Free Term Paper on Voodoo In
Caribbean Culture
(First 3 Pages)
The Caribbean was first explored by
Christopher Columbus. It was named after the CARIB, a warlike tribe
of cannibalistic Indians that occupied some of the Lesser Antilles
at the time of the European conquest. Columbus’ discovery has
lasting effects on the culture and religion of the area. Caribbean
culture is a blend of many original cultures. The Caribbean people
have struggled for centuries to retain their ancestral links while
creating something entirely new and different. The food and religion
plays an important role in the lives of the Caribbean people, a
description of which is as follows.
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Voodoo
The main religion of the Caribbean is Voodoo. Voodoo or Vodou or
Vodun is a pantheistic Afro-Caribbean Culture that has evolved from
the fusion of different religious beliefs. It is the religion of
Haiti but is also practiced in Brazil, Trinidad, Cuba and some
southern states of USA especially Louisiana. It is mixture of
religious practices from Roman Catholicism, “the Fon, the Nago, the
Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos, Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues,
Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches.” Voodoo
has played a key role in the culture and history of the Caribbean
people. Voodoo was first noticed during the period of European
colonization of Hispaniola. The European colonists started slave
trade and a large number of blacks were forcibly enslaved. This
threat paved way for the development of Voodoo. Despite of the
European attempts to divide the African tribes, it was their
religion that kept them united. The African tribes were so much
unified and strengthened by their common religious beliefs that in
turn made them to resist the cruelty of the French rulers. The
French banned the practice of all African religions and those who
were found practicing Voodoo were severely penalized. This tussle
went on for three centuries and throughout these years; the African
tribes preserved their religion secretly. It was Voodoo that enabled
the Africans to plan a revolution against the Europeans in 1791 and
ended in a victory in 1804.
Voodoo holds a primary place in the Caribbean culture. The rituals
of voodoo are used to contact spirits. There are various purposes
for contacting spirits such as to ask their favor for healing
against disease, and sometimes for protection against evils. The
male and female priests called Houngan and Mambo respectively
preside over each ritual. These rituals often take place in a Vodun
temple called a ‘hounfour’.
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Caribbean Food
The Caribbean food consists of mainly African dishes and the
ingredients include yams, corn meal, cassava, sweet potatoes,
bananas and plantains. Some of the main cuisines of the Caribbean
include Foo-foo, Bambula cake, or bammie, Cou-cou or Fungi, Conkies,
or Duckanoo and many more. Most of the recipes are centuries old and
passes over from generation to generation.
Religion or Voodoo has very strong impacts on the Caribbean culture
and society throughout the years. It has been instrumental in the
social and political changes and also exercises psychological and
physical impacts. Voodoo is practiced in the form of black and white
magic. White Magic s performed with the help of candles, oils,
plants, and potions. It is done to get positive effects such as for
the gain of love, power or money. The rituals or ceremonies are
conducted by the Voodoo priests. The black magic or “Red Voodoo” is
an opposite of white magic and is conducted for evil and harmful
actions. It is conducted by a Bokor, who uses evil acts of sorcery
that includes death and zombie curses. A zombie curse is a ritual in
which the Bokor poisons his human subject, which results in his
death. After three days, the dead is revived and the subject becomes
the slave of the Bokor. Like the Greek and Roman mythology, the
Voodoo also believes in multiple gods. These gods are responsible
for the performance of different actions in the universe.
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