African American Voodoo Essay

A Symbol of African Resistance and the Impact of European Contact on Haitian Voodoo

Vodou, a traditional African religion, is a symbol of a very distinctive local and African culture. As a traditional religion originating from the Niger River Valley, Voodoo was influenced in many ways during the colonial and European contact periods. I argue that voodoo represents the will and determination of the African people to resist colonial rule and oppression, while Catholicism shaped the unique attributes of Haitian voodoo as a result of European contact.

First, Vodou played a role as a symbol of anti-colonialism during the colonial period, and it was also under colonial oppression that Vodouism was able to develop. During the colonial period, large

However, voodoo practitioners insisted on preserving their traditional beliefs and culture, as mentioned in the article, "dances, funeral prac- tices, and even trance possession among enslaved and freed Africans indicate that they preserved ancient traditions in the face of enormous obstacles."(Murrell 62), even in the face of severe punishment if discovered, enslaved Africans still chose to perform rituals located in their rituals. Voodoo rituals and beliefs provided a way for African people to express their discontent and frustration with oppressive colonial regimes. And under such difficult circumstances, voodoo was further developed, "Resistance communities created a pan-Haitian creole identity among the various ethnic groups The need to present a united front in their common cause led to the sharing of knowledge and the forging of a common The need to present a united front in their common cause led to the sharing of knowledge and the forging of a common culture."(Murrell 63) People who resisted slavery established a common culture that belonged to them, and when a group of people had a common faith, then for them, it became a unified

During the colonial period, the European colonizers tried to deprive the African people of their cultural identity by limiting the free spirituality of the enslaved people, thus enabling them to colonize these Africans more favorably. European colonizers tried to suppress African cultural practices and impose European cultural values and religion, "The code demanded that all slaves be baptized, receive instruction in the Catholic faith, attend Sunday Mass and confession, and renounce the practice of outlawed Vodou."(Murrell 62) During the colonial period, slaves were required to study Catholicism, and they learned to continue to pursue their African religious practices. This fusion of Catholicism and Voodoo eventually led to the emergence of a hybrid religion known as Haitian Voodoo, which remains an important part of Haitian culture and spirituality today. At the same time, Catholicism also influenced the development of Haitian Vodou culture and practices, for example, "Closely tied to the saints-lwa synchronicity are the pervasive Catholic icons, especially chromolithographs."(Murrell 72), the integration of lwa with Catholicism as the main spirit of voodoo further demonstrates the influence that religion brought by European contact has had on the development of voodoo. Catholicism played an important role in the