White Magic and Voodoo

Voodoo History

Basic Principles Background

Ask a hundred different voodoo priest about voodoo and you will get a hundred different answers.

The word 'vodun' — the Haitian word 'Voodoo' is derived from — comes from the African Fon Language which is still spoken today in Benin. Vodun means "divinity" or "Idol".

The history of voodoo does not start, as many people believe around 1500 AD in Haiti, but about 15,000 years before Christ in Africa. Thus, the real source of voodoo is the Egyptian pyramids. These people would later come to be called 'Yoruba'. They were slaves to the Pharaohs and Kings. These people were later released however they never forgot the unbelievable things that they saw. They had a profound admiration for God and desired to know him.

At This time the Yoruba crossed into Africa from Egypt, using a route which crossed over into Afica from the Nile and into Niger. In this area of today's Nigeria, at the time, was a culture called the 'Nok'. Between 200 and 500 BC, The Yoruba met the Nok and the two cultures slowly began to merge. Under the leadership of the Yoruba king Oduduwa, the people of Yoruba settled down in the city of Ile-Ife, which was considered a holy city by the natives. Descendant of this nation conquered large areas and laid the foundation of the Yoruba kingdom and spread voodoo through all of his conquered lands.

In 1492 AD Columbus discovered an island, known today as Haiti, which he named "Hispaniola". Very quickly, the settlers discovered the sugar cane and tobacco, the benefits of cotton and agricultural wealth of Hispaniola. The original inhabitants of Hispaniola, proved to be poor slaves, and very susceptible to diseases. King Charles V of Spain ordered the deportation of 15,000 blacks from Africa to meet the demand of the Spanish colonists in Hispaniola. As indeed belonged to many but not all, of the black slaves of the Yoruba ethnic group, soon began to merge cultures and religions, and laid the foundation for today's voodoo.

Today it is estimated that from the 16th to 19th century nearly 12 million people were deported from Africa. Of the survivors a little bit more than forty percent presumably went to the Caribbean (Haiti, Cuba and Jamaica), possibly also many to Brazil, approximately five percent to North America and the remaining in Spanish, French and Dutch South America. Therefore Haitian voodoo developed, the Cuban variation of Voodoo Santeria as well as the Brazilian variations of Voodoo Candomble and Umbanda.

In the historical consciousness of the Haitians Voodoo has an extraordinary meaning and as well played a role in Bois Caiman, and in the ensuing revolution. This has made the voodoo into a kind of national religion of Haiti. Thus today Voodoo has a certain military symbolism, which is not found in other Afro-American religions.

In 1996 Voodoo became an official national religion in Benin. April 4th 2003 opened yet another new chapter for the Voodoo religion. Voodoo was made the official religion of Haiti. Priests and priestesses in Haiti now have the same rights as their Catholic counterparts. They may perform formal marriages, baptisms and conduct funerals. A few years ago Voodoo was recognized by the pope as a separate religion, because Voodoo priest have healed so many people and their healing power has become very well known.

The Central Core

Around which everything revolves.

In this central core of voodoo worship is Loa (god, divine being, good spirit), Oracle, ancestral worship and reincarnation. Heaven and hell do not exist in Voodooism. Why?, In Voodoo they believe in reincarnation. The deeds of a person influence his next life. Someone who has been a good, honest and faithful person has the chance to ascend to Loa. Thus they are given not only the power and influence but the opportunity to shape the world. If the person has not behaved well and was angry the person will be again born as a human and begin a new life cycle. He again well have every opportunity, but all the temptations from before well still threaten and entice him.

If the person was not good in their life it is possible that in his next life he will be punished by Loa. This could be a spiritual or physical impediments. However the belief of voodoo involves primarily light punishment for offenses. However, serious offenses will be punished with misfortune or illness, or the rebirth as an animal. If the person was particularly bad, they can be reborn as Diab, as a demonic creature that only aspires to harm the living or dominate you. Voodoo believers believe that Loa as well as Diab are Omnipresent. Therefore both take part in ones everyday life and are informed about all actions and misdeeds of believers.

Mambo — Chief Priestess of Voodoo

Oungan — Senior priest of Voodoo

No problem is too small to be presented to the Gods and spirits: Be it love, pain, or financial worries, the academic difficulties of children, conflicts with family or at work, especially health emergencies - a mambo or a Oungan will be ready to ask the deity's (Loa or Loa's) for their council and support. The role of the Mambo and the Oungan is therefore, less compared with that of a priest or pastor in the Christian churches.

Mambo and Oungan in Voodoo devote themselves, primarily, to the practical "life help" and are more healers than priest and the Voodoo "temple" more "advice centers" than law. A lot of Mambo or Oungan offer regular "speech hours" during which they question the deity's about the problems which are reported to them. Behind his is the belief that disease, but also all other kinds of hardship and adversity, are consequences of disturbed relationships in the spiritual realm. At the same time one believes in Voodoo that the responsible spiritual forces can be identified and be influenced in favor of the believer.

More about Candomble (Voodoo) and the unity of religions.

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