Voodooism in Haiti

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Voodooism in Haiti

Introduction: My Exposure to Voodooism

Voodooism is a fascinating way of life. Ever since living in Haiti in the early 1980's, the constant thumping of drums in the twilight has intrigued me. Their melody and rhythm seemed to consume the moist evening air like a pungent odor that will not dissipate. Life is very different in Haiti than it is in the United States, and however odd it seems to Western mentality, I could feel the presence of spirits in and around almost every aspect of life in Haiti.

Since living in Haiti as a child, this is the first time I have researched the impact of Voodooism on the lives of Haitians. As a scientist, I want to document how the religion of Haiti quantitatively affects the worldview and lives of the people. I want to know if the science that I have learned and been taught would make sense in the Haitian culture; and as I have been trying to relate my faith to my scientific understanding, I wonder if Voodooism and theoretical science can coexist? Are US American methods of science appropriate and applicable to the Haitian context? I am on a journey to discover what Voodooism is and means and then how that relates to science.

Science as a Worldview

Science is a way of approaching the world, knowing why and how things around us are occurring. The scientific method allows scientists to be precise and focused. Through that medium, they can determine which hypotheses are consistently supported such that they become theories and which need more modification or rejection. This type of knowing can be tested and quantified. Scientists strive to make their observations as objective as possible, to be devoid of human interest. Scientists try to control all the variables ...

... middle of paper ...

...ax or a strange form of acting. Maybe my world view prevents me from embracing the religion of the people in Haiti and they have a fluid tradition that is willing to accept scientific proofs into it's reality. I want to test more circumstances and explore more variables before I will be able to conclude with a probable theory.

Bibliography

Bellegarde-Smith. Haiti: The Breached Citadel. 1990.

Corbett, Bob. Introduction to Voodoo in Haiti. http://www.primenet.com/~rafreid/voodoo.html

Foster, Charles. Haiti-Today and Tomorrow. 1984.

Franciscus, John. Haiti: Voodoo Kingdom to Modern Rivera. 1980.

Herskovits, Melville. Life in a Haitian Village. 1971.

Lawless, Robert. Haiti: A Research Handbook. 1990.

The Vodun (Voodoo) Religion. http://web.canlink.com/ocrt/voodoo.html

Weinstein, Brian. Haiti: Political Failures, Cultural Successes. 1984.

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