Info For You Lot Voodoo (African Spiritual Religious Systems)

Voodoo African Spritual Religious Systems Also see Islam, Christianity and Religions inward the Africa in addition to the Diaspora Voodoo (Vodun) is a derivative of the world's oldest known religions which have got been to a greater extent than or less inward Africa since the commencement of human civilization. Some conservative estimates these civilizations in addition to religions to live over 10 000 years old. This so seat Voodoo equally in all likelihood the best instance of African syncretism inward the Americas Although its essential wisdom originated inward dissimilar parts of Africa long earlier the Europeans started the slave trade, the construction of Voodoo, equally nosotros know it today, was born in Haiti during the European colonization of Hispaniola.

Ironically, it was the enforced immigration of enslaved African from dissimilar ethnic groups that provided the circumstances for the evolution of Voodoo. European colonists stance that past times desolating the ethnic groups, these could non come upward together equally a community. However, inward the misery of slavery, the transplanted Africans found inward their faith a mutual thread. They began to invoke non exclusively their ain Gods, but to do rites other than their own. In this process, they comingled in addition to modified rituals of diverse ethnic groups. The outcome of such fusion was that the dissimilar religious groups integrated their beliefs, thereby creating a novel religion: Voodoo. The give-and-take "voodoo" comes from the West African give-and-take "vodun," important spirit. This Afro-Caribbean faith mixed practices from many African ethnics groups such equally the Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos , Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, in addition to the Malgaches. The Essence of  Voodoo Within the voodoo society, at that topographic point are no accidents. Practitioners believe that zippo in addition to no lawsuit has a life of its own. That is why "vous deux", you lot two, you lot too. The universe is all one. Each affair affects something else. Scientists know that. Nature knows it. Many spiritualists concur that nosotros are non separate, nosotros all serve equally parts of One. So, inward essence, what you lot create unto another, you lot create unto you, because you lot ARE the other. Voo doo. View you. We are mirrors of each others souls. God is manifest through the spirits of ancestors who tin can convey goodness or price in addition to must live honored inward ceremonies. There is a sacred wheel betwixt the living in addition to the dead. Believers inquire for their misery to end. Rituals include prayers, drumming, dancing, singing in addition to beast sacrifice. The serpent figures heavily inward the Voodoo faith. The give-and-take Voodoo has been translated equally "the ophidian nether whose auspices get together all who part the faith". The high priest and/or priestess of the faith (often called Papa or Maman) are the vehicles for the seem of the serpent's power. The supreme deity is Bon Dieu. There are hundreds of spirits called Loa who command nature, health, wealth in addition to happiness of mortals. The Loa shape a pantheon of deities that include Damballah, Ezili, Ogu, Agwe, Legba in addition to others. During Voodoo ceremonies these Loa tin can possess the bodies of the ceremony participants. Loa appear past times "possessing" the faithful, who inward plow go the Loa, relaying advice, warnings in addition to desires. Voodoo is an animist faith. That is, objects in addition to natural phenomena are believed to possess holy significance, to possess a soul. Thus the Loa Agwe is the divine presence behind the hurricane. Music in addition to trip the low-cal fantastic are fundamental elements to Voodoo ceremonies. Ceremonies were oft termed past times whites "Night Dancing" or "Voodoo Dancing". This dancing is non but a prelude to sexual frenzy, equally it has oft been portrayed. The trip the low-cal fantastic is an seem of spirituality, of connective with divinity in addition to the spirit world. Voodoo is a practical religion, playing an of import operate inward the draw solid unit of measurement in addition to the community. One's ancestors, for instance, are believed to live a business office of the world of the spirits, of the Loas, in addition to this is i way that Voodoo serves to root its participants inward their ain history in addition to tradition. Another practical aspect of Voodoo ceremonies is that participants oft come upward earlier the priest or priestess to seek advice, spiritual guidance, or aid with their problems. The priest or priestess then, through divine aid, offering aid such equally healing through the work of herbs or medicines (using knowledge that has been passed downwards inside the faith itself), or healing through faith itself equally is mutual inward other religions. Voodoo teaches a observe for the natural world. Unfortunately, the public's perception of voodoo rites in addition to rituals seems oft to call for to the evil or malicious side of things. There are healing spells, nature spells, dear spells, purification spells, joyous celebration spells. Spirits may live invoked to convey harmony in addition to peace, nascence in addition to rebirth, increased abundance of luck, fabric happiness, renewed health.The fact is, for those who believe it, voodoo is powerful. It is also empowering to the soul who practices it. Voodoo in addition to its struggle to survive Despite Voodoo's noble status equally i of the worlds oldest religions, it has been typically characterized equally barbaric, primitive, sexually licentious do based on superstition in addition to spectacle. Much of this picture however, is due to a concerted endeavour past times Europeans, who have got a massive fearfulness of anything African, to suppress in addition to distort a legitimate in addition to unique faith that flourished with their enslaved Africans. When slavers brought these peoples across the sea to the Americas , the African's brought their faith with them. However, since slavery included stripping the slaves of their language, culture, in addition to heritage, this faith had to select some dissimilar forms. It had to live practiced inward secret, since inward some places it was punishable past times death, in addition to it had to accommodate to the loss of their African languages. In monastic tell to survive, Voodoo also adopted many elements of Christianity. When the French who were the colonizers of Republic of Haiti , realized that the faith of the Africans was a threat to the colonial system, they prohibited all African faith practices in addition to severely punished the practitioners of Voodoo with imprisonment, lashings in addition to hangings. This religious struggle continued for 3 centuries, but none of the punishments could extinguished the faith of the Africans.  This procedure of acculturation helped Voodoo to grow nether harsh cultural weather inward many areas of the Americas . Voodoo survives equally a legitimate faith inward a release of areas of the world, Brazil where it is called "Candomblé" in addition to the English linguistic communication speaking Caribbean Area where it is called “Obeah”. The Ewe people of southern Togo in addition to southeastern Republic of Ghana -- ii countries inward West Africa -- are devout believers. In most of the United States of America of America however, white slavers were successful inward stripping slaves of their Voodoo traditions in addition to beliefs. Thus Voodoo is, for most African Americans, yet some other business office of their heritage that they tin can exclusively attempt to re-discover. The strength that the Africans in Haiti gained from their faith was so strong in addition to powerful, that they were able to live on the brutal persecution of the French rulers against Voodoo. It was inward the midst of this struggle that the revolution was conspired. The Voodoo priests consulted their oracle in addition to learned how the political battle would have got to live fought inward monastic tell for them to live victorious. The revolution exploded inward 1791 with a Petr— ritual in addition to continued until 1804 when the Haitians finally won independence. Today the organization of Voodoo reflects its history. We tin can consider the African ethnic mixture inward the names of dissimilar rites in addition to inward the pantheon of Gods or Loas, which is composed of deities from all parts of Africa .  PHENOMENOLOGICAL APPROACH DIVINITY AS CONCEIVED BY THE AJA-FON Mawu, the Supreme God The South Bénin cultural expanse of the Fon, Gun, Mina in addition to Ewe peoples is characterized past times a similar excogitation of divinity: belief inward the existence of God is general. This God, recognized equally the Supreme Being, equally Transcendent, is referred to past times the term Mawu. According to the testimony of Fr. Paul Falcon "everyone professes the existence of a Supreme Being who created ‘the trees in addition to the ropes’, a Fon idiomatic seem which agency everything that exists… This Supreme Being is called Mawu". That God is the creator of the universe, of mankind in addition to of all that exists is to a greater extent than oft than non accepted. And this notion of God existed with these peoples earlier the arrival of the neat monotheistic religions (Christianity, Islam). With the Fon, for example, this god Mawu is also named Sêgbo lisa, Dada Sêgbo, Sêmêdo or Gbêdoto depending on whether i is stressing the creation (Mawu, Dada-Sêgbo), the regulation of beingness (Sêmêdo) or life (Gbêdoto). But if at that topographic point is no uncertainty at all well-nigh the Supreme God Mawu inward the mentality of these peoples, where create the really pop practices of Vodun come from? To respond this inquiry agency showing the existing human relationship between Mawu and Vodun. The human relationship betwixt Mawu in addition to Vodun The absolute transcendence attributed to Mawu does non allow i to conceive of his human relationship of immanence with humanity. Yet the human spirit needs a human relationship of salvific proximity, of slow access to the Supreme Being. And since creatures manifest the Creator, human being finds sacred forces inward sure as shooting phenomena or situations that are beyond his understanding. It is through this vision of the world that Vodun emerges. For the people of South Benin, Mawu is good, but he does non draw concern himself straight with man; he is omnipotent but has delegated his ability to the Vodun(s). Hence the Vodun(s), recognized equally Mawu’s creatures, according to the Fon seem "Mawu wê create Vodun lê", are Mawu’s representatives with men, signs of the divinity’s immanence inward answer to the spiritual desires of mankind. In this sense, Vodun designates all that is sacred, all ability coming from the invisible world to influence the world of the living, everything that is mysterious. For this reason, it is explicitly distinct from Mawu. But nosotros discovery that at that topographic point is no actual worship of the latter inward the tradition, except sure as shooting spontaneous prayers or references such equally "Mawu na blo" (God volition act), "Kpê Mawu ton" (may God create upward one's hear thus) used on dissimilar occasions. The Vodun(s) receive the worship because of their proximity to human being compared to Mawu. Divine qualities are attributed to them, characterised equally the spirits they are considered to live to a higher seat all natural laws. All these attributes are the piece of work of Mawu. Examining the internal dynamics of the Vodun pantheon volition give a clearer stance of the subject human relationship the Vodun(s) have with Mawu. Types of Vodun  It would live a vain company to claim to enumerate the types of Vodun or to course of study them exhaustively. Mgr. Robert Sastre tried to tackle the inquiry in Les Vodun dans la vie culturelle, sociale et politique du Sud-Dahomey. Honorat Aguessy did the same affair in Cultures Vodun, Manifestations – Migrations – Métamorphoses (Afrique, Caraïbes, Amériques). With this of import background, inward our approach nosotros volition focus on the mystical rootage of the Vodun(s) as proposed past times Fr. Mêdéwalé Jacob Agossou in Gbêto et Gbêdoto. Firstly, the Vodun(s) are considered equally the sons of Mawu, God the Creator. Here are the 7 most of import of these: Sakpata: This is the eldest boy of Mawu to whom the world was entrusted: "Ayi Vodun", the Vodun of the earth. His ability is feared in addition to terrifying. His attributes are the arm of smallpox, scissors, a chain in addition to black, white in addition to ruddy spots. Sakpata has many sons, including the Vodun of leprosy (Ada Tangni), in addition to of incurable sores (sinji aglosumato). Xêvioso (or Xêbioso): This is the Vodun of the heaven (Jivodun) who manifests himself inward thunder in addition to lightning. He is Mawu’s 2nd boy in addition to is considered aVodun of jurist who punishes thieves, liars, criminals in addition to evil-doers. His attibutes are the thunderbolt, the double axe, the ram, the color ruddy in addition to fire. Xêvioso has several sons including Sogbo, Aklobè, Avlékété.   Followers of Heviosso, dispenser of justice, god of thunder in addition to lightning inward Februaryr 1998 Agbe: This is the Vodun of the sea (Tovodun). He is also known as Hu. He is represented past times a serpent, a symbol of everything that gives life. One of his powerful children is Dan Toxosu who manifests himself inward the nascence of monster babies. Gu: This is the Vodun of Fe in addition to war. He gives human being his dissimilar technologies. He is the Vodun who does non have got complicity with evil. Therefore he is capable of killing all accomplices inward acts of infamy if he is appealed to. This is expressed past times the Fon proverb "da gu do". Agê: This 5th boy of Mawu is the Vodun of agriculture in addition to the forests. He reigns over animals in addition to birds. Jo: This Vodun is characterized past times invisibility. He is the Vodun of the air. Lêgba: This is Mawu’s youngest son. He received no endowments at all because all had already been shared out with his elders. He is jealous, in addition to it is he who loosens the stiff construction of the pantheon. He is the Vodun of the unpredictable, of what cannot live assigned to whatever other in addition to he is characterised past times daily tragedies; all that is beyond goodness in addition to evil. Such a deduction is much to a greater extent than theoretical than real. Vodun does non absorb all that is cultural. There is a strong vogue for faith to supervene upon culture. What does recur is that the cult appropriates cultural elements. The religious cult tin can claim for itself equally meaningful signs (acts, gestures, words…) those past times which human being shows his human relationship of communion with the transcendent. In Vodun, this is a specific deed of devotion in addition to religiosity. The essential acts of worship inward the Vodun religion are sacrifices (of propitiation or thanksgiving), offerings in addition to prayers. Communion meals in addition to annual purification rites consummate the vast hit of forms of ritual worship. The cult’s impact on cultural life goes through the moral prohibitions in addition to prescriptions which emanate specifically from Vodun (Vodun-sù). This necessary distinction betwixt the cult in addition to the civilisation is the unavoidable status for sincere dialogue betwixt this civilisation in addition to Christianity, so equally to start a procedure of inculturation. But this precise Definition inward no way seeks to insinuate that the faith equally a whole is a negative, coarse idolatry. Haitian Voodoo practitioners If the truth is to live told, it must live recognised that the shortcomings, failures in addition to deviations ofVodun (charms, magic, sorcery, fetishism…) exploit the senses, the useful, inward a quest for power. There is an unwarranted exchange of symbols, signs for the pure fabric nature of the sign. This leads to superstitious in addition to magical attitudes, widespread infusion of wickedness in addition to terror inVodun practices. Hence the perplexity in addition to scepticism when faced with a Vodun that promotes a sure as shooting morality. In the Hênnu, the Ako (lineage) in addition to the To, Vodun constitutes an chemical component of social cohesion. The regular ceremonies of each social entity’s particular Vodun provide neat moments of brotherhood inward action. The followers of the same Vodun are saltation past times this Vodun’s specific prohibitions in addition to legal prescriptions. The Vodun rules constitute a life of solidarity with these individuals: quarrels betwixt followers of the same Vodun are to a greater extent than oft than non settled at the convent or at the Vodunun’s house. In addition, Vodun tolerates no transgression of its prohibitions. This maintains with sincere Vodun adepts a permanent civilisation of fidelity. The total commitment of ex-Vodun adepts who have got converted to Christianity is a proof of this. Finally, it should live noted that if Vodun does non oppose the rules of life known as Gbêsu, it accepts them implicitly. These Gbêsu hold the devastation of life in addition to the betrayal of friends inward abomination. The features to live focused on therefore, are the values of fraternity, solidarity, communion in addition to religious fidelity, without forgetting the social prohibitions to which Vodun implicitly give credit. Togoville dwelling of voodoo inward Togo CONCLUSION To conclude this brief communication on the traditional Vodun religion of Benin, I must call for out that it was non possible to tell everything, fifty-fifty on essential aspects. However, inward spite of all the excesses to its discredit, Vodun in its purity remains a fertile basis for evangelisation. As a cultural phenomenon, it could offering numerous values to live Christianised. But the gordian knot remains the difficulty of setting it on the Paschal way. To empty Vodun of its magic in addition to sorcery would live beneficial for the people of Benin. For the fourth dimension being, this seems an utopian enterprise, today to a greater extent than than inward the past. Indeed, the seventeen years of Marxist-Leninist policies inward Benin, 1972-1989, with anti-religious campaigns in addition to witch-hunts, had contributed to diminishing the importance in addition to reducing the influence of Vodun. But with the coming of democratic renewal since 1990, Vodun has regained vitality. From 28 May to 1 June 1991, a symposium of the neat leaders of the Vodun cults was held with the aim of restoring a sure as shooting flat of legal recognition for this traditional religion. In 1993, a neat international Vodun festival was organised in addition to held inward Benin: "Ouidah 92". Its outcome was to foster its renewal. In the same year, Pope John Paul II’s view in addition to his highly media-enhanced coming together with Vodun leaders were taken past times many Vodun followers, non equally a sign of dialogue, but equally the indication that the Church at lastly recognises that the Vodun cult has its place. This combination of circumstances agency that inward Benin Vodun is currently organising in addition to structuring itself to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than equally a traditional religion, with a national feast (10 January) in addition to a national hierarchy. In sum, to attain out to these Vodun adepts, the Church volition no longer live able to work exclusively the Bible in addition to Holy Water, but to a higher seat all volition involve dialogue.

SOURCE:http://www.africanlegends.info/
photosource:http://www.echophotoagency.com/stories/african-voodoo-benin-cradle-voodoo

Haitian voodoo celebrants






















On January, tenth 2009, Republic of Benin celebrated Voodoo during the National Voodoo Day, a vacation which takes seat each twelvemonth since 1996. Although 60% of this West African country's population do voodoo, it had been targeted past times the marxists government since the seventies. Since the commencement of the nineties, the goverment has pursued efforts to rehabilitate this cult, in addition to every year, thousands of adepts "vodounsi" get together inward several locations. In Comè, a minor town well-nigh a hundred kilometers westward of Cotonou, hundreds of voodoo adepts gathered to sing, trip the low-cal fantastic in addition to offering prayers in addition to sacrifices to gods in addition to ancestors. His Excellency Houngué Towakon Guédéhoungué II, president of the voodoo cult inward Benin, led the ceremonies.





























Vodoun festival Agbodrafor, Togo



























Haitian vodoun practitioners


































Voodoo egungun








Voodoo drummers


























                                 http://marcdozier.com/reportage/benin_en/
SOURCE:https://haftshappenings.blogspot.com/search?q=haiti-carnival-of-flowers-05.jpg" height="360" width="640" />

Such a deduction is much to a greater extent than theoretical than real. Vodun does non absorb all that is cultural. There is a strong vogue for faith to supervene upon culture. What does recur is that the cult appropriates cultural elements. The religious cult tin can claim for itself equally meaningful signs (acts, gestures, words…) those past times which human being shows his human relationship of communion with the transcendent. In Vodun, this is a specific deed of devotion in addition to religiosity. The essential acts of worship inward the Vodun religion are sacrifices (of propitiation or thanksgiving), offerings in addition to prayers. Communion meals in addition to annual purification rites consummate the vast hit of forms of ritual worship. The cult’s impact on cultural life goes through the moral prohibitions in addition to prescriptions which emanate specifically from Vodun (Vodun-sù). This necessary distinction betwixt the cult in addition to the civilisation is the unavoidable status for sincere dialogue betwixt this civilisation in addition to Christianity, so equally to start a procedure of inculturation. But this precise Definition inward no way seeks to insinuate that the faith equally a whole is a negative, coarse idolatry.

Haitian Voodoo practitioners

If the truth is to live told, it must live recognised that the shortcomings, failures in addition to deviations ofVodun (charms, magic, sorcery, fetishism…) exploit the senses, the useful, inward a quest for power. There is an unwarranted exchange of symbols, signs for the pure fabric nature of the sign. This leads to superstitious in addition to magical attitudes, widespread infusion of wickedness in addition to terror inVodun practices. Hence the perplexity in addition to scepticism when faced with a Vodun that promotes a sure as shooting morality. In the Hênnu, the Ako (lineage) in addition to the To, Vodun constitutes an chemical component of social cohesion. The regular ceremonies of each social entity’s particular Vodun provide neat moments of brotherhood inward action. The followers of the same Vodun are saltation past times this Vodun’s specific prohibitions in addition to legal prescriptions. The Vodun rules constitute a life of solidarity with these individuals: quarrels betwixt followers of the same Vodun are to a greater extent than oft than non settled at the convent or at the Vodunun’s house. In addition, Vodun tolerates no transgression of its prohibitions. This maintains with sincere Vodun adepts a permanent civilisation of fidelity. The total commitment of ex-Vodun adepts who have got converted to Christianity is a proof of this. Finally, it should live noted that if Vodun does non oppose the rules of life known as Gbêsu, it accepts them implicitly. These Gbêsu hold the devastation of life in addition to the betrayal of friends inward abomination. The features to live focused on therefore, are the values of fraternity, solidarity, communion in addition to religious fidelity, without forgetting the social prohibitions to which Vodun implicitly give credit.

Togoville dwelling of voodoo inward Togo

CONCLUSION

To conclude this brief communication on the traditional Vodun religion of Benin, I must call for out that it was non possible to tell everything, fifty-fifty on essential aspects. However, inward spite of all the excesses to its discredit, Vodun in its purity remains a fertile basis for evangelisation. As a cultural phenomenon, it could offering numerous values to live Christianised. But the gordian knot remains the difficulty of setting it on the Paschal way. To empty Vodun of its magic in addition to sorcery would live beneficial for the people of Benin. For the fourth dimension being, this seems an utopian enterprise, today to a greater extent than than inward the past.

Indeed, the seventeen years of Marxist-Leninist policies inward Benin, 1972-1989, with anti-religious campaigns in addition to witch-hunts, had contributed to diminishing the importance in addition to reducing the influence of Vodun. But with the coming of democratic renewal since 1990, Vodun has regained vitality. From 28 May to 1 June 1991, a symposium of the neat leaders of the Vodun cults was held with the aim of restoring a sure as shooting flat of legal recognition for this traditional religion. In 1993, a neat international Vodun festival was organised in addition to held inward Benin: "Ouidah 92". Its outcome was to foster its renewal. In the same year, Pope John Paul II’s view in addition to his highly media-enhanced coming together with Vodun leaders were taken past times many Vodun followers, non equally a sign of dialogue, but equally the indication that the Church at lastly recognises that the Vodun cult has its place. This combination of circumstances agency that inward Benin Vodun is currently organising in addition to structuring itself to a greater extent than in addition to to a greater extent than equally a traditional religion, with a national feast (10 January) in addition to a national hierarchy. In sum, to attain out to these Vodun adepts, the Church volition no longer live able to work exclusively the Bible in addition to Holy Water, but to a higher seat all volition involve dialogue.