In order to clear up the myths and false accusations regarding the practice of voodoo, the Haitian Student Association (HSA) hosted a program titled "All Souls Day: The Demystification of Voodoo, an Examination of Voodoo in the Caribbean Islands," Thursday evening in the Blackburn Center.
Two panelists, Haitian-born Serge Bellegarde and Howard Caribbean history professor, Selwyn Covington, educated the packed room with information about the roots of Voodoo and why people should take a look at it without the negative bias the Christian religion has placed on it.
"Just as all religions have negative aspects, the Voodoo religion does, but for some reason, these negatives are given much more attention," Bellegarde said.
According to Covington, there is no need to look far in order to understand the depth of voodoo in Haitian society. It is in the dance and the drum beats in their popular music. All are based on the African culture. Voodoo does not sacrifice animals. It initiated divination by water or baptism and the use of the Holy cross. People who practice voodoo believe it holds an inner belief system that Christianity does not.
Covington believes that despite its positive attributes, the mainstream tends to focus on the negative aspects. Exorcisms are practiced by Catholics to rid people of evil and voodoo heals as well. Because it is not done in person and without contact with the person being healed, it is seen as out of the ordinary.
The panelists wanted to clarify that sticking needles in dolls that many people see on television is black magic and is not associated with voodoo.
As recent as 10 years ago, people were still being punished for practicing voodoo in certain parts of the world. In 1935, the Haitian penal code outlawed the practice with punishment of six months to two years in prison.
Colonial documents complained about the use of voodoo because it was unknown to them. They linked it to death. However, this religion has survived the negative and attempted to rid itself of the negative perspective surrounding it.
"Back in colonial times, Europeans realized the power of this religion practiced by Africans. Today Christianity uses it, but covers it with Catholic symbols," Covington said.
Director of Blackburn Roberta McLeod, whose family practices Roots, which is very similar to voodoo said, "Voodoo is a very powerful religion stripped from powerful people in order to overpower them."
The Haitian Revolution used voodoo to give those slaves involved the strength to fight and overtake their masters. The same cultural dances people do today were used to give the slave population strength.
President of HSA, Dapney Guillaume, who is Catholic, described her experience with the voodoo religion.
"I get fed the negatives of voodoo from my parents. They do practice its form of healing through medicine, but the stories of ghosts scare me in both religions," she said. "I have a new found respect for voodoo and believe that as we have the right to practice what religion we want, they have the right to practice theirs."
Junior psychology major Kristy-Lee Jean-Pierre also received negative messages from her parents about the practice.
"My parents always taught me to stay away. The program explained that people's thoughts on voodoo are due to enslaved minds," she said. "Voodoo actually is used to help people and protect them from harm with the help of ancestors."