Roman Catholicism has always been a part of Haiti’s culture. “Roman Catholics believe that God was the object of faith, and faith itself was belief in Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God. The apostle Paul taught that faith meant belief in Christ and the preaching of Christ, which is the word of God, as well as obedience to Christ. Faith also was the key to salvation, and as such it offered confidence in the reconciliation with God” (Brittanica). It was the religion of the natives of the island of Hispaniola. According to the U.S library of Congress, when it was taken over and slaves were brought over, the plantation owners were scared that if the slaves were religiously educated they would revolt so they dispelled educating Jesuits (members of the Society of Jesus) out of the country; which than ended the first wave of evangelism in the country. “Roman Catholicism gained official status in several post-independence Haitian constitutions, but there was no official Roman Catholic presence in the country until the signing of a Concordat with the Vatican in 1860. (The Vatican had previously refused to recognize the Haitian government)” (Heggarty). According to Ray, a Christian missionary who currently resides …show more content…
It originated in Africa, and was brought to the country (formerly known as Hispaniola) when Africans were forced into slavery there. The Africans were brought there when Christopher Columbus discovered the island and then took it over. It slowly began to spread across the country and people either embraced it, or thought of it as an abomination. Religion facts states that in some forms of voodoo, they believe in a supreme God; such as the Christian God. While all forms believe and interact with spirits so that they can learn and/or do certain things. Although there are some extreme forms that practice direct sorcery/witchcraft which dabbles in all sorts of demonic activity such as possessions, voodoo dolls, and
Although the thought of being involved in such rituals is scary, I developed a deeper understanding and appreciation for the practices that Haitian voodoo participants, if it is appropriate to refer to such people as, engage in. The most impressive bit of information that I will keep with me is to be less judgmental of others; “people who practice voodoo believe in the same God as Christianity, but they also believe in communicating with other spirits, who serve various roles in healing, casting spells, and more” (Boudreaux, 2015a, p. 110). As a golden rule, I know that I should not be judgmental of others anyway, but I am human and am prone to quickly create stereotypes in my mind. I don’t always share those thoughts, but thinking makes me just as guilty as doing or saying. I am thankful for the reminder that all people are children of God, and I should research and learn about different beliefs before I make a judgmental decision, if I make that judgment at
Haiti began as the French colony Saint-Domingue. The island was filled with plantations and slaves to work on them. Almost a decade and a half after its settlement, this colony paved the way for many changes throughout the French empire and many other slave nations. Through its difficult struggle, we examine whether the slave revolt of Saint-Domingue that began in the late 16th century was justifiable and whether its result of creating the free nation of Haiti was a success.
It is amazing how two religions, such as Voodoo and Christianity, can be filled with so many awesome differences with respect to time eras, status, publicity, and language, and yet still have an almost identical core ideal. This also demonstrates that this core ideal of the use of humans as a mouthpiece of the divine has been a long lived concept which people, such as Mama Lola and her family, still believe in and practice today. Perhaps this proves there is some truth in the idea, and most likely, we will never know for sure, whether this concept, in it’s many different forms continues to live on, or if it dies out.
Gervel, David. "Island Magazine Discover the Creole Culture around the World : Louisiana Creole Culture & Voodoo Tradition." Island Magazine Discover the Creole Culture around the World : Louisiana Creole Culture & Voodoo Tradition. N.p., 26 Aug. 2012. 30 Apr. 2014. Web.
The embodiments of the Regla de Ocha, Santerian religion, is rooted in West African previous religious practice of their deities. Africans were forced to move to a new place, where to expose to a new language and new religious faith. They were able to have some ideas of how to continue to serve and maintain their religious practice. “Thus, the deities of the Cuban Creole world resulted from the “crossing” and mixing with those of others region of African and the Catholic saints; individuals choose or are chosen to receive initiation into one or several traditions” (Olmos and Paravisini-Gebert 33). Through being forced to adapt to the Cuban Catholics ways, they were able to interlink their religious practice within the Catholics ways of worshiping different saints. Meanwhile, they were then able to be accepted in society while maintaining their natural belief. The adoption of the transculturation allows the African to balance both their religious practice and
“Religion is a set of rituals, rationalized by myth, which mobilizes supernatural powers for the purpose of achieving or preventing transformations of state in man and nature” (107). When the Europeans colonized Haiti, they brought over African slaves with them. These slaves had already established African religious practices, prior to being brought to Haiti. As the French got acquainted with Haiti, they were also forcing Roman Catholic traditions upon the slaves. As a result, there was the birth of the religion Haitian Vodou. These enslaved Africans were not allowed to practice Haitian Vodou openly because it offended those that practiced Catholicism, the French wanted full control over the slaves in every aspect, and anyone outside of
Haiti is located in the Caribbean; it occupies the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. Haitians migrated to the U.S. due to regime change. In Florida, over 700,000 Haitians live there (Background on Haiti & Haitian Health Culture). Many Haitian-Americans share both cultures. There are similarities and differences between the American and Haitian culture. The two cultures have different foods, holidays and economy.
Haiti means “mountains country” Haitian culture represents a specific mix of physical characters especially skin color, hair texture. hair color and facial features the African culture is an ethics mix of African and European elements due to the French, African and indigenous dialects. Major customs of Haitian culture are Catholicism and voodoo a mixture of African animism which means belief in spirits and nature, some Haitians even practice both at one time. There are significant holidays in the Haitian culture as well voodoo is considered a holiday(is a belief system based on practices and traditions that originates from west African traditional regions)
African-Inspired religions have also prevailed when they were forced to come to the Americas. Voodoo and Santería are some of the main religions practiced in Latin America.Voodoo is commonly practiced in Haiti and Santería is practiced throughout Cuba and Puerto Rico. Santería times their rituals to those of the Catholic church, such as Easter and Christmas.
Haiti lifestyle and America lifestyle is different. In Haiti They don’t have the same sources as Americans do. In fact, Most Haitians don’t have Electricity and rely on charcoal for energy. While in America most people are able use stoves or microwaves to prepare food quickly. People in Haiti don’t bathe as much as people in America because they don’t have access to clean or running water. However, In America people are able to bathe every day. In America people often eat 3 meals a day which is breakfast, lunch and dinner. In Haiti they only eat 2 meals a day. Haitians usually eat bread and coffee in the morning and later on the evening they eat fried meat like goat, chicken, pork etc. Americans on the other hand, may eat eggs, bacon, sausages,
The Yoruba people, who were brought over from Nigeria as slaves, came to the Caribbean in the 1500’s with their own religion, which was seen as unfit by the white slave owners. Most plantation owners in the Caribbean were members of the Roman Catholic Church, so they forced their slaves to disregard their native religions and become Catholic. Soon, the slaves realized that they could still practice their West African religion as long as it was disguised as Catholicism, and Santería was born. Now it’s practiced in the United States, Cuba, the Caribbean, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Argentina, Colombia, Spain, Italy, Portugal, Great Britain, Canada, Venezuela, and Panama.
They eat a lot of beans and rice, usually mixed with some sort of meat. Such as pork, goat, lamb, and other meats. On the French side, they eat a lot of spaghetti, they eat spaghetti for breakfast, and make shakes out of it. One of the drinks they make is Haitian hot chocolate. It has Haitian cocoa, star anise, (which is a spice) cinnamon, and vanilla. They eat a lot of mushrooms, and other fresh foods. Haiti also has some customs and traditions. Greetings are very important, men usually shake hands, and women throw kisses. Everyone else kiss on the cheek. They also have a lot of other traditions, such as participating in Carnival, it is very close to New Orlean’s Mardi Gra celebration. Sadly many people also participate in voodoo ceremonies, they have voodoo priests, and priestesses. Other occasions they celebrate are baptisms, first communions, and other catholic traditions. The best thing is that they all believe that children are a gift from
Haitian Revolution BEFORE THE REVOLUTION Haiti was the French colony of St. Domingue (Santo Domingo), the most productive colonial economy in the world. Dominated by plantation agriculture, primarily to supply sugar and coffee to the world market, Haiti had a slave population of nearly 90 percent. African slaves were brought to the island in the Atlantic slave trade. The balance of the population consisted of peoples of European ancestry and of mixed heritage, defined in the law of the colony as “white” or gens de couleur (people of color), respectively. Both of these groups owned slaves.
Afro-descendant populations develop the Catholic faith mixed with African religions called Santeria. Santeria Santeria was brought to the New World by slave traders more than four centuries ago, but it was in Cuba, when it was a Spanish colony, that Santeria developed extensively. In order for the religion to exist and not be flogged during its practices, the Yorubas gave characteristics of the Catholic saints to their deities. This is how Santeria was born: a mixture of ancestral rites of the African Yoruba with the traditions of the Catholic Church.
The first Catholic priests came to South America with the conquistadors and through social and political force superimposed 16th century Catholicism upon conquered peoples and in subsequent generations upon slaves arriving in the New World. Catholicism has, likewise, frequently absorbed, rather than confronted, popular folk religious beliefs. The resulting religion is often overtly Catholic but covertly pagan. Behind the Catholic facade, the foundations and building structure reflect varying folk religious traditions. (2)