Its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit. Our partners use cookies to ensure we show you advertising that is relevant to you. . The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystè (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendants of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. One’s Ancestors, for instance, are believed to be a part of the world of the spirits, and this is one way that Vodun serves to root its participants in their own history and tradition. The word vodun, in … What is the definition of vodun? the idea that a country's government should try to influence trade and business, especially by encouraging exports and putting limits on imports: With the philosophy of mercantilism, trade … Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. (Worship of the vodun is the original source of the Haitian religion of Vodou, which emerged as a syncretism of African, Roman Catholic, and Caribbean religious traditions by African slaves in Haiti. In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Vodun is a syncretic religion with a history estimated by some anthropologists to date back more than 10,000 years. Encyclopedia.com. How do you use vodun in a sentence? The routes of … Macumba Flash of the Spirit: African and Afro-American Art and Philosophy. It is most often used to…, religion In these congregations, knowledge is passed on through a ritual of initiation (kanzo) in which the body becomes the site of spiritual transformation. (February 19, 2021). Take advantage of our Presidents' Day bonus! African-derived Brazilian religions that have spirit possession as a central feature. However, it’s origins in Africa date back over 6,000 years. Indian Ocean Commercial Network: The Indian Ocean Commercial Network was a connection that connected many cities and ports all over the world that was in relation of Africa, Middle East and Asia, but then the Portuguese wrecked havoc on it. "Highly recommended." Term Definition significance time Chapter region; The National Assembly: The National Assembly was a transitional body between the Estates-General and the National Constituent Assembly and … Muntu: An Outline of the New African Culture. Ancient Origins - The Origins of Voodoo, the Misunderstood Religion, National Public Radio - Voodoo Brings Solace To Grieving Haitians, h2g2 - An Introduction to Vodou - a Traditional African Religion, LiveScience - Voodoo: Facts About Misunderstood Religion, Vodou - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Vodou - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). Common in Haiti and New Orleans, Vodou merges Catholic and African beliefs to form a unique set of rituals that include Voodoo dolls and symbolic drawings.� However, as with any religion, followers of Vodou cannot be lumped into a single category. Vodun (meaning spirit in the Fon and Ewe languages, pronounced [vodṹ] with a nasal high-tone u; also spelled Vodon, Vodoun, Vodou, Voudou, Voodoo, etc.) Just as specific colors, objects, … 29. In 2003 Vodun's status as a religion was officially sanctioned by the Haitian government. New York: Vintage Books, 1984. Macumba: see AFRO-BRAZILIAN CULTS. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. After the conquest of the African societies that … Vodun definition: a religious cult involving witchcraft and communication by trance with ancestors and... | Meaning, pronunciation, translations and examples What are synonyms for vodun? Voudon refers to \"a whole assortment of cultural elements: personal creeds and practices, including an elaborate system of folk medical practices; a system of ethics transmitted across g… The name was derived from the god Vodun of the West African Yoruba people who lived in 18th and 19th century Dahomey. The Drum and the Hoe: Life and Lore of the Haitian People. Voodoo is a sensationalized pop-culture caricature of voudon, an Afro-Caribbean religion that originated in Haiti, though followers can be found in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Brazil, the United States and elsewhere. AP World History Unit 4: Transoceanic Interconnections c. 1450 – c. 1750 Study Guide Packet Due Date: _____ _____ Complete the below evaluation on the due date: Student Evaluation Read each description on the below rubric. AP World History Valhalla High School Bentley AP World Ch. ." is practiced by the Fon people of Benin, and southern and central Togo; as well in Ghana, and Nigeria. Vodou ritual activity (e.g., prayer, song, dance, and gesture) is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and the spirits of the unseen world. New York: Knopf, 1937. a republic in W Africa, on the Bight of Benin, a section of the Gulf of Guinea: in the early 19th century a powerful kingdom, famed for its women warriors; became a French colony in 1893, gaining independence in 1960. Refer to each style’s convention regarding the best way to format page numbers and retrieval dates. Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. It has very little to do with so-called voodoo dolls or zombies. Courlander, Harold. https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/vodun-voodoo-vaudun, "Vodun, Voodoo, Vaudun Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Derived from the Dahomean word vudu, which means "spirit," the term Vodun condenses a highly complex worldview predicated on the belief that human beings are influenced by divine spirits or "laos," who manifest the will of the one supreme God when they "possess" individuals during specific ritualistic rites, ceremonies, and consultations. A syncretistic religion combining traditional African/Yoruba practices with Roman Catholicism found primarily in Cuba and the United States. AFRICAN RELIGIONS When he decided to come to the world, he went to Orunmila for divination. Its roots may go back 6,000 years in Africa. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. • Vodun in the Caribbean An indigenous religion known in the West as Voodoo, Vodun is spiritual and emphasizes that spells and charms can be used to impact the material world. There is no centralized hierarchy, no single leader, and no official spokesperson, but various groups sometimes attempt to create such official structures. Jahn, Janheinz. Encyclopedias almanacs transcripts and maps, Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world. Vodou, a traditional Afro-Haitian religion, is a worldview encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion. Translated by Marjorie Grene. Vodun (a.k.a. That country occupied parts of today's Togo, Benin and Nigeria. ." Voodoo Rituals. The vodun are the centre of religious life, similarly in many ways to the cult of intercession of saints and angels that made Vodun compati… During religious rites, believers sometimes enter a trancelike state in which the devotee may eat and drink, perform stylized dances, give supernaturally inspired advice to people, or perform medical cures or special physical feats; these acts exhibit the incarnate presence of the lwa within the entranced devotee. It arose through a process of syncretism between the traditional religions of West Africa and Roman Catholicism. New York: Grove Press, 1961. The influence of spirits may be helpful or harmful to the lives of the folk. Translated by Marjorie Grene. Having its philosophical and cosmological roots in ancient African rural societies established in Egypt, Asia Minor, East Africa, and Ionia, Vodun developed into one of the major African religions of the ancient world. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Many other familial feasts (for the sacred children, for the poor, for particular ancestors) as well as initiations and funerary rituals occur throughout the year. It is estimated that, worldwide, there are more than 30 million adherents of Vodun. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. A calendar of ritual feasts, syncretized with the Roman Catholic calendar, provides the yearly rhythm of religious practice. After the conquest of the African societies that had built theocratic empires in these regions, practitioners of Vodun migrated to West Africa, where more than thirty ethnic groups continued to contribute to its development. "Vodun, Voodoo, Vaudun Thus Vodun came to be widely regarded as evil, barbaric superstition and witchcraft, a perspective that is illustrated in many Western films and supported by definitions of the term in standard English dictionaries. Vodou is an oral tradition practiced by extended families that inherit familial spirits, along with the necessary devotional practices, from their elders. — Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter, "New Leaf Literary Signs Breakout Author Rena Barron (Exclusive)," 12 Dec. 2017 Berkeley: University of California Press, 1986. Vodun: A Misunderstood Tradition Vodun (Vodoun, Voudou, Voodoo, Sevi Lwa) ; is more commonly known as Voodoo (vû’dû). a New World syncretic faith that combines the animist faiths of West Africa with Christianity Sikhism The doctrines of a monotheistic religion founded in northern India in the 16th century by Guru Nanak and combining elements of Hinduism and Islam. The word Vodou is a Haitian Creole rendering of several different West African words in several West African languages, including Ewa, Fon, and Kwa. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic “Africa.” The God of the Christian Bible is understood to be the creator of both the universe and the spirits; the spirits were made by God to help him govern humanity and the natural world. This article explores the beliefs of Haitian Vodou, a new-world variant of West African Vodun practices, within the context of ecotheology. Vodou (or Voodoo) is a monotheistic religion that is often misunderstood. Elizabeth McAlister Associate Professor of Religion, Weslyan University. They tend to regard Haitian Vodun as a New World religion born out of the meshing of African and Christian worldviews. 17 Modern day Benin is regarded as the birthplace of this religion, and the name ‘Voodoo’ itself means ‘spirit’ in the local Fon language. The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (“serve the spirits”)—to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. This entry presents a brief, general picture of Africa's traditional religious heritage, focusing on the major beliefs because these underlie the…, Afrocentrism has a long and often misunderstood history. Mami Wata: Africa's Ancient God/dess Unveiled, 2nd edition. Encyclopedia of Latin American History and Culture. Haitian Vodou and Ecotheology Historically, Nana Buluku is the creator deity of the Fon and Ewe peoples as well as a Supreme Being venerated by other ethnic groups in West Africa, most notably the devotees of Vodun . By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica. Orunmila asked one of his followers called to make divination for him. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. The CED gives excellent, plain-English descriptions of what teachers are required to teach. Beginning in the 1950s, however, the Catholic Church in Haiti, after more than two centuries of attempting to obliterate Vodun, adopted a policy of accommodation. Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. Thompson, Robert Farris. ." What is the meaning of vodun? Herskovits, Melville J. Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, a religion practiced in Haiti. According to this worldview, the spirits are intermediaries between individuals and God, who is immutable, inconceivable, and unapproachable; the universe is an indivisible, interrelated whole; and there is a sacred, organic interaction between the living and the dead (the ancestors), who are themselves spirits and who serve perpetually to ground the practitioners in their own history and tradition. --Choice"With her description and critical analyses of Vodun, Dana Rush reveals the art and philosophy of a religious culture that has become the dominant aesthetic for the Black Atlantic world, from Ouidah to Port-au-Prince to South Central L.A. Consequently, Vodun is currently practiced not only in Benin, where it is the official religion, but also in the Caribbean, Latin America, the United States, and throughout the African diaspora. Definition New ideology that laid emphasis on Japan's unique historical experience and the revival of indigenous culture at the expense of Chinese imports such … This entry presents a brief, general picture of Africa's traditional religious heritage, focusing on the major beliefs because…, ••• © 2019 Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. Vodoun religious practices commonly include appealing to the loa (lwa), or spirits, and inviting them to temporarily take possession of (or "ride") human bodies so that they may communicate directly with believers.The ceremonies commonly include drumming, chanting, dancing and the drawing of symbols known as veves (vevers). Revised edition: Muntu: African Culture and the Western World. The Vodoun ("Vudu" "Voodoo" "Vodou" "Vodun" "Vaudou" "Vaudaux") religion at its cosmological, theological, ritual and philosophical core, is an African ancestral religion, practiced today largely in West Africa, Haiti and througout the Diaspora. New York: MWHS, 2005. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendants of Dahomean , Kongo , Yoruba , and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (as Haiti was known then) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th … Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. European colonists used the term Voodun both as a reference to the African dances performed by devotees of the religion and also as a decidedly pejorative label for the religion's beliefs, values, practices, and ceremonies. In the 1990s Pope John Paul II apologized for the Catholic Church's role in maligning African religions and invited Western institutions to be more tolerant of them. Author of. Life in a Haitian Valley. The term ‘Vodun’ is derived from the god ‘Vodun’, who was worshiped by West African Yoruba men and women who lived in 18th and 19th century Dahomey. The African diaspora is a term that refers to the dispersal of African peoples to form a distinct, transnational community. In the cities, local hierarchies of priestesses or priests (manbo and oungan), “children of the spirits” (ounsi), and ritual drummers (ountògi) comprise more formal “societies” or “congregations” (sosyete). "Vodun, Voodoo, Vaudun Vodun is a syncretic religion with a history estimated by some anthropologists to date back more than 10,000 years. Rush's book will become a standard reference on Vodun/Vodou/Voodoo". New York: Grove Weidenfeld, 1990. . 19 Feb. 2021 . …among the devotees of the vodun (“divinities”) in Benin any initiate may become a receptacle of the gods. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The first Africans who arrived on North American shores brought their own religious worldviews with them…, Vocational Education, Industrial Education, and Trade Schools, Voegelin, Eric (Herman Wilhelm) 1901-1985, Vogau, Boris Andreyevich 1894-1938 (Boris Pilnyak; Boris Andreyevich Pilniak; Boris Pilnjak), https://www.encyclopedia.com/humanities/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/vodun-voodoo-vaudun, Transculturation and Religion: Religion in the Formation of the Modern Caribbean.