Identity in Voodooism

Voodoo or Catholic? One might ask how these two seemingly different religions can be seen as one. Yet, many who practice voodoo consider themselves a devout Christian. "'To serve the loa (different spelling than lwa) you have to be a Catholic" :these words were spoken by a Haitian peasant. While many of his practices would seem barbaric and heretic, like possession, worshiping idols, practicing sacrifices, this man thinks of himself as a good Catholic. When African slaves were brought over to Haiti, the Caribbean Islands and the United States, they were taught to conform to a Western way of culture and life. This meant adopting language and customs along with religion. Missionaries went on expeditions to Africa to try and save these people from Satan (voodoo was thought as a demonic religion) and tried to make them forget their old ways and conform to the new. However, African slaves found away to incorporate their old religion with the new, for example the Catholic saints took on voodoo lwa characteristics and visa versa.

Today, however, voodoo followers still are baptized, married and confirmed in the Catholic church. For many, voodoo is a personal religion whereas Catholicism was associated with order, hierarchy and tradition. When a devout Catholic was asked if he was going to give up voodoo, he replied that he "would always be faithful to the Catholic church but nothing could make me give up the worship of the lwa that had protected my family." Voodooism is a religion of identity and remembering ones homeland.