Voodoo.

What do you think of when you hear that word? Zombies? Little poppets with pins sticking here and there? Orgiastic dancers covered with the blood of chickens and goats? Or maybe even a song by Godsmack?

Aside from Satanism, Voodoo may be one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented religions in the world. Quite a healthy portion of that may be laid at the foot of those big, bright, shining lights in Hollywood, but the blame is not all theirs. The misdirection as to the true nature of Voodoo has been obscured and twisted by those who have feared it since it came to the new world aboard slave ships. Though after the uprising in Haiti, it was feared with good reason. Voodoo served as a common bond, uniting its people in a singular purpose and the fight for freedom is never without bloodshed.

Voodoo has its roots in what is believed to be some of the world’s oldest religions, taking its core beliefs from many African ethnic groups such as the Fon, the Nago, the Lybians, the Ethiopians, and many others. At one point, it incorporated aspects of Christianity, specifically Catholicism. The word Voodoo actually takes its name from the West African word “vodun”, meaning spirit. Although Voodoo as we know it today, began in Haiti with the European colonization of Hispaniola.

European invaders thought that by decimating certain groups, that they would not be able to come together to rise up against them. But they were brought together by their common suffering and as their tribes and peoples were forced together, so were their religious doctrines.

The serpent is a prominent figure in the religion and, as in many other cultures, is a symbol of knowledge. There is only one god in Voodoo, his name is Bondye and he is very similar in nature to the god of the Christians and the god worshiped in Islam. But though there is only one god, there are many spirits.

There are three kinds of spiritual beings in Voodoo; the twins, Loas and the dead. The twins represent balance. Good and Evil is the most basic representation of that balance. Practitioners of Voodoo believe that if you honor both, there will be balance in life. Loas represent aspects of daily life, such as fertility and wellness. Loas interact with people and affect what happens to them, whether it be for good or ill. They also possess the faithful during religious ceremonies. And finally, the dead. Mainly, it is a practitioner’s own deceased family. Ancestor worship is a large part of this faith.

Baron Samedi is the Loa of the dead. He is the most recognized image associated with the religion; a grinning skeleton wearing a top hat. He is neither good nor evil, but known for sexual excesses. Though those excesses are not simply for excess alone, it is an example of life among death, the turn of the wheel.

Another fairly well-recognized name when people whisper of Voodoo is that of Marie Laveau. A Quadroon born in Louisiana around 1794, she started out as a hairdresser to the wealthy wives of New Orleans Society. She gained much of her social and political power in this way. What won’t a woman tell her hairdresser? It was fashionable at one time in New Orleans to have a Quadroon or Octoroon mistress. She orchestrated many of these matches. And perhaps the vision of Voodoo as a sex-crazed cult originated here as well. Not only did she orchestrate these “proper matches” but she also arranged many a spectacle and orgy for these same wealthy white planters. But she was a smart woman, exploiting their fear and curiosity for her own ends. She was a devout Catholic as well as a Priestess and in the 1830’s, proclaimed herself the Pope of Voodoo. At this time, she had even been sanctioned by the Church to hold her rituals behind St. Louis Cathedral. She bore fifteen children to her second husband and at the time of this article, the current mayor of New Orleans is said to be her descendent. Before Hurricane Katrina, people were still known to go to her crypt in the St. Louis Cemetery and leave offerings there to ask for her blessing.

Voodoo has been compared to hoodoo and Santeria. But there are subtle and not so subtle differences to each.

Hoodoo is not actually a religion; it has no dogma or doctrine. It has some of its roots in the same history as Voodoo, though it takes more of its core practices from ancient Central African culture, whereas Voodoo takes more from West African culture. Hoodoo is also more herbal-centric, focusing more on gris-gris or charm making, than spectacle. It’s about personal power as opposed to worship. It takes much from Native American botanical lore and European lore. Hoodoo can be closely associated with conjure magic, such as that practiced in the Appalachian areas.

Santeria is a complicated religion; its doctrine is similar to Voodoo. They also believe in one supreme god. But while in Voodoo, Catholicism is included, it is still thought of as separate. In Santeria, the Saints and Orishas (similar to the Loas) are interchangeable. They see no difference between the two.

Santerians believe in a magical world, but in a natural sense as opposed to supernatural, earth magic, if you will. There is always something of the natural world included in their ritual. A rock, a flower, an animal. They do practice animal sacrifice, but usually only in a severe situation, such as sickness or some other terrible misfortune. They are also sacrificed when a new priest is consecrated as he is considered to be reborn. And they believe that with every birth, there must be blood.