1. Melisa Vicki Amy Adrienne Anthony
VOODOO
Melisa
Vicki
Amy
Adrienne
Anthony

2. Vodun History
Vodun (a.k.a. Voodoo, Voudou, Voodoo, Sevi Lwa) is commonly called Voodoo by the public
It is traceable to be an African word meaning “spirit”
The religion can be traced back to the West African Yoruba people who lived in the 18th and 19th century in Dahomey (Togo, Benin, and Nigeria on a present day map)
The roots may go back to as long as 6000 years in Africa
The religion was carried by slaves when they were forcibly shipped to Haiti and other islands in the West Indies
Vodun actively was suppressed during Colonial times and the Marxist regime
Vodun was formally recognized as Benin’s official religion in February of 1996
It is also followed by most of the adults in Haiti
It can be found in many of the large cities in North America, particularly the American south

3. History Continued
Today over 60 million people practice Vodun worldwide
Religions similar to Vodun can be found in South America
They are known as Umbanda, Quimbanda or Candomble. 
Today there are two unrelated forms of the religion:
the actual religion, Vodun practiced in Benin, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti, Togo and various centers in the US - largely where Haitian refuges have settled.
an evil, imaginary religion, which we will call Voodoo. It has been created for Hollywood movies, complete with "voodoo dolls", violence, bizarre rituals, etc. It does not exist in reality, except in the minds of most non-Voduns

4. History Continued
When the slaves were taken from Africa to Haiti they were baptized into the Roman Catholic Church but since there was little Christian infrastructure present the slaves followed their native faith
They even continued to follow their faith while attending mass regularly
An inaccurate and sensational book (S. St. John, "Haiti or the Black Republic") was written in It described Vodun as a profoundly evil religion, and included lurid descriptions of human sacrifice, cannibalism, etc., some of which had been extracted from Vodun priests by torture. This book caught the imagination of people outside the West Indies, and was responsible for much of the misunderstanding and fear that is present today. Hollywood found this a rich source for Voodoo screen plays. Horror movies began in the 1930's and continue today to misrepresent Vodun. It is only since the late 1950's that accurate studies by anthropologists have been published. (Taken from

5. History Continued
Each group follows a different spiritual path and worships a slightly different pantheon of spirits, called Loa. The word means "mystery" in the Yoruba language.
Yoruba traditional belief included a chief God Olorun, who is remote and unknowable. He authorized a lesser God Obatala to create the earth and all life forms. A battle between the two Gods led to Obatala's temporary banishment.
There are hundreds of minor spirits. Those which originated from Dahomey are called Rada; those who were added later are often deceased leaders in the new world and are called Petro. Some of these are:
Agwe: spirit of the sea
Aida Wedo: rainbow spirit
Ayza: protector
Baka: an evil spirit who takes the form of an animal
Baron Samedi: guardian of the grave
Dambala (or Damballah-wedo): serpent spirit
Erinle: spirit of the forests
Ezili (or Erzulie): female spirit of love
Mawu Lisa: spirit of creation
Ogou Balanjo: spirit of healing
Ogun (or Ogu Bodagris): spirit of war
Osun: spirit of healing streams
Sango (or Shango): spirit of storms
Yemanja: female spirit of waters
Zaka (or Oko): spirit of agriculture

6. History Continued
The purpose of rituals is to make contact with a spirit, to gain their favor by offering them animal sacrifices and gifts, to obtain help in the form of more abundant food, higher standard of living, and improved health.
Vodun priests can be male (houngan or hungan), or female (mambo). A Vodun temple is called a hounfour (or humfort). At its center is a poteau-mitan a pole where the God and spirits communicate with the people. An altar will be elaborately decorated with candles, pictures of Christian saints, symbolic items related to the Loa, etc.
Rituals are held to celebrate lucky events, to attempt to escape a run of bad fortune, to celebrate a seasonal day of celebration associated with a Loa, for healing, at birth, marriage and death
Vodun rituals:
a feast before the main ceremony
creation of a veve, a pattern of flour or cornmeal on the floor which is unique to the Loa for whom the ritual is to be conducted
shaking a rattle and beating drums which have been cleansed and purified
chanting
dancing by the houngan and/or mambo and the hounsis (students studying Vodun). The dancing will typically build in intensity until one of the dancers (usually a hounsis) becomes possessed by a Loa and falls. His or her ti bon ange has left their body and the spirit has taken control. The possessed dancer will behave as the Loa and is treated with respect and ceremony by the others present.
animal sacrifice; this may be a goat, sheep, chicken, or dog. They are usually humanely killed by slitting their throat; blood is collected in a vessel. The possessed dancer may drink some of the blood. The hunger of the Loa is then believed to be satisfied. The animal is usually cooked and eaten. Animal sacrifice is a method of consecrating food for consumption by followers of Vodun, their gods and ancestors.

7. Voodoo People
Basics
Voodoo is an African Based religion that started out in the kingdoms of Fon and Kongo about 6000 years ago.
There are people who lead the religion called Priests and Priestesses.
Voodoo Priests
The people who practiced this were known as Voodoo Priests.
Voodoo Priestess’ are often called Mambo or Manbo which is a mix of the Fon word for Mother/Magical Charm and the Kongo word for Healer.
People turn to the Priests and Priestesses not only for guidance, but for healing and advice.

8. People Continued Becoming a Spiritual Leader Dark Sorcerers
If one wants to become a Priest, then they must go into a religious center (much like a convent of monastery) where they proceed to ‘die’ or spend 3 days in complete seclusion before returning to the outside world.
Dark Sorcerers
There are some people that practice black magic that are called bokor.
These people act like policemen of the religion because they curse bad people
These are where the ideas of Zombies come from.
It is said that when one becomes a Zombie, they lose their soul. This is the worst curse they can put on somebody.

9. People Continued Mambo Sallie Ann Marie LaVeau
She was an American Voodoo priestess during the 19th century.
She was known for healing people.
There was a Catholic church that would let her help people which would usually not be allowed.
This convinced many people in Louisiana that Voodoo was real and powerful.
Queen Bianca
She was known throughout Louisiana for her skills, she was appointed a priestess by marriage through her aunt.
Mambo Sallie Ann
She was a High Priestess of Voodoo and one of the few white American women who got initiated through the traditional way. She was an American woman of Jewish-Ukrainian heritage which made it even more unusual.

10. Places and Time

12. Places
West Africa, Benin, Haiti, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, the Dominican Republic, Candomble, Brazil, Santeria, Cuba, Congo, Angola, the Caribbean Islands, New Orleans, Louisiana

13. Ghana’s number one sports voodoo priest, known as Okwonfor.

14. Demographics Synchronized religion in Benin
60% practices Vodun
15% population are practicing Christians as well
2.5 million followers in Togo and Ghana
14 million followers in Nigeria
International Vodun Conference held in Benin since 1991

15. Saut d’Eau Festival 1847: legend behind pilgrimage
Our Lady of Mont Carmel appeared, healed sick
Catholics/Protestants felt threatened
Religions merged

16. Saut d’eau Festival Cont.
Festival in July celebrated for the past 150 years
Pilgrimage
Bathing in water or mud
Worshipers appear possessed
Sacrifices

17. Spread the Voodoo Slave Trade: The U.S., Cuba, and Brazil Adaptation
Slaves created cults to continue worship
Contributed to fear and misunderstanding
Adaptation
New Orleans.: French and Creole speaking quarters
Spiritoculture market, Voodoo dolls, Americanized, glamorized

18. The Voodoo Factor
Christian and Muslim dominions forced start of underground worship
Voodoo played a major role in revolution against the French in Haiti
Suppressed by Marxism but Benin’s official religion by 1989
The Slave Trade: New Orleans, Brazil,
& Cuba
Haiti or The Black Republic 1884
1950’s

19. Spells

20. The Four Forms Of Reading
Voodoo bone reading 
Casting the bones and ask them to answer your questions or see into the future.
Spirit reading
The so called dead are around this moment. They know and can see things that you can’t see or know.
Crystal ball reading
Insight as to the special pictures, images and events that you see in the Crystal Ball about your life and questions.
Voodoo tarot cards readings
Reading the cards for you and tell you what you need to know.

21. Benefits
Make your relationship stronger, closer, more secure. Enhance compatibility.
Return a lost love. Awaken them to your irresistible charms that will make it impossible to stay away.
Enrich your life with money, plentiful gifts, fabulous material possessions.
Wreck vengeance on the person who has wronged you, allowing them little sleep, implanting fear of you in their mind, bringing peace and respect back into your life.
Provide instant luck in love, companionship, career.
Change other people's opinion of you.
Knock out barriers, smoothing the path to your future.

22. The Doll
The use of voodoo dolls is unheard of where the religion is practiced. (Haiti)
The only recorded serious use of the dolls, among voodoo worshippers, was in the New Orleans area in the early 1900's.
Hexes were cast to bring either good or bad luck to another person.
The doll was used to symbolize that person.
The sticking of pins into the doll was to reinforce and direct the spells that were cast.

23. Types Of Spells Lusting for one another
Prevent people blocking your way
Controlling demons
Dream appearances
Intimacy
(All need a symbol. money, candle, anything at your expense.)

24. Voodoo
religious beliefs
and practices

25. Three Types….
Louisiana Voodoo
Haitian Voodoo
West African Vodun

26. General Overview of Beliefs
Polytheistic
Belief in one supreme god, Bondyé as well as other lesser gods, known as the Loa
Because Bondyé is considered unreachable, prayers are focused on the loa
Moral code concentrates on the vices of greed and dishonor
While voodoo draws its roots from African religions, there is no right or wrong distinguished, only what is right for a household or church.
When this belief came in contact with Catholics, Jesus became known as Bondye and the saints were Ioa
Assortment of Voodoo paraphanalia

27. Morality Spirits are hot and cold. General goodwill is promonted
A tapestry of the symbol of a Loa
Spirits are hot and cold.
It is better be cool!
General goodwill is promonted
Take what you need from the community, but be willing to give back as well
Good voduns will always have a mentor relationship with a religious elder

28. Everyday Voodoo
Much time is needed to set up the altars and cooking food such as fowl for a Voodoo service, which begins in the evening and ends when the sun rises
The services begin with an African prayer followed by songs, generally in Creole
During the singing, it is believed that ancestors come, visit, and sometimes inhabit the people in the service and speak and act through them
Such spirits will give advice, warnings, and cures to the congregation
Some people fake spirits, some people are drunk!
Voodoo ceremony in Haiti

29. LouisianaVoodoo A Mystical Blend!
The African-American Spiritualist Churches prominent in Louisiana and the deep south incorporate a mix of African Vodun as well as Catholic undertones and symbols, such as the Virgin Mary.
The distinction between Louisiana Voodoo and the other types is the reverence and importance stressed on Black Hawk, a Native American spirit.
Furthermore, the African-American Spiritualist Church is a blend of Spiritualism, Voodoo, Catholicism, and Pentecostalism.
Priestess Miriam of the VST in Mississippi

30. West African Vodun Vodun = lesser spirits Streams, trees, rocks
Vodun is Gbe for “spirit
Vodun = Divine Spirit
Includes the sun and the moon
Vodun = lesser spirits
Streams, trees, rocks
Heavy emphasis on ancestral spirits

31. Voodoo Dolls?
Voodoo dolls was never a central focus on either the Haitian Voodoo or West African Vodun. Sources state that a theory of how they came about was half myth, half slaves trying to scare/intimidate their owners in the South. The sects of the Voodoo religion which do incorporate dolls continually fight the bad press though!

32. Uses for Voodoo Dolls
Voodoo dolls are commonly used to enrich one’s life with good health, love, and prosperity.
They are mainly used as focusing tools
Often are placed in a home for this very purpose, usually not used directly to harm people.

33. Sources www.templex.org http://www.calastrology.com/voodoospells.html

34. sources http://www.voodooshop.com/index.html