Evil prejudices about voodoo are hard to shake. I bet the first image that comes to your mind is the "voodoo doll" (right?) Well, there is more to voodoo than that and it would even bring us closer to our African ancestors. 

The slave trade brought West Africans (for the most part) to Haiti. During this period, the process of dehumanization of the slaves went as far as the deprivation of their original first and last names. Nevertheless, beliefs and customs remained intact in the hearts of the slaves.

The birth of Haitian voodoo then took its roots in the lands of Benin and the Kongo Empire. "Vodoun", which in Benin means divinity and spirit, is based on African spirituality, for which only one God exists: Bondye (Good God in Creole). It can take many forms called "Lwa". Worship is practiced in order to spiritually nourish these "Lwa".

Unlike other religions based on patriarchy, Voodoo advocates equality between men and women, since women can become priestesses.

But where does this demonization of Voodoo come from? According to the collective consciousness, Haiti is an island cursed by its practice of voodoo. From superstition to cannibal and evil cults, a negative propaganda campaign was carried out by the colonists after the Haitian revolution. Later, it continued with Hollywood (e.g. the first voodoo movie: "White zombie" (1932), blockbusters like "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Fountain of Youth" (2011), or cartoons like "The Princess and the Frog" (2009).

It should be noted that voodoo practices were banned several times by the Haitian government. Finally, a bit contradictory when we know that Dutty Boukman (voodoo spiritual leader) is at the origin of the Revolution, before Toussaint Louverture. In 1987, Haiti became a secular state. In 2003, the state officially recognized voodoo as a religion in its own right!

Today, can we say that the negative image of Haitian voodoo tends to disappear?

Caribbeanfully yours