Haitian Voodoo | National Geographic

when slaves from all over Africa were
brought here to Haiti they forged a new
spirit religion one that incorporates
elements from its adversary the Catholic
Church on the surface Haiti is a
Catholic country but daily life still
moves to the rhythms of spirit religion
mirror Gua is a small court on the
Haitian coast businessman Gary Maggio
once was the town’s mayor
but Mozilla has another side as a root
of priests Gary’s family has a problem
as village priest Gary must try to solve
recently Berto a young cousin began
acting strangely I better stop talking a
little bit differently than yesterday
and I said what’s happened to better as
a voodoo priest
Gary Mazzio also serves as a community
healer house of the spirits he will ask
for help to restore cousin Berto sanity
relatives including Bertos father gather
in the temple and begin with summon the
spirits
an answer comes not from an ancestor
spirit but from one of the most powerful
and fear voodoo spirits battles cementy
Lord of the Dead he takes possession of
Gary the spirit reveals the cause of
their thoughts trouble the Lord of the
Dead goes after the man this is your
situation no money to help out your son
in collecting the ancestral spirits
there to his father angry they struck
back at their turn
Gary tries to free bear tears from the
spirits grip he presses bare toes father
to make amends with the spirits
reluctantly he agrees in voodoo when
believers resist the spirits they must
pay to those unfamiliar with spirit
religion it might seem like black magic
but the powers of the spirit world work
for both good
when I heard that people saying that
voodoo is devilish people drinking blood
eating fresh meats you know I get upset
because I never been a part of it
the morning-after Bertos treatment the
Sun brings to Revelations bear to his
father is missing and there too is no
better
the spirits continue to torment him
but others also depend on Gary each
spring his duties include learning which
spirit will guide the community for the
coming year he spills rum and water and
lights canvas trying to draw spirits at
the temple gary struggles to breathe as
his body resists it is through Gary the
this spirit the village gary weeks with
relief as the spirit leads people are
celebrating the change of seasons but
they’re toast still rages and there is
no sign of his father it’s a grim
reminder of the spirit’s power and the
danger of ignoring the demands despite
attempts to destroy spirit religion
voodoo has survived and those who serve
the spirits enjoy wudu as a celebration