much as anyone, it is a fine place to start or a quick verification of what you already know, but what I know about Voodoo is based on far better sourcing than Wiki.
I like Wiki as much as anyone, it is a fine place to start or a quick verification of what you already know, but what I know about Voodoo is based on far better sourcing than Wiki.
What is your source, actually? I'm sincerely curious. Every point-of-view is valuable, after all
What is your source, actually? I'm sincerely curious. Every point-of-view is valuable, after all
Born and raised in New Orleans, studied Afro Cuban drumming, worked as a journalist in the Miami area, three trips to Haiti, three to Cuba, live a few miles from the headquarters of the National African Religion Congress who I have spoken with on numerous occasions because on my bucket list is producing a documentary on the African diaspora through the perspective of African religious music in Brazil, Cuba, Haiti the U.S. and the Puerto Rico. And just as a small piece of verification, I've posted a picture of my Itotele given to me and signed by my Santero friends in Cuba a Twitter account...https://twitter.com/TheWiseWino
Now getting back to New Orleans. There is one addendum that I need to make. When I refer to the derivative nature of New Orleans Voodoo, I am speaking solely of the "indigenous" variety, over the years there has been a marked influx of Cuban refugees who may be practicing a more authentic version and my sources indicate since my last comment that there have been an increasing number of converts and very serious practitioners. But we were speaking, at least I was, from a historical perspective.
Chao.
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