Not everyone knows what „Voodoo” is, so let me tell you something about it. Well, Voodoo is a religion which plays a big part especially in Haiti where its followers are even among the highest government officials. What is more, in 2003 Voodoo was made one of the state religions of this country by a former president Jean-Bertrand Aristide.
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| https://ayitipapperi.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/haiti-religion-7.jpeg |
One of the elements of Voodoo is a belief that through magic it’s possible to bring dead person’s body back to life and make it work in a field as some sort of machine. A man can also be transformed into a zombie (because that’s what I’m talking about) as a result of poisoning by a special kind of poison.
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| https://ph770.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/voodoo-haiti.jpg |
The truth about voodoo zombies: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXij89j65d8
The most distinctive part of Voodoo religion is, of course, a Voodoo doll. Designed to bring pain, disease, misfortune or even death to a person, but also to heal, bring love, fortune and all kind of positive things.
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| http://www.womenofgrace.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/voodoo-doll.jpg |
The first uses of Voodoo dolls, we know about from archeological discoveries, began in ancient Athens, during the Peloponnesian War, about 431 B.C. They were made out of wax or lead with a name of a victim signed on a tin plate. In some of them archaeologists even found human hair, fingernail pieces and other objects. Greek dolls were mostly used by Athenian elites, because of the costs which this kind of practices required. On the other hand, it was also dangerous, because it was forbidden. When somebody was caught red-handed, the penalty was often death; therefore, the common thing was to depute the rite to someone else.
Making (theoretically speaking, of course) a Voodoo doll requires natural materials such as straw, canvas, bristles etc. and the most important – a human ingredient from a victim (or a person you want to help) like hair, fingernails, clothes parts, a handkerchief, a hairclip or simply even a spit. These “personal” elements are used to stuff the doll. Sometimes a photo of a person’s face is attached to a doll’s face for better resemblance.
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| http://www.voodooshop.com/products/dolls/african%20set.jpg |
The most known way of treating a doll of this kind is by pinning it with needles to cause pain and illness. A person, performing the rite, can be hundreds of kilometers away from the victim, still getting the results. To cause slow, agonising death, the doll’s neck and body are wrapped up with a thread, which is slowly unraveling from a black fabric and tightened more and more, day by day...
Well, every religion has it's own weird things. I know what voodoo is, and I always wondered what was the actual origin of voodoo doll, even wanted to have my own when I was a child ;). This is actually fascinating how complex some religions are, especially when it comes to such beliefs.
ReplyDeleteScary stuff! Searching on web for this subject brings me to this what a proffesional tutorial to make your own doll :) :
ReplyDeletehttp://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Voodoo-Doll
From a centuries ppl where involved in magic of religions of any kind! One of those are voodoo dolls which were an exitment for everyone of us ,at least once! :D
Once, I wanted to make use of that kind of doll on someone.
DeleteNever done it, though. Too lazy, I guess. ;)
It's quite original religion. But I don't want to comment that it is strange from my point of view because every religion is based only on faith.
ReplyDeleteI think that everyone has the right to believe in what he wants, this is a personal matter.
Agree, until it's not affecting other people.
DeleteFor me it's funny topic. I don't believe that people believe in magic. Through some "magical dolls" we can't influence to another human being. Every religion has some strange theories and beliefs but this is awful. What people don't do to manipulate another human...
ReplyDeleteYou can't "not believe that people believe in magic", 'cause it's stupid. At most, you can say that you don't believe in magic. :P
DeleteYou know, voodoo is a strange topic, in fact it grew like some kind of urban legends in culture, it was always like a mystery in films/games.
ReplyDeleteAnyway I was wondering, what are the origins of that religion or even voodoo doll, somebody thought it will be possible to hurt somebody through that doll ? It's like with all the religions - it have some weird stuff in it ;)
I think that about voodoo are more unknown things and mysteries than facts we know for sure. It's very original and exotic religion. Some of people believe in one thing, and someone is making the Voodoo dolls ;)
ReplyDeleteThey say that if you belive in something hard enough it will become true, but bringing people from the dead? It's more like a sci-fi. Voodoo dolls are well known because its motive is used in many movies.
ReplyDeleteAs someone mentioned here, every religion has its own strange practices. For people practicing voodoo our religion is probably the "strange one". I never believed in voodoo effectiveness or that a curse created by a voodoo priest can do harm. Hovever, I'm very thankful to its existence for many succesful movies that were created based on it, like one of the James Bond movies.
ReplyDeleteNot at all. Many Voodoo believers are catholics. They have their own practices, yes. They also even have their own version of saints. Like "voodoo saints". Still, catholics.
DeletePS. "Live And Let Die" - one of the best Bond films ever. :)
Interesting topic. Most people belive that voodoo religion is evil cult. They associate voodoo with witchcraft, voodoo dolls and zombies. It is a false stereotype.
ReplyDeleteInteresting documentary about voodoo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtKpkm7xYi8
Thanks for the link! :)
DeleteVoodoo is based, like you sad, on myths and fear. I watched some time ago a documentary about a drug, that's making people conformable (they do what someone says without consideration). They are like zoombies.
ReplyDeleteHere is it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToQ8PWYnu04
In Columbia it's often used by criminals to steal cars, money and break-in to a house.
The victim does not know on the next day what happened.
On the other hand voodoo has their dolls, but I think it's only psychology and the victim is just so scared that he/she can accidentally harm her/himself.
Voodoo..interesting. I didn't know that there was such religion.
ReplyDeleteIt is interesting, how treating people to this doll is effective.
This is impossible treatment at a distance.
The same as pain, it is interesting how many including truths.
Scaryyyy stuff for me! I didn't even know that voodoo is a religion. I thought it's kind of myth but I can see that people really believe in that! I have one thought right now. I will make a doll of Justin Bieber and I will torture him with those pins! :D
ReplyDeleteGreat idea!
DeleteApproved. ;)
Very interesting. I wasn't aware that it's a religion. I thought it's only some practices... (never mind)
ReplyDeleteVoodoo stuff? I'm open minded but I don't believe in this :)
Are there more religions in with you can curse someone that easily?
I think in India there are some pagan cults of that sort. Not sure if they're religion, though.
DeleteI don't believe in it too much but ok I would not want to anybody to use this on me :D
ReplyDeleteBetter way is to give a wide berth from this
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ReplyDeleteActually all voodoo things are a little bit scary for me, and I'm really surprised of myself believing in such things. Probably the zombies from the second picture have convinced me (the one with her eyes being white is totally terrifying! I watch lots of horrors but THESE eyes always scare me the most). When I was younger I found my little sister playing with voodoo doll and I really dressed her down because of that.
ReplyDeleteFirst practically experienced here, nice!
DeleteThat women from the second picture are just in ritual trance, they're not zombies (but they sure kinda look like ones). :)
Voodoo is very interesting, it's one of few religion beliefs that survived so long. Despite science and technology development, many people still believe that voodoo thing is real.
ReplyDeleteI guess that it's unique for different religions to keep their rituals alive, not just voodoo, but all rituals.
Well, it was scary :). But it also shows us that religions often impose weird stuff on believers. I can't understand how people can foolow such things taking into account that they're supposed to have common sense and some remorse of conscience. It's hard to say whether voodoo dolls really have some misterious powers but, personally, I'd never resort to such means ;)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHuh. Imagine the possibilities, like stabbing people over the internet. That would be a beautiful world to live in.
ReplyDeleteLost in daydreaming... :}
DeleteSounds like fun fact- Zombies comes from voodoo. I've played so many games and watched movies with zombies and never thought about their origin.
ReplyDeleteRecently I watched a program that referred to the voodoo theme - in fact, at first I did not take it seriously, it seemed to me it's pretty funny, but scenes of people who fell into a trance were quite intriguing. I began to wonder if these people are so good actors or they really experiencing your type of hypnosis. Less reliable (for me) are voodoo doll - I do not believe that it is effective. However, each culture has something interesting and it seems to me that the issue of voodoo never be explained completely.
ReplyDeleteAs a matter of fact, no religion can be explained completely. There are always mistical elements that can't be demistified and understood.
DeleteFor me its sick.
ReplyDeleteI dont know , how people can belive , that pin a voodoo doll
could be painfull or deathfull for second people.
It can bring over good stuff as well. Depends on intentions.
DeleteWhen I was young I use the Voodoo doll. For me this was just fun. But in my opinion of the religion is common. For me this is a little bit strange. Every religion have got scared i strange habits. This is not exception.
ReplyDelete