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 guan is a small port on the
haitian coast businessman karim azile
once was the town’s mayor but Mazzio has
another side as a voodoo priest Gary’s
family has a problem as village priest
Gary must try to solve recently Berto a
young cousin began acting strangely I
was doing my ceremony here and I see
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 to summon the
spirits an answer comes not from an
ancestor spirit but from one of the most
powerful and fear voodoo spirits but
ownsome Eddie Lord of the Dead
he takes possession of Gary the spirit
reveals the cause of Parviz trouble his
own father
the Lord of the Dead goes after the man
a blob integrals I saw thought this is
your fault
but I say Auklet Allah you are the one
who believed in this situation who
forget gonna do you have my money for
woman and cut fries but you have no
money to help out your sons if you
cannot be responsible for your family
they will become my responsibility in
neglecting the ancestral spirits Bertos
father angry they struck back at better
Gary tries to free bear toy from the
spirits grip
he presses Bertos 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 and
evil when I heard that people saying
that voodoo is devilish people drinking
blood eating fresh meats you know I’ve
get upset because I never been a part of
it
the morning after Bertos treatment the
Sun brings two revelations
bear – his father is missing and Berto
is no better off
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
candles trying to draw spirits to the
temple gary struggles to breathe as his
body resists the spirits arrival now he
dances caught up in the hold of a
warrior’s spirit it is through Gary that
this spirit will guide the village for
the next year
Gary weeps with relief as the spirit
leads people are celebrating the change
of seasons but Berto still rages and
there is no sign of his father it’s a
grim reminder of the spirits power and
the danger of ignoring their demands
despite attempts to destroy spirit
religion voodoo has survived and those
who serve the spirits enjoy voodoo as a
celebration