#2433: Image of Voodoo in the 21st century. Grey comments

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From:Racine125@aol.com

<ange.perrault@mail.tju.edu> writes:

<< Acceptance of Vaudou a a legitime religion in the western world depends
 primarily of the acceptance of Vaudou by Haitians.>>

Okay, I'll bite.  I am a Vodouisant, not a "vaudouist", in fact I am Mamb 
asogwe of the Vodou, and you know what?  I don't CARE if Vodou is accepted as 
a legitimate religion in the "western world".  WE accept it and that is all 
that matters.  And this business about "the acceptance of Vaudou (sic) by 
Haitians" is a little silly - the vast majority of Haitians are Vodouisants.  
Maybe you are talking about the acceptance of Vodou by elite Haitians?  Don't 
let 'em fool you - they come to our peristyles in secret and ask for wangas 
to protect their businesses and drug smuggling operations, then go home, 
straighten their hair and bleach their faces, and go to some fashionable 
church on Sunday!  LOL!
 
 "My issue is the following:  
 Ogoun represented by Saint Jacques Major is none other than Santiago Apostol 
 the saint worship mostly in Spain for chasing out the Moors.  Shouldn't the 
religion reestablish the integrity of the religion but reintroducing the 
original african image or will vaudou remain this hybrid religion (no 
offense) with adaption of christian images.>>

Why should we?  First of all, Haitian Vodou is NOT an "African religion", it 
is a *Creole* religion which has incorporated contributions from many African 
ethnic groups, European Christian AND pre-Christian traditions (Maman 
Brigitte is none other than the Celtic Brigid), and Native Caribbean (Arawak, 
Taino) traditions.  What you are proposing is nothing but a racist and 
retrograde attempt to amputate a significant portion of the Vodou heritage.

Secondly, Ogoun St. Jacques is an aspect of Ogoun, not an aspect of St. 
Jacques.  We use the Catholic lithographs because we like them, and because 
there are remarkable similarities between the attributes of certain saints 
and those of certain lwa.

"Yoruba religion for example is gaining popularity in Latin-America and in 
the U.S.
 because people can relate to it.  Will vaudou remain only a Haitian 
experience 
 (in the wide sense)?"

Vodou is already international.   :-)  Just in my little society alone, we 
have initiates who are Haitian, Dominican, "white" American, "black" 
American, mixed race American, Canadian, and British!  LOL!  The presence of 
non-Haitians in Vodou is an established fact and has been for quite some time.

Look, Ange, we do what we want, nou pa nan achte figi moun.  If you don't 
like Ogoun St. Jacques, you don't have to serve him, you can serve some other 
lwa.  First of all, though, serve God.

Peace and love,

Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen

"Se bon ki ra", 
     Good is rare - Haitian Proverb

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