Today, I'm going to be talking about the roots of voodoo and what it actually is, the two types of voodoo, voodoo rituals and superstitions, and why voodoo is perceived as a negative or controversial topic.
What Is Voodoo?
I'm sure everyone has their own perception of voodoo inside their head. Most people think includes black magic, evil spirits, and causing harm to others. However, voodoo is actually a complex tradition of faiths and beliefs that combine into an overall world full of religion and magic. It is believed to have started sometime around 1724 in Africa, Haiti specifically. Today, there are still people in parts of the United States that believe in voodoo and practice it. Voodoo embraces the entirety of human experience meaning that usually people practice it for personal purposes.
The Two Types of Voodoo
There are two types of voodoo: Haitian voodoo & New Orleans voodoo. Although they are similar for the most part, they do have their differences. Haitian voodoo is a pagan religion which means it involves only one God. However, voodooists believe in communication through spirits called the Loa. The Loa are similar to the Greek gods in their religion. New Orleans voodoo exists because of Haitian immigrants who have traveled to the United States and resided in the New Orleans. These immigrants have changed voodoo up a bit in order to be specific to their new location. Although voodoo is an ancient religion, 15% of New Orleans residents still participate in voodoo somehow today.
Haitian Voodoo Rituals
Haitian voodoo rituals are practiced for the main purpose of healing. They use herbs as remedies and believe they give off magical healing powers. Voodoo rituals often call to the Loa. There are two main families in the Loa: the Rada and the Petro. The Rada family are more kindred and kind spirited who voodooists call upon for healing, or good
luck. However, the Petro family are more bitter and are called upon for