Voodoo is a religion brought to America by black slaves from Nigeria, a country that became a central resource of the slavery boom for the colonial powers, beginning with the mass transportation of slaves from West Africa to America around the year 1500. with the cruelest forms of humiliation. . Of course, these human beings were not slaves, but were forced that way.
Many of them were killed and flogged to death like animals. Among the barbarian nations were Spain (which colonized countries like Cuba, Venezuela, Peru…), Portugal (Brazil) and the United Kingdom (which colonized North America). Other countries built their economy on slavery as well, but the former expanded the yoke hand in hand with Christianity and with the cruelest impact on other native nations such as the American Indians.
Voodoo originated in Nigeria which has over 250 ethnic groups, the largest being Yoruba or Igbo with a variety of religious systems such as Olorun or Vodun. Nigeria was the cradle of prehistoric civilizations like Nok. The Nok culture had developed many years before Christ and is known to have had contacts with then ancient Egypt. Several archaeological excavations confirm this. The Nok people used symbols that personified the authoritative representations of Egyptian culture.
Dr. Kwame Nantambu (Kent State University) says that black Africans in ancient Egypt wrote the Bible (Old Testament) as scribes, which is a fact that the Catholic Church hides from the public. Even today, in Ethiopia, you can find “black Jews”: black Ethiopians with Judaism as their faith.
It may surprise some people, but the Catholic Church is an organization that resembles the Roman Empire in a way. It is divided throughout the world into provinces in the same way as the Roman Empire; it has its Emperor and much of the Catholic heraldry resembles that used in the Roman Empire. Similar analogies exist in our history and voodoo is no exception.
Voodoo, along with some other contemporary African religions, is the only living religion in the world that contains some elements of ancient Egyptian beliefs, in particular the cult of Isis, which had been very popular until the 4th century AD also in Europe until who converted to Christianity. the official dogma. A logical support for the above statement is that Isis was the Goddess of Magic, which is the very element of voodoo. Of course, there are other “magical religions”, but the cult of Isis and voodoo (African vodun) are territorially closer, and both very old.
Voodoo is a branch of a variety of religions practiced in the then Nigeria and not only the result of the voodoo that currently lives in Africa, but is conditioned by the history in which it developed from the year 1500 outside the African continent. We currently have a Haitian type, but also its ramifications in other parts of Latin and North America.
The basic concept of this religion is based on magic, spirits and the worship of God. Some parts merged with Christianity, for example Candomblé in Brazil. Louisiana Voodoo is just another branch, which appeared in New Orleans. Except for Haiti, Haitian-type voodoo can also be found in Brazil, Trinidad, or the Dominican Republic (certainly, we could also mention a few other countries).
Voodoo as a religion can be described from the inside or the outside and many parts are secret. Voodoo is a spiritualistic religion, which means that a practitioner may be exposed to spirits or a spiritual experience; some spirits can help (heal, give predictions), or harm (a curse used against an enemy). Voodoo believes that there is a God and practitioners of Voodoo place a strong emphasis on the behavior of nature and adjust their attitudes to it accordingly. Spirits are understood to be helpers of God or the devil.
Of all the major religions, only Hinduism can be compared to Voodoo as it is open and draws its power from Aboriginal cultures as well. A similar practice found in both Voodoo and Hinduism is, for example, Kolam or Rangoli, the traditional Hindu images drawn on the ground (auspicious signs), either on the ground or in front of the doorway. Another similarity between Hinduism and Voodoo is the belief in snake people. Hindus believe in the Nagas and have Naga gods (such as Khodiyar Maa); Voodoo practitioners have a snake god (or a god closely associated with snakes) called Damballah Wedo.
Voodoo as a religion became famous with its zombies, which are mentally dead people (created by a voodoo sorcerer). In association with Voodoo, we can also come across the term Hoodoo, but the difference is like between a religion and a practice (or Wicca and Witchcraft).
Voodoo has spirits, gods and goddesses (like Erzulie), but its Egyptian aspect probably survived in the form of the Yemaya Goddess – Yoruban Orisha or Ocean Goddess, who was brought to America by the African diaspora. Yemaya brings fish to the fishermen and her sign is the crescent moon, which gives us a strong association with the Hindu goddess Durga. In Brazilian Candomblé, she is known by her former name, which may differ slightly (Yemanjá); in Haitian voodoo she is worshiped as the goddess of the moon.
Voodoo is a religion that is not played with. It must be approached with respect and not ridicule, otherwise we will soon discover that its power really works. The consequences can be good or bad.