Vodun and the related Voodoo religions of the African culture Essay

Vodun and the related Voodoo religions of the African culture - Essay Example None of the part of this great continent can claim absolute ownership regarding the origination of Voodoo. However the Voodoo in its present form had been originated in Haiti when the Europeans colonized the Hispaniola. The origination of Voodoo has strong connection and interlink with the transportation of African slaves to the other parts of the world. When Africa first came under the European domination; the Africans were readily started to be considered as cheap labor and worthy of transportation as slaves. The European colonists were confident that since these slaves belonged to different ethnic groups hence, they can never come together and build any resistance against their so called white rulers (Chesi, 6-7; Louis, 47). Interestingly Voodoo evolved as a phenomenon within unity in diversity. The continuous oppression of the European rulers and the misery of slavery created a common thread among those who were oppressed and in search of salvation they created a religion that wa s a mix of different faiths and practises; cumulatively referred as Voodoo (Christoph and Oberlander). The term Voodoo has evolved from the West African term Vodun and is a fusion of different beliefs that came from various African Ethnic groups namely â€Å"Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos , Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches.† (Voodoo)... Such rituals are a culmination of â€Å"prayers, drumming, dancing, singing and animal sacrifice† (Edwards, 296). Among many other animals; serpent holds the prime spot in Voodoo rituals. The importance of serpent in Voodoo rituals can be easily grasped through the fact that the word Voodoo means â€Å"the snake under whose auspices gathers all who share the faith† (Voodoo). The serpent expresses his immense power through the Papa or Maman who is the high priest. Among all other deities Bon Dieu is considered as most powerful and prime of them all. In Voodoo spirits are called Loa who on one hand controls Mother Nature and on the other determines human fate through influencing their health, financial prosperity and happiness. Some important deities in Voodoo are Damballah, Ezil, Ogu, Agwe and Legba (Michel, 63; Owusu, 43). In Voodoo ceremony the spirit or the Loa occupies the soul and body of the faithful participants and delivers his advice, warnings and desires throug h them. Voodoo is closely associated with nature and every possible natural phenomenon is considered to be the act of a Loa. In western culture there is a misconception regarding Voodoo dance that forms an important part of any Voodoo ceremony (Owusu). Such dance as described by the western experts is sexual expression. In reality they are just the opposite; these dances are spiritual expression and an attempt to get connected with the divine being. Unlike many other religions Voodoo is mainly based on practical experience and is deeply routed with the family and the community. An excellent example of that might be considering the dead ancestors as a part of the Loas (Rigaud, 50). Somewhere such belief is deeply routed with history