Guest Author - Kim DeLeary

The Vodou religion made its way into the Western world with the African slaves. The Vodou religion in New Orleans has evolved through time and distance from its original source on the West Coast of Africa. Vodou is a familiar part of the culture of New Orleans.

The other name of Africa's West Coast is the Slave Coast. The slave trade had such a devastating effect on the African people from this area. Despite all their hardships, the Africans of the West Coast who arrived in New Orleans and Haiti were able to hang onto their ancient beliefs and pass them onto their descendants. Vodou is a Fon word from western Africa that is interpreted as "Spirit".

An unusual thing about the slave population in New Orleans was that the Africans who landed there belonged to the same groups in their homeland. Usually, African people were split apart based on language. This splintering of groups was done because it was believed to be a protection against slave revolts. The shared knowledge base among the Africans in New Orleans contributed greatly to the survival of African religious beliefs there. In its evolution, New Orleans' Vodou absorbed Native American knowledge and elements of Catholicism. In fact, it was through the re-interpretation and absorption of Catholic elements that allowed Vodou to survive through the 1800s until now.

Vodou is an ecstatic religion that now has important U. S. centers in New Orleans, Chicago and New York. As an ecstatic religion, Vodou involves matters of possession and of shamanism. Some other elements of this religion include ritual, prayer, offerings, sacrifice, healing, devotion to ancestors and other entities, dance, music and possession. Despite some negative sides to Vodou that involves magic, Vodou is mostly seen as a healing and beneficial religion. The Vodou religion involves the community.

Vodou is an important part of the culture of New Orleans. The Vodou Oungan and Manbo (priest and priest) are important parts of the Vodou community in New Orleans. Vodou elements are also used as tourist attractions and are used to promote the more sensational Vodou subjects and concepts. For those who live in New Orleans, Vodou has been a part of the cultural landscape for so long that it is by now indispensable in their society for many people.

The Vodou religion, from its ancient origin in Africa, has continued to provide religious shelter to millions of people around the world. The Vodou religion has survived because of its ability to respond to change. Vodou and New Orleans are inseparable and invariably, when you think of one, you think of the other too.
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