| Voodoo is a religion brought to America by black | | | | after the year 1500 off the African continent. |
| slaves from Nigeria, a country that became a | | | | Presently we have a Haitian-type, but also its |
| central resource of slavery boom for colonial | | | | offshoots in other parts of Latin and Northern |
| powers, which all started with massive transport | | | | America. |
| of slaves from West Africa to America in about | | | | The basic concept of this religion is based on |
| the year 1500 with cruelest forms of humiliation. | | | | magic, spirits, and worshiping of God. Some parts |
| Of course, these human beings were not slaves, | | | | of it merged with Christianity - for example, |
| but only forcibly made that way. | | | | Candomble in Brazil. Louisiana Voodoo is just |
| Many of them were killed and flogged to death | | | | another offshoot, which appeared in New Orleans. |
| like animals. Among the barbaric nations were | | | | Except for Haiti, the Haitian-type Voodoo can also |
| Spain (which colonized countries like Cuba, | | | | be found in Brazil, Trinidad, or the Dominican |
| Venezuela, Peru...), Portugal (Brazil), and United | | | | Republic (we could certainly mention some other |
| Kingdom (which colonized Northern America). | | | | countries as well). |
| Other countries built their economy on slavery | | | | Voodoo as a religion can be either described from |
| too, but the above ones expanded the yoke hand | | | | the inside or the outside and many parts of it are |
| in hand with Christianity and with the cruelest | | | | secretive. Voodoo is a spiritualistic religion, which |
| impact on other native nations like American | | | | means that a practitioner may be exposed to |
| Indians. | | | | spirits or a spiritual experience; some spirits can |
| Voodoo originated in Nigeria, which has more than | | | | help (cure, give predictions), or harm (a curse |
| 250 ethnic groups - the largest one Yoruba or | | | | used against an enemy). Voodoo believes that |
| Igbo with a variety of religious systems such as | | | | there is one God and its practitioners give a |
| Olorun or Vodun. Nigeria was a cradle of | | | | strong accent on behavior of nature and adjust |
| prehistoric civilizations such as Nok. The Nok | | | | their attitudes to it accordingly. Spirits are |
| culture had developed many years before Christ | | | | understood to be God's or Devil's helpers. |
| and it is known to have had contacts with the | | | | Of all mainstream religions, only Hinduism can be |
| then ancient Egypt. Various archeological | | | | comparable to Voodoo, as it is open and draws |
| excavations confirm this. The Nok people used | | | | its power from aboriginal cultures too. A similar |
| symbols which epitomized the authoritative | | | | practice found both in Voodoo and Hinduism is, for |
| representations of the Egyptian culture. | | | | example, Kolam or Rangoli - the Hindu traditional |
| Dr. Kwame Nantambu (Kent State University) | | | | pictures drawn on the ground (auspicious signs), |
| says that black Africans in ancient Egypt wrote | | | | either on the floor or in front of the threshold. |
| the Bible (Old Testament) as scribes, which is a | | | | Another similarity between Hinduism and Voodoo |
| fact that the Catholic Church hides from the | | | | is belief in snake people. Hindus believe in the |
| public. Even today, in Ethiopia, you can meet | | | | Nagas and have Naga Gods (like Khodiyar Maa); |
| "black Jews" - black Ethiopians with Judaism as | | | | practitioners of Voodoo have a snake god (or |
| their faith. | | | | god closely associated with snakes) called |
| Maybe it will surprise some people, but the | | | | Damballah Wedo. |
| Catholic Church is an organization that resembles | | | | Voodoo as a religion became famous with its |
| the Roman Empire in a certain way. It is divided all | | | | Zombies, which are mentally dead persons (made |
| over the world to provinces in the same way as | | | | such by a Voodoo sorcerer). In association with |
| the Roman Empire; it has its Emperor and a lot of | | | | Voodoo, we can also meet with the term |
| the Catholic heraldry resembles the one used in | | | | Hoodoo, but the difference is like between a |
| the Roman Empire. Similar analogies exist in our | | | | religion and practice (or Wicca and Witchcraft). |
| history and Voodoo is not an exception. | | | | Voodoo has spirits, gods and goddesses (like |
| Voodoo together with some other contemporary | | | | Erzulie), but its Egyptian aspect probably survived |
| African religions is the only living religion in the | | | | in the form of Goddess Yemaya - Yoruban |
| world which contains some elements of the | | | | Orisha or Goddess of the ocean, which was |
| ancient Egyptian beliefs, particularly the cult of Isis, | | | | brought to America by the African Diaspora. |
| which had been still very popular up to the 4th | | | | Yemaya brings fish to the fishermen and her sign |
| century AD also in Europe until Christianity | | | | is the crescent moon, which gives us a strong |
| became the official dogma. A logical support for | | | | association with Hindu Goddess Durga. In Brazilian |
| the above statement is that Isis was the | | | | Candomble, she is known by the above name, |
| Goddess of Magic, which is the same element of | | | | which may slightly differ (Yemanja); in the Haitian |
| Voodoo. Of course, there are other "magical | | | | Voodoo she is worshipped as the goddess of |
| religions", but the cult of Isis and Voodoo (African | | | | moon. |
| Vodun) are territorially closer, and both very old. | | | | Voodoo is a religion not to play with. It must be |
| Voodoo is an offshoot of a variety of religions | | | | approached with respect and not with derision, |
| practiced in the then Nigeria and not only the | | | | otherwise we may soon find out that its power |
| result of the presently living Vodun in Africa, but | | | | really works. The consequences can be either |
| conditioned by history in which it developed from | | | | good or bad. |