Rara Of The Universe Summary

Rara Of The Universe

Vodun Religion and Art in Haiti

Robert Harris Thompson illuminates the philosophy and ancient heritage of the Haitian Vodun religion and art in his writings Rara of the Universe. Thompson goes into detail and elaborates on the spiritual aspects of Haitian Vodum and incorporates his anthropologist, religious and philosophical perspectives. His main focus is the art of the African Diaspora in Haiti. He portrays an exotic appeal of Vodum in Haiti society. Thompson writes "Vodou is "... one of the signal achievements of people of African descent in the western hemisphere a vibrant, sophisticated synthesis of the traditional religions of Dahoney, Yorubaland, and Kongo with an infusion of Roman Catholicism. What is more, vodun has inspired a remarkable tradition of sacred art". He describes the historical events that shaped the Creole religion with Dahoney, Yorubaland and Kongo religions. The Creole religion had two parts; Rada and Petro. Rada, as he explains is the "cool" side and Rada is the "hot' side, giving fire the spiritual

All of the historical information Thompson presents, especially the Kongo and Dahomey, on art and design, offers the reader an understanding of the influences that impacted these religious rituals. Thompson's detail on how the design of vodum alter transformed using ritual objects, giving them power "In Rada shrines, in the area between Port-au-Prince and Leoganc, one often see on single , large, dramatic opening for offerings o food to the spirits in the center of the altar's bottom tier". Thompson inserts a photograph that he took of a Petro table that displays "... a skull, and in front of a bottle - a promise of the power of Petro to render urgent healing." As seen in the photo, there are several ritual objects placed on the