Understanding Vodou for Beginners: F.A.Q.
The simple answer to this is no. There are evil people in every religion and practice, but Vodou itself is not an evil religion at all. Throughout the years, Vodou has gained a bad reputation due to Hollywood movies(one of the first being the film “White Zombi” which came out in the 1930’s).
Does Vodou only permit certain people?
Vodou has no predjudice against people of any race, gender, sexual orientation, ailment, physical condition, or any other factor that can be used to discriminate. Although Vodou is not meant for everyone, the Lwa do not discriminate.
Do you have to be initiated to be a part of Vodou?
Initiation is not necessary to be a Vodouisant, the non-initiated community make up almost more than 60% of Vodou itself. Initiation in Vodou can be quite costly, depending on the Sosyete as well as the initiation itself. However, the Lwa do not require you to be initiated to serve them.
Vodou is often confused as a practice and at times, even the same thing as Hoodoo. Vodou is a religion from Haiti, whose origins come from different parts of Africa including Nigeria and the Congo. It is considered an African Traditional Religion and came from West African Vodun. The religion being practiced chiefly in Haiti and venerated by a large community.
Vodou has a magical system intertwined within in it, but in itself is a religion.
Recommended Reading on Vodou:
Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti
In a society where meat is predominantly eaten, animals are considered food and a religion which arises from the Congo; animal sacrifice is not about the death of the animal but rather the offering of the life-giving energy of that animal to Lwa. As we eat, they must eat. The animal is usually cooked and eaten by the community afterwards; nothing is wasted.
Can Vodou be considered Monotheistic?
Vodou is considered to be a monotheistic religion, as the only one supreme creator is Bondye. God is seen as distant and not readily accessible to us, often considered to be “too busy”. We listen about God and we worship God, however we do not see God. The belief system can be seen in a Roman Catholic way to some aspects, Bondye being the superior creator and the Lwa being the Saints.
The Lwa are readily accessible to us, we serve Lwa and in return they serve us. They confer upon us the physical well being and material blessings.
Is Voodoo and Vodou the same thing?
Vodou and Voodoo are not the same thing, although one can consider them to be two sides of a single coin. Voodoo is what Vodou became when taken into New Orleans, becoming a more creolized version. The main difference being that Voodoo puts great emphasis into worshipping Danbalah. Vodou is the “original” religion you could say that formed in Haiti.
Artwork of Lwa Ezili Danto
This is a question that will bring controversy among many people but simply has one answer, No. Not everyone can enter Vodou, the reason being that Lwa will simply not work with everyone. You see, you cannot just come into Vodou and decide to work with any Lwa of your choosing simply because they attract you. If you do this, then the Lwa will either not put any attention to you or things could go badly.
Can you know this through a dream or intuition?
There are many people that have stated to dream of Lwa asking them to work with them and this is good, Dreams are very important in Vodou. However, the only way to be completely certain of this is through a reading with a initiated Mambo or Houngan of the religion. Why is this so important? Because even if you do get a “feeling” or dream of a Lwa, you are not completely sure if Lwa actually wants to work with you. The Reading will tell you if you are meant to be in Vodou, which Lwa are interested in working with you, and other key points in your path when it comes to Vodou.
If you do have any path in Vodou and no Lwa wishes to work with you, then I would recommend you to simply step away. It could be that it is not your time to enter the religion or you are simply not meant to be in Vodou. This is not something to be angry about, simply accept it and move on.
Another book I’d recommend:
Haitian Vodou: An Introduction to Haiti’s Indigenous Spiritual Tradition
Is Vodou the right path for me?
After figuring out whether Lwa do want to work with you, the comes whether you find Vodou to be the right path for you to partake in. This is a personal question you would need to ask yourself, Vodou becomes part of one’s daily lifestyle and will represent commitment. Are you ready for this type of commitment? This is something you need to ask yourself, especially if you are a person that likes to change path often. When your in with Lwa, you are in for the long run. I would suggest maybe visiting a Sosyete or Vodou community in your area to see if this is the right path for you, remember: Reading about it is very different from seeing it in front of you.
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