"Voodoo" is still a taboo subject in the DR. Most Dominican will identify
Hollywood style voodoo as some pagan religion practiced by Haitians where weird
animal sacrifices take place under the cover of darkness and dolls are pushed
with pins, placing spells on unsuspecting individuals. Though there are a large
number of Dominicans who practice some form of a Dominican version of Vudu, Las
21 Divisiones, the "religion" is still highly controversial, misunderstood and
feared. The main religion in the DR is Roman Catholicism and the Church still
wields an immense amount of power over the Caribbean nation. Many of the ideas
held by Dominicans come from the teachings of the Church and throughout history
the Catholic Church has identified Vudu as a something to be feared.
Regardless Vudu is an influential Dominican subculture and religion. But due to
historical, racial and cultural pressures Vudu morphed into Las 21 Divisiones
and became more acceptable to the Dominicans who practice it. Even so, Las 21
Divisiones, is still looked upon with suspicion by some in the Dominican
community. There are several factors involved in suspicion. Denying blackness
and African identity is still common in the DR, and "voodoo" is identified as
something that Haitians do. The Dominican Republic can be considered as an
example contradictory ethnic and cultural identity. To one degree there is an
internal struggle among Dominicans to counter the European ideals they have been
taught, but the fact remains that some think that Vudu is only a Haitian thing,
while on the other hand some Catholic Dominicans have altars dedicated to Belié
Belcán.
This book offers a comprehensive introduction to the
syncretic religions that have developed in the region.
From Vodou, Santería, Regla de Palo, the Abakuá Secret
Society, and Obeah to Quimbois and Espiritismo, the
volume traces the historical-cultural origins of the
major Creole religions, as well as the newer traditions
such as Pocomania and Rastafarianism.
More...
Vodou (variant spellings: Vodun, Vudun, Vodon, Vodoun, Voudou, Vudu) is an
actual religion and is practiced in Benin, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Haiti,
Togo and various cities in the US, particularly where there are large Haitian
communities. "Voodoo" is the most common name and spelling of the religion in
American and popular culture, but it is viewed as offensive by those who
practice the religion. The spelling connotes an image that has been created for
Hollywood movies, complete with violence and bizarre rituals. This image has
nothing to do with the actual religion. The word "Voodoo" can describe the
Creole rituals of New Orleans. For the purpose of this essay the "vudu" spelling
will be used as a synonym for Las 21 Divisiones unless otherwise stated.
History of Vodou in the Americas
Vodou was brought to the Americas by African slaves who were imported to the New
World during the Atlantic slave trade. The first African slaves touched soil on
Hispaniola in the early 16th century with the system in full swing by the early
1550’s. A majority of the slaves brought to the New World originated from the
Central and Western Africa tribes of Yoruba, Ewe, Fon, Mina, Kabaye, and Nago.
Though sentenced to a life of forced labor in inhumane conditions the slaves
brought with them their religion and used it as a way to survive life under
colonial rule. By the late 17th century the slave population on Hispaniola (now
the Dominican Republic and Haiti) numbered into the millions and the visibility
of Vodou began to worry the French, who ruled the western side of the island. So
in 1685 French King Louis XIV passed Les Code Noir which pushed all Jews out of
French colonies and prohibited the exercise of any religion, other than Roman
Catholicism, in the French colonies. The Code restricted the activities of freed
blacks and defined the conditions of slavery in the French colonial empire. The
document also specified that all slaves must be baptized Catholics, slave
masters must be Roman Catholic and with it increased the influence of
Catholicism in the New World. The Codes was an extensive document on race and
slavery, though it would have a deep impact on the development of Haitian Vodou,
and in turn Las 21 Divisiones. Now instead of practicing their religion out in
the open slaves had to find a way to continue practicing their religion without
the suspicion of the slave masters. This is when the evolution of Vudu begins.
Although written especially for those
who hope to practice vodou, the book is also a good
introduction for armchair hougons and mambos.
After his comprehensive introduction, Filan goes into
some of the major lwas that a practitioner
might encounter. A good, respectful resource.
More...
Practitioners would begin process of syncretism by where Vodou was masked behind
Roman Catholic beliefs all the while Vodou was being practiced in the
background. A typical example of Vodou syncretism is by where the religion’s
deities, or spirits, were masked behind Catholic saints that possessed similar
qualities therefore Belei Belcan became St. Michael, the Archangel, Jan Bakeo
became Saint Peter became and Papa Legba became Saint Anthony. Slave owners
might have seen a slave praying to the Virgin Mary but he wouldn’t suspect that
the slave was in fact praying to Erizulie. By hiding their religion behind the
acceptable structure of Catholicism Vodou presence in the Americas stayed
strong, especially in Haiti and through time Vodou would become steeped in
Catholic dogma.
By the late 1790’s disturbances by slaves became more and more common and the
Haitian Revolutionary movement began to take form. In 1791 a Vodou ceremony at
Bois Caiman, performed by high priest Duty Boukman, was a catalyst of the 1803
fight for freedom and solidified the influence of the religion on the island. In
1804, after Haiti declared its independence, the Catholic Church left the island
and wouldn’t return for 56 years. In the interim Vodou’s influence and
visibility became stronger and even when the Church returned in the 1860’s they
continued a war against the religion, though this was in vain. Through increased
migration and a cultural mélange Vodou spread to the eastern part of Hispaniola.
Dominican Vudu (Las 21 Divisiones)
There are three main divisions, and each of these divisions has seven parts,
thus; the 21 divisions as three times seven, which is twenty one.
Dominican Vodou is practiced through a Tcha Tcha lineage ("maraca" - which
means rattle - lineage). In Haiti, Vodou has come about and become more popular
through another lineage known as the Asson. However, before the Asson, the Tcha
Tcha lineage was the prominent lineage. Thus the Tcha Tcha lineage is one of the
oldest lineages within the Vodou tradition (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
Dominican Vodou practitioners are often called "Caballos" but they are also
known as Papa Bokos and Papa Lwa (both for males) and Mama Mambos and Mama Lwa
(both for females). One who has obtained this title has gone through the last
and highest level of initiation that can take anywhere between 3 to 9 days and
nights (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
To practice Dominican Vodou, one must
be brought and called to the Tradition from an early age. In this manner, the
Misterios start to unravel quickly. All individuals are called, however some are
called at an earlier age than others and thus are able to develop within the
tradition at a faster and more advanced rate (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
.
Las 21 Divisiones, or Dominican Vudu,
maintains many of the same characteristics of Haitian Vodou, with only a few
slight variations. Contrary to popular belief, like Haitian Vodou, Dominican
Vudu practitioners believe in one main God, the Creator, Papa Bon Dyé (the good
God). In Haiti "God" goes by Gran Met (the Great Master). There are three
important categories of spiritual beings. There are the Lwa or Loas and these
are the various spirits of the major forces of the universe. The Lwa interact
with the people of earth and during ceremonies they "mount" or "posses" a
practitioner’s body. Another part of the religion is the dichotomy of good vs.
evil and the recognition of dead family members which must be recognized time
and again.
An important part of Vudu is healing people and healers can heal with herbs and
faith using the help of the Lwa. Interestingly enough there is a certain
equality in Vudu. High Priests can be men (houngan) and women (mambo) and
homosexuals are not shunned from the religion as they too can hold the posts of
priests. As part of their functions priests heal, perform ceremonies, hold
initiations for new priests (tesses) (kanzo service and taking the ason) and in
some cases they claim to tell the future, read dreams, can cast spells and
create protections. How one performs spiritual works ("wangas" which means
spells) and cleansings is taught by the Misterios (Mysteries) themselves. How
one does many other things, the Mysteries teach (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
Differences between Voudou and Las
21 Divisiones
Some will say that
Dominican Vodou is Haitian Vodou, just practiced in the Dominican Republic. This
is not true. Although there are many similar Lwa in Dominican Vodou, there are
many different Lwa. They are worked with in a
different manner, and things are done differently (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
In Dominican Vodou, God and the
Virgin Mary are referred to often and many make petitions to them. There are Lwa
within the tradition as well. In Dominican Vodou, one receives initiations
but they serve a different purpose than in Haitian Vodou (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
Dominican Vudu is less strict than Haitian Vodou and in Dominican Vudu calling
upon the spirits, or Los Misterios, can also occur through reading tarot cards,
hand palms, or even shells. Unlike Haitian Vodou, Las Divisiones has no fixed
doctrine, or defined temples and ceremonies. In Dominican Vodou, initiation is a
ceremony that aligns the individual to their spirits and gives them "fuerza" or
power. It empowers them to work with their Lwa but an uninitiated individual can
do so as well. These ceremonies serve to give the individual a firmer and more
stable foundation to work with their spirits. There are three different
initiations that one may receive in this tradition (http://www.ezilikonnen.com/domvodoueng.html).
The lack of structure of Dominican
Vudu is reflected in the music used in Vudu ceremonies. While in Haitian Vodou
the spirit that comes down is one that is specifically called through the music,
in Dominican Vudu one spirit can come down even when another one is being
called.
The flexibility of Dominican Vudu can
be noted in that new music is constantly being created. During a Mani, a type of
Vudu ceremony, you can here bachata or merengue being played with no reference
to the palos. Interestingly, Palo music is the music of choice during ceremonies
and in Haitian voudou it is believed that the spirits respond through this
music. It is precisely this adaptability that characterizes Dominican Vudu.
The Loas
The different groups of Loas in Dominican Vudu can be divided into three rites,
better known as the 21 Divisions. There are in total twenty-one groups of Loas,
divided into three "major" divisions: the White, Black and Indian divisions.
These are some of the Lwas and their Catholic counterparts: Anaisa Pyé is Saint
Anne, Baron Del Cementerio is Saint Elijah, Belié Belcan is Saint Michael,
Bakúlu Baká is Saint Philip, Candelina is Our Lady of Candelaria, Candelo Cedife
is Saint Charles, Cachita is Our Lady of Charity, Clementina is the Virgen
Milagrosa, Centinela is Saint Sebastián, Damballah is Saint Patrick, Ezili Ailá
(Alaíla) is Our Lady of High Grace Ezili, Danthó is Saint Barbara Africana,
Ezili Kénwa is Saint Martha, Filomena Lubana is Saint Martha, Ghuede Gran Bwa is
Saint Jude, Saint Cristopher, Gran Solié is Saint Nicholas, Gran Toro (Toroliza)
Christ of Good hope, Gunguna is Saint Ellen, Jan Bakéo is Saint Peter, Jan Ferro
is Saint Marcos Evangelist, Kriminelo (Jan Kriminel) is Saint Sebastián, Papa
Legba is Saint Anthony, Marassa is Saints Cosmo and Damian, Metresili is Our
Lady of Sorrows, Niño de Atocha is Child of Atocha, Ofelia Balendjo is Our Lady
of Mercy, Ogun Balendjo is Saint James, Ogun Fegai is Saint Jorge, Ogun Batala
is Saint Martin of Tours, La Señorita is Saint Claire.
The altars
The vudu altars can be extremely elaborate or quite simple depending on the
person. The altars usually will have pictures of the Lwas in their Catholic
renditions as well as beads, drapos or handkerchiefs with the colors pertaining
to the Loas, lit candles, beads, scented candles, herbs that are burned and
flowers. The altar could also have dolls that represent the Lwa and different
types of food or beverages, like rum, juices or cakes that are offered to the
Loas. Catholic imagery is common as well as crucifixes, pictures of Jesus and
bibles.
The ceremonies
There are a variety of vudu ceremonies. There is no central figure in vudu and
each priest is the ruler of his own house so he execute services as he feels.
There is the Baptism which begins when the Papa Boko or Mama Mambo builds a
table called a mani decorated with the main Lwas colors. The services are placed
in honor of the 21 divisions, drummers will play palo during the whole three
days and three nights of the ceremonies. Once baptized there is a celebration
honoring the initiate with families and friends. Refresco de Cabeza and
Aplazamiento are other types of ceremonies The Refresco de Cabeza (washing of
the head) is a spiritual cleansing used for removing all negative influences
elevating the heads spiritually. The Aplazamiento ceremony ceremony is focused
on giving the Lwa a stronger foundation. Ceremonies take two or three days to
prepare as foods are cooked and altars are set up. During the services Catholic
prayers are recited and songs are played. During the services Palo music or
other musics are played and all the Lwas are saluted. Practitioners may dance
and it is during this time that a mounting may occur.
The Veve
The Veve are religious symbols for the Lwas and each lwa has a particular
symbol. The symbols are drawn on the floor during a service in order to invoke
that particular lwa. Some say that the Veve are remnants of Taino culture on
Hispaniola.
Acceptance
Las Divisiones is not a pagan satanic religion where zombies walk around and a
person’s soul can be taken at a moment’s notice. Unbeknownst to many vudu
practitioners don’t drink alcohol or consume drugs because it can impede their
connection to the spirits and the most practitioners are devout Catholics at
their core. Although the country is overwhelmingly Catholic, a majority of
Dominicans do embrace some of the features of Vudu while still identifying
themselves as exclusively Catholics. Vudu practitioners will admit to their vudu
practices, but admit that vudu doesn’t contradict their Catholic beliefs it
instead works hand in hand with it. Dominicans often reject the label Vudu
considering it "a Haitian thing," and so a similar religion under a different
name, Las 21 Divisiones and Los Misterios, was born. In recent decades vudu has
become slightly more acceptable, but it will take more time before the image of
the zombies and "voodoo" priest is replaced.
To learn more about Dominican Vodou,
I recommend Houngan Hector's
site. The following information can be found there.
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