Voodoo

Religion and Practice

Voodoo is a religion with one supreme god, known by different names in various parts of the world, and a contingent of spirits known as loa or Iwa. Practitioners of voodoo contend that their one supreme god is so [Page 1528]powerful that it is necessary to communicate through spirits. Communication between the loa and humans occurs through means of spirit possession. There are a series of holidays, celebrations, and rituals associated with the loa. There are thousands of loa in the Voodoo pantheon, including spirits of nature, divine ancestors, agriculture, fertility, war, evil, and death.

This fence on Rosalie Alley in the Bywater section of New Orleans has been painted with typical artwork representing voodoo markings. Many people from the French Caribbean settled here, especially refugees from the revolution in Haiti.

In the voodoo faith, the priesthood is open to both men and women. Male priests are known as houngan and female priests are known as mambo. A voodoo priest who practices petro Voodoo (“black magic”) is known as a bokor. Other officials include la place (master of ceremony who works closely with the priest), houngonikor (director of music and dancing), hounsis (group of servers, typically female), and serviteurs (committed practitioners of voodoo). The role of the priest includes healing, performing rituals, pacification of spirits, telling fortunes, reading dreams, and invoking protections. Voodoo ceremonies are defined by elaborate rituals, dances, and spirit-possessed trances. Priests take part in the service by receiving offerings and granting requests. While the ceremonies are in session, an array of specific items such as candles, food, money, and ceremonial rattles cover the alter. The loa are summoned by the priest or bokor and are said to arrive by possessing a horse. These loa can exist in the ritual space and may possess the bodies of worshipers. Symbols appropriate to the loa are present in the ceremony.

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