In the Fon language
spoken in Benin, vodun means an invisible force, terrible and
mysterious, which can meddle in human affairs at any time. The
displacement of millions of black slaves to the New World led to the rebirth
of African beliefs and practices in the Americas,
under various forms and names: candomble in Brazil, santeria
in Cuba, obeayisne in Jamaica, shango cult in Trinidad, and
vodun in Haiti.
(4)
'Disembarkment of the Slaves,'
P.L. Riche, 1995
oil on canvas. 101.5 X 76.2 cm
A Cult dedicated to "spirits" that rule the different realms of nature and human activities, voodoo was first encountered in Africa among the Fon, the Yoruba, and the Ewe in the Gulf of Benin, in an area that stretches from Ghana to Nigeria and Togo.
In this region, society is
organized around the ethnic group, the village, the family, and kinship.
Each of these groups has its own vodu or vodun, ancestral and
guardian dieties.
(4)
Ceremonies, held in convents or temples, include dancing to the beat of the drums. Animal sacrifices - cattle, sheep, or chickens- are offered to the vodun to win their protection. The priests, voduno or huno are responsible for guiding the faithful in their relations with the vodun by interpreting their messages. These arrive in the course of ceremonies and come to rest in the body of the faithful, most frequently of the initiated, or hounso; the individual is said to enter into possession or become the "horse" of a "spirit." (4)