This is a simple and difficult question to answer. Many people think that they know what Voodoo is
because of what they see in movies or on television. Some people have seen ceremonies and they
base their opinion on that experience. Different "experts" on Voodoo will each give a different definition.
Even practitioners often disagree about what Voodoo is because it's a different experience for each
practitioner. So I'll tell you what I think it is based on my research, experience, and lessons from those
more knowledgeable than me.
Voodoo is a religion of ancestor worship. A long long time ago, the many different tribal nations of Africa
practiced a style of honoring their ancestors involving drumming, dancing, singing, chanting, etc. When
these nations were broken and scattered during the slave trade this style of ancestor worship was a
common bond among the many displaced Africans. Each nation had their own style of doing it, but when
the nations were dispersed among the Americas many of the styles mixed with each other. Some
influence of other dispossessed people like Native Americans and lower class Europeans also trickled
into these practices. In this way, Voodoo was born.
People don't even agree on what the word "Voodoo" means or where it comes from. And many people
seem afraid to use the word at all and call the religion by other names like Vaudun, Voudoun, etc. The
name of the religion is Voodoo. Just Voodoo. Or Vodou in some parts of the world. The word "Voudoun"
and similar words actually define an aspect of the loa (ancestral spirits), not the religion itself. Milo
Rigaud, considered by many to be an expert on Voodoo, says that the word is based on two words: Vo
which means "introspection" and Du which means "into the unknown." Works for me. But it really doesn't
matter much. I once heard my mentor refer to Voodoo as Voudoun. When I asked her why, considering
that the name of the religion is Voodoo, she said "Oh, no one knows that, honey. It just makes it easier
for the tourist mentality." Her attitude was that some people have preconceived notions of what they
know about Voodoo and these people don't wish to be educated and because of that it isn't worth her
effort to educate them. But in the end, it really doesn't matter what you call the religion. I call it Voodoo.
You call it whatever you want. It'll still work no matter what you call it.
And that leads into what I think is one of the most attractive elements of Voodoo. It's a mutable,
adaptable, continually dynamic, ever-changing and growing system. Voodoo is whatever you make it.
There is a style of ritual that is it's foundation, but what you build on that foundation is up to you. Voodoo
in New Orleans is different from Voodoo in Haiti which is different from Voodoo in New York which is
different from Voodoo in California which is different from Voodoo in Canada and so on. Every Voodoo
house is different. This is because every person in the house brings something unique to the house.
Some religions involve the homogenization of the practitioners. Voodoo embraces and thrives on the
diversity of it's practitioners. Every new element brings fresh energy to the religion and keeps it alive and
vibrant, keeps the loa, the ancestors, well-fed and powerful. Creativity and improvisation are
encouraged. If the new element works well, it'll spread and become popular. If it doesn't work well,
discard it or tweak it till it does work. Voodoo is a system designed to be wide open for personalization.
And this is the way a spiritual system should be, in my opinion. A spiritual system is a very personal
thing, different for everyone, so it only makes sense that you should be able to personalize the system. It
allows you to not only practice your personal spiritual beliefs, but to BE your personal spiritual beliefs.
The foundation of Voodoo is the honoring of the ancestors. This is done, as mentioned above, through
various means like drumming, dancing, offerings, etc. No two ceremonies are ever the same. The goal
of the ceremony is to commune with the ancestors to gain knowledge and wisdom and understanding.
The ancestors most commonly called upon are called loa. The meaning and origin of this word, like the
word "Voodoo," is also debatable. But the loa are very powerful god-like ancestral spirits who are
conceived of in many forms. For example, the loa called Papa Legba is conceived of as a strong and
wise old man, Damballah is the great serpent, Simbi is anthropomorphized as a bull, etc. And there are
different aspects of each loa as well. The number of loa is unknown, but I'd guess there are millions of
loa, if not hundreds of millions, if not more. Like the religion itself, the number of loa is continually
growing. The way in which communion with the loa is generally achieved is by the use of a human vessel
and a veve.
A veve (vay-vay) is a design traced on the ground (most of the time) using white corn meal (most of the
time). Some are simple or crudely rendered while others are elaborate and geometrically perfect. A veve
acts as a sort of doorway or anchoring point for the loa to enter this world. Each loa has certain symbols
that they are partial to or symbols that represent them well that are drawn into the veve making each veve
unique to a specific loa or aspect of a loa. And many veves are different from house to house,
practitioner to practitioner. So in a ceremony, drumming ,dancing, singing, etc all create an energy
conducive to drawing the loa. The veve acts as the means for the loa to arrive. A human vessel acts as
the means of communication for the loa. This involves the human to sort of check out of his/her body and
let the loa check in. The human persona just simply goes away and doesn't really exist anywhere for a
time, at least not anywhere that can be remembered upon return. It is usually very obvious when the loa
has arrived. The energy, the air itself, tends to become very thick. There is often a temperature increase.
And the human vessel begins to behave erratically, perhaps dancing a certain way, demanding and
consuming strange foods and sometimes even non-edibles by human standards. The facial expression
usually changes significantly. The eyes still appear human, but very non-human at the same time, very
deep and old and almost alien. And when the loa speaks through the human, you listen, because that's
what it has come for. It may speak in any language and several languages at once. It may speak literally
or in riddles. The loa will remain until it has imparted it's message or until sent away or until it decides to
leave. Then the human persona comes back and is usually exhausted from being the host of such a
powerful experience.
And that's pretty much it. I have taken part in ceremonies with hundreds of people involved and I've done
solo work. There has been the full-out drumming and dancing stuff and quiet ritual with no drumming or
dancing. Every ceremony is different, unique to the people involved in it and the situation at hand. Many
times the loa does not enter the human vessel or is not called upon to do so, but communion is
established in other ways such as visions or voices in the mind or certain sensations. And some
ceremonies aren't designed to do anything more than simply honor the ancestors with offerings and
praise with no need for the loa to come through. It's always different. Voodoo is whatever you make it.
But sometimes people make it something that it really isn't no matter how much they think it is or want it
to be. It isn't a system of black magic or demonology. It isn't a means to curse or hex anyone. It isn't a
primitive cult soaked in the blood of sacrificial animals. Things like "Voodoo dolls" actually have no place
in Voodoo at all, but are actually a Hoodoo practice which is a mix of folk magic from various cultures.
Voodoo and Hoodoo are as different as Wicca and Witchcraft. The confusion comes from many
practitioners practicing both things, but not bothering to explain which is which to outsiders. Voodoo is a
religion of ancestor worship. Sticking pins in poppets and attempting to hurt people doesn't honor the
ancestors in any way. However, as Voodoo is always growing and assimilating new ideas, I suppose
that one variation of Voodoo would be to use a syncretization of Voodoo and Hoodoo together as one
system sort of like the way I add Lakota practices and Kundalini yoga to my personal practice. Just know
the difference between the elements that you add to your practice, know what they are, where they came
from, how they are different, why they are different, etc. But don't stick pins in a doll and call it Voodoo.
Animal sacrifice is another big misconception about Voodoo. Yes, they did it as common ritual back in
Africa. They killed an animal sacrificially, offered it's essence to the spirits, then they ate the animal.
Much like people do today. Except in today's practices the animals usually live very bad lives and are
killed with no honor for their sacred qualities and are purchased in restaurants or grocery stores. People
who practice Voodoo, as well as practitioners of some other religions, still use sacrificial animals. There
is nothing wrong that. Life feeds on life. Birth comes from death. It's the way of existence, the way of
nature. But those who criticize this practice because it's "wrong" or "cruel" and then go to McD's to get a
burger should learn about the reality of the practice before they criticize it, if not simply stop criticizing it
and exposing themselves as ignorant and hypocritical. The practice of animal sacrifice is far more
humane than what happens to the animals that end up in restaurants and grocery stores and the use of
animals in ritual is minimal compared to the infinite pile of carcasses that result from the daily
consumption of meat by most people. So please, learn about something before you criticize it, think
about something before you criticize it, don't just look at it in familiar terms of black and white.
That said, animal sacrifice is completely unnecessary. The use of animals in this way is like the use of
any other tool: entirely optional, a choice made of free will. If a spirit/deity/entity asks for a blood sacrifice
or even demands it, you have the option of saying "No." If you don't have that option within the strictures
of your spiritual system, perhaps you should look into other systems. There is no rule in Voodoo
demanding animal sacrifice. I have never done it in 10 years of practice. My mentor has never done it in
a lifetime of practice. We never will. We don't need to or want to. The spirits are still quite pleased with
us and happy to work with us. I personally have not eaten animals for the last 20 years or so. The thought
of eating one is repugnant to me. So how could I offer an animal, a meal that I wouldn't personally eat, a
meal that is repulsive to me, to an entity that I'm supposed to honoring? It would not be right. And
because this is Voodoo, I can do it any way that works for me. It's a flexible system, a personalized
system. You make your own rules. If you don't want to use animals, don't. No big deal.
I think that's enough for now, though I'll probably come back and edit this several times. I hope I have
shed some light on the mysteries of Voodoo. Remember, Voodoo is a different experience for everyone.
Some practitioners may disagree with things that I say here. That's OK. Their Voodoo is theirs and mine
is mine. But I'll share what I know and maybe you can make it yours. But if you make it yours, really make
it yours. Learn about it, think about it, experiment with it, enhance it, personalize it. Voodoo is what you
make it.
because of what they see in movies or on television. Some people have seen ceremonies and they
base their opinion on that experience. Different "experts" on Voodoo will each give a different definition.
Even practitioners often disagree about what Voodoo is because it's a different experience for each
practitioner. So I'll tell you what I think it is based on my research, experience, and lessons from those
more knowledgeable than me.
Voodoo is a religion of ancestor worship. A long long time ago, the many different tribal nations of Africa
practiced a style of honoring their ancestors involving drumming, dancing, singing, chanting, etc. When
these nations were broken and scattered during the slave trade this style of ancestor worship was a
common bond among the many displaced Africans. Each nation had their own style of doing it, but when
the nations were dispersed among the Americas many of the styles mixed with each other. Some
influence of other dispossessed people like Native Americans and lower class Europeans also trickled
into these practices. In this way, Voodoo was born.
People don't even agree on what the word "Voodoo" means or where it comes from. And many people
seem afraid to use the word at all and call the religion by other names like Vaudun, Voudoun, etc. The
name of the religion is Voodoo. Just Voodoo. Or Vodou in some parts of the world. The word "Voudoun"
and similar words actually define an aspect of the loa (ancestral spirits), not the religion itself. Milo
Rigaud, considered by many to be an expert on Voodoo, says that the word is based on two words: Vo
which means "introspection" and Du which means "into the unknown." Works for me. But it really doesn't
matter much. I once heard my mentor refer to Voodoo as Voudoun. When I asked her why, considering
that the name of the religion is Voodoo, she said "Oh, no one knows that, honey. It just makes it easier
for the tourist mentality." Her attitude was that some people have preconceived notions of what they
know about Voodoo and these people don't wish to be educated and because of that it isn't worth her
effort to educate them. But in the end, it really doesn't matter what you call the religion. I call it Voodoo.
You call it whatever you want. It'll still work no matter what you call it.
And that leads into what I think is one of the most attractive elements of Voodoo. It's a mutable,
adaptable, continually dynamic, ever-changing and growing system. Voodoo is whatever you make it.
There is a style of ritual that is it's foundation, but what you build on that foundation is up to you. Voodoo
in New Orleans is different from Voodoo in Haiti which is different from Voodoo in New York which is
different from Voodoo in California which is different from Voodoo in Canada and so on. Every Voodoo
house is different. This is because every person in the house brings something unique to the house.
Some religions involve the homogenization of the practitioners. Voodoo embraces and thrives on the
diversity of it's practitioners. Every new element brings fresh energy to the religion and keeps it alive and
vibrant, keeps the loa, the ancestors, well-fed and powerful. Creativity and improvisation are
encouraged. If the new element works well, it'll spread and become popular. If it doesn't work well,
discard it or tweak it till it does work. Voodoo is a system designed to be wide open for personalization.
And this is the way a spiritual system should be, in my opinion. A spiritual system is a very personal
thing, different for everyone, so it only makes sense that you should be able to personalize the system. It
allows you to not only practice your personal spiritual beliefs, but to BE your personal spiritual beliefs.
The foundation of Voodoo is the honoring of the ancestors. This is done, as mentioned above, through
various means like drumming, dancing, offerings, etc. No two ceremonies are ever the same. The goal
of the ceremony is to commune with the ancestors to gain knowledge and wisdom and understanding.
The ancestors most commonly called upon are called loa. The meaning and origin of this word, like the
word "Voodoo," is also debatable. But the loa are very powerful god-like ancestral spirits who are
conceived of in many forms. For example, the loa called Papa Legba is conceived of as a strong and
wise old man, Damballah is the great serpent, Simbi is anthropomorphized as a bull, etc. And there are
different aspects of each loa as well. The number of loa is unknown, but I'd guess there are millions of
loa, if not hundreds of millions, if not more. Like the religion itself, the number of loa is continually
growing. The way in which communion with the loa is generally achieved is by the use of a human vessel
and a veve.
A veve (vay-vay) is a design traced on the ground (most of the time) using white corn meal (most of the
time). Some are simple or crudely rendered while others are elaborate and geometrically perfect. A veve
acts as a sort of doorway or anchoring point for the loa to enter this world. Each loa has certain symbols
that they are partial to or symbols that represent them well that are drawn into the veve making each veve
unique to a specific loa or aspect of a loa. And many veves are different from house to house,
practitioner to practitioner. So in a ceremony, drumming ,dancing, singing, etc all create an energy
conducive to drawing the loa. The veve acts as the means for the loa to arrive. A human vessel acts as
the means of communication for the loa. This involves the human to sort of check out of his/her body and
let the loa check in. The human persona just simply goes away and doesn't really exist anywhere for a
time, at least not anywhere that can be remembered upon return. It is usually very obvious when the loa
has arrived. The energy, the air itself, tends to become very thick. There is often a temperature increase.
And the human vessel begins to behave erratically, perhaps dancing a certain way, demanding and
consuming strange foods and sometimes even non-edibles by human standards. The facial expression
usually changes significantly. The eyes still appear human, but very non-human at the same time, very
deep and old and almost alien. And when the loa speaks through the human, you listen, because that's
what it has come for. It may speak in any language and several languages at once. It may speak literally
or in riddles. The loa will remain until it has imparted it's message or until sent away or until it decides to
leave. Then the human persona comes back and is usually exhausted from being the host of such a
powerful experience.
And that's pretty much it. I have taken part in ceremonies with hundreds of people involved and I've done
solo work. There has been the full-out drumming and dancing stuff and quiet ritual with no drumming or
dancing. Every ceremony is different, unique to the people involved in it and the situation at hand. Many
times the loa does not enter the human vessel or is not called upon to do so, but communion is
established in other ways such as visions or voices in the mind or certain sensations. And some
ceremonies aren't designed to do anything more than simply honor the ancestors with offerings and
praise with no need for the loa to come through. It's always different. Voodoo is whatever you make it.
But sometimes people make it something that it really isn't no matter how much they think it is or want it
to be. It isn't a system of black magic or demonology. It isn't a means to curse or hex anyone. It isn't a
primitive cult soaked in the blood of sacrificial animals. Things like "Voodoo dolls" actually have no place
in Voodoo at all, but are actually a Hoodoo practice which is a mix of folk magic from various cultures.
Voodoo and Hoodoo are as different as Wicca and Witchcraft. The confusion comes from many
practitioners practicing both things, but not bothering to explain which is which to outsiders. Voodoo is a
religion of ancestor worship. Sticking pins in poppets and attempting to hurt people doesn't honor the
ancestors in any way. However, as Voodoo is always growing and assimilating new ideas, I suppose
that one variation of Voodoo would be to use a syncretization of Voodoo and Hoodoo together as one
system sort of like the way I add Lakota practices and Kundalini yoga to my personal practice. Just know
the difference between the elements that you add to your practice, know what they are, where they came
from, how they are different, why they are different, etc. But don't stick pins in a doll and call it Voodoo.
Animal sacrifice is another big misconception about Voodoo. Yes, they did it as common ritual back in
Africa. They killed an animal sacrificially, offered it's essence to the spirits, then they ate the animal.
Much like people do today. Except in today's practices the animals usually live very bad lives and are
killed with no honor for their sacred qualities and are purchased in restaurants or grocery stores. People
who practice Voodoo, as well as practitioners of some other religions, still use sacrificial animals. There
is nothing wrong that. Life feeds on life. Birth comes from death. It's the way of existence, the way of
nature. But those who criticize this practice because it's "wrong" or "cruel" and then go to McD's to get a
burger should learn about the reality of the practice before they criticize it, if not simply stop criticizing it
and exposing themselves as ignorant and hypocritical. The practice of animal sacrifice is far more
humane than what happens to the animals that end up in restaurants and grocery stores and the use of
animals in ritual is minimal compared to the infinite pile of carcasses that result from the daily
consumption of meat by most people. So please, learn about something before you criticize it, think
about something before you criticize it, don't just look at it in familiar terms of black and white.
That said, animal sacrifice is completely unnecessary. The use of animals in this way is like the use of
any other tool: entirely optional, a choice made of free will. If a spirit/deity/entity asks for a blood sacrifice
or even demands it, you have the option of saying "No." If you don't have that option within the strictures
of your spiritual system, perhaps you should look into other systems. There is no rule in Voodoo
demanding animal sacrifice. I have never done it in 10 years of practice. My mentor has never done it in
a lifetime of practice. We never will. We don't need to or want to. The spirits are still quite pleased with
us and happy to work with us. I personally have not eaten animals for the last 20 years or so. The thought
of eating one is repugnant to me. So how could I offer an animal, a meal that I wouldn't personally eat, a
meal that is repulsive to me, to an entity that I'm supposed to honoring? It would not be right. And
because this is Voodoo, I can do it any way that works for me. It's a flexible system, a personalized
system. You make your own rules. If you don't want to use animals, don't. No big deal.
I think that's enough for now, though I'll probably come back and edit this several times. I hope I have
shed some light on the mysteries of Voodoo. Remember, Voodoo is a different experience for everyone.
Some practitioners may disagree with things that I say here. That's OK. Their Voodoo is theirs and mine
is mine. But I'll share what I know and maybe you can make it yours. But if you make it yours, really make
it yours. Learn about it, think about it, experiment with it, enhance it, personalize it. Voodoo is what you
make it.
| What is Voodoo? by Tate' La Flamebeu |
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