Blog #4

Chp. 5

One of the misconceptions people have about voodoo is that it was mainly pertaining to magic and superstition rather than religion. The truth is voodoo is a “functional religious system” that branched from West Africa. (p111) Despite the meaning of voodoo is spirit, it is associated with beliefs that even Westerners are familiar with. It was discovered that those who practiced voodoo defined good and evil the same way Christians view Christ and Satan. (p113) Vodu also have an organized hierarchy just like any other religion. At the top of list is the Creator and below are the servants who worship.

The second misconception is that voodoo is used to cause harm to individuals through, as stated above, magic. The most famous is the Voodoo Doll. The Voodoo Doll supposed to represent a person and the owner of the doll then subjects the doll to different stimuli. For example pricking the doll with needles would signify pain.  While it is true that hoodoo is sometimes used for negative purposes, this is not the traditional voodoo. Many voodooists have used hoodoo to protect themselves against evil. It is believed that in order to remove an evil curse you must know how to pursue one.

The third misconception is that voodoo is devil worshipping. It understandable that if a person believes that voodoo is about magic, superstition and causing harm to individuals they will believe voodoo is associated with the devil. Just like in any religion there are hypocrites that abuse it. Voodoo is far from Satanism. There are voodoo priest who call upon the spirits to heal the sick and remove hexes.

Chp. 8

One of the differences between Florida and Gullah Sea Islands process of retention was practicing of religion. Baptist planters did not try to interfere too much with the plantation church that Gullah’s occupied. On the other hand when Africans in Florida would worship in church, people complained and pretty much demand earlier services and shorter sermons. (p235) To continue their rituals were more challenging than those off the coast of South Carolina.  Gullah also “did not accept all religious teachings imposed upon them” (p160). They remained intact with their cultural beliefs and also adapted to the New World. Those in Florida were faced with complications. The newer generations who practiced Christianity and was forbidden to perform a second burial for the decease. A second burial was to keep the spirits at peace and not haunt those that are living. Some of their cultural practices were becoming assimilated compared to Gullah, who was able to continue their ritual by placing valuable items on the grave site and preparing food for the spirit to remain good to the living.