The History of New Orleans’ Voodoo Roots
Beginning in the deep south of Louisiana, enslaved West Africans were brought to New Orleans for hard work, slave labor, and were consequently, like all other enslaved and colonized populations, stripped of their identities. This was a deep memory wipe of familial names, tribal or national history and autonomy, all including the strong and deep rooted religious beliefs and practices for these enslaved persons. Despite this wipe out of self identification on an external level, the roots ran far and wide nonetheless; traditional West African spiritual practices were a crucial part in the makeup of those enslaved and brought to America, and the practices of these continued within.
These traditional practices grew to be allowed in expression in an external manner, and soon there was a dedicated spiritual ground for these rituals, called Congo Square. “It was a place reserved for African traditions and expression of culture, including Voodoo. Hundreds of people would gather to form drum circles and spiritual ceremonies. The area remains open today and continues to host cultural meetings” (History of New Orleans Voodoo). In these designated practices developing over time, a cultural blend of religious beliefs began to shift the long standing tribal rituals of West Africa toward what would eventually become Voodoo. French Haitian slaves traveling to Louisiana’s coast along with traditional Catholic influence from the white population of New Orleans seeped into the lives of those who were enslaved as they remained prominent in Southern American society, and the combination religion of Voodoo was birthed in the United States (History of New Orleans Voodoo).
The original start of Voodoo practices was sparked in Haiti around the mid to late 1700s. The most notably surviving religious faith practice during the African diaspora is said to be the Yoruba religion, a spiritual and ritual based religion spread throughout Africa prior to the mass enslavement across the continent, was the first real sign of life in the practice of Voodoo in Haiti. Much like the blend of cultural practices seen in New Orleans, this blend was a combination of the original French colonist rule in Haiti and the steadfast beliefs of the Yoruba religion (Fandrich). To put it simply, New Orleans Voodoo is the combination of approximately 4 traceable religious practices put together over the span of 100 years.
“The core belief of New Orleans Voodoo is that one God does not interfere in daily lives, but that spirits do. Connection with these spirits can be obtained through various rituals such as dance, music, chanting, and snakes” (Beyer). Voodoo practices, contrary to misconceptions most of the Westernized world has of Voodoo, are centered around the idea of a singular God power, they call Bondye (meaning “the good god”) (Beyer). This ideal of being a monotheistic religion is a heavy influence from Catholicism, a factor of Voodoo’s foundation. As mentioned, though there is a single God-like figure in the Voodoo religion, there is no real interference from this entity; it serves as more of an overseer of people, no real judgement of character or circumstances of life. This is the part that spirits play in the Voodoo religion. Three main spirit entities, widely known as being lesser beings than Bondye, control the complications of life; “Vodouisants also accept the existence of lesser beings, which they call loa or lwa. These are more intimately involved in day-to-day life than Bondye, who is a remote figure. The lwa are divided into three families: Rada, Petro, and Ghede” (Beyer). This exemplifies the deeper roots of New Orleans Voodoo practice tying it to the West African pre-diaspora belief system in terms of spiritual guidance, multiple higher beings with divided jurisdiction, etc.
The basis and foundation of what we know Voodoo to be today is not as heavily founded on the grounds of the “white” religion of Catholicism, but it serves as a piece of evidence that there were groups of enslaved persons who were persevering in the long process of the African Diaspora through enslavement and dividing.
Work Cited
Beyer, Catherine. “Do You Really Know What Voodoo Is?” Learn Religions, www.learnreligions.com/vodou-an-introduction-for-beginners-95712#:~:text=Dispelling%20the%20Myths%20About%20Vodou%201%20Understanding%20Voodoo.,monotheistic%20religion.%20...%204%20Rituals%20and%20Practices.%20.
“History Of New Orleans Voodoo: New Orleans.” History Of New Orleans Voodoo | New Orleans, www.neworleans.com/things-to-do/multicultural/traditions/voodoo/.
Fandrich, Ina J. “Yorùbá Influences on Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 37, no. 5, 2007, pp. 775–791. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/40034365. Accessed 30 Apr. 2021.