The OP invited me to comment on this thread but I have not since it seemed to be going very well..
I would only add/correct/suggest a couple of things..
first . Voodu was not the state religion under Duvalier. Catholocism was as he signed a concordat with the Pope for its recognition as the State Religion.
Voodu was recognized as a formal religion in Haiti under Aristide.
I would introduce the group also to the work of Elizabeth McAlister, a US scholar who is also a practicing voodusant
http://emcalister.faculty.wesleyan.edu/in-the-media/
The slaves imported by the Iberiana into the New World came from various countries. This was institued by the Portugese who collected them at a fort Elmina BBC NEWS | UK | Poignant site to remember slave trade
This was done to avoid having slaves who spoke a common language, had a common heritage, and could thus easily form common cause for an uprising.
I have heard that there was an original colony of slaves that came to Santo Domingo, around Barahona, brought from one tribe, the Waloofs of Senegal, who formed the first slave colony here are started an uprising.. although I have yet to see printed information on this.
The Portugese were involved in the slave trade long before the introduction of the practice in the New World Africa & the African Slave Trade
It should be remembered that when Columbus set sail, it was just after the fall of the 700 year Moorish occupation of Spain YouTube - When the Moors Ruled in Spain (1 of 11)
thus the conquering Columbus came with the SWORD of Chritistianity...
While the Spaniards were very sucessful in wiping out the traditional religion of most of the Indian tribal relgions in the New World (although anyone who has seen Easter celebrated in Guatemala can attest to the fact that it is only a veneer), the French were perhaps less so.....
France was by far the largest importer of slaves into the new world...
and Haiti was the recipient of the bulk of these slaves
French Slavery
It is, therefore, impossible to trace the orgins of voodu back to any specific African tradition.. either Congolese or Yoruba or other...
The Haitian loas are specific to Haiti.. note, for example Brigette, Maman Brigitte
Note also that while Max Beavoir is now the elected leader of the vodousants in Haiti,http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/world/americas/04iht-profile.4.11680706.html
each hougan or mambo (male or female) voodu priest operates independently.,. although this is a tradition into which one must be intiated under the tutelage of someone who has contact with the loas.
Although most Christians term any relgion that is not Abrahamic as "pagan", the Catholics have long been tolerant of the practice of voodu. Most Protestant Evangelicals are not.
(this all .. of course... is only my opinion and my selection of sources... not meant to masquerade as the "Truth")
I would only add/correct/suggest a couple of things..
first . Voodu was not the state religion under Duvalier. Catholocism was as he signed a concordat with the Pope for its recognition as the State Religion.
Voodu was recognized as a formal religion in Haiti under Aristide.
I would introduce the group also to the work of Elizabeth McAlister, a US scholar who is also a practicing voodusant
http://emcalister.faculty.wesleyan.edu/in-the-media/
The slaves imported by the Iberiana into the New World came from various countries. This was institued by the Portugese who collected them at a fort Elmina BBC NEWS | UK | Poignant site to remember slave trade
This was done to avoid having slaves who spoke a common language, had a common heritage, and could thus easily form common cause for an uprising.
I have heard that there was an original colony of slaves that came to Santo Domingo, around Barahona, brought from one tribe, the Waloofs of Senegal, who formed the first slave colony here are started an uprising.. although I have yet to see printed information on this.
The Portugese were involved in the slave trade long before the introduction of the practice in the New World Africa & the African Slave Trade
It should be remembered that when Columbus set sail, it was just after the fall of the 700 year Moorish occupation of Spain YouTube - When the Moors Ruled in Spain (1 of 11)
thus the conquering Columbus came with the SWORD of Chritistianity...
While the Spaniards were very sucessful in wiping out the traditional religion of most of the Indian tribal relgions in the New World (although anyone who has seen Easter celebrated in Guatemala can attest to the fact that it is only a veneer), the French were perhaps less so.....
France was by far the largest importer of slaves into the new world...
and Haiti was the recipient of the bulk of these slaves
French Slavery
It is, therefore, impossible to trace the orgins of voodu back to any specific African tradition.. either Congolese or Yoruba or other...
The Haitian loas are specific to Haiti.. note, for example Brigette, Maman Brigitte
Note also that while Max Beavoir is now the elected leader of the vodousants in Haiti,http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/04/world/americas/04iht-profile.4.11680706.html
each hougan or mambo (male or female) voodu priest operates independently.,. although this is a tradition into which one must be intiated under the tutelage of someone who has contact with the loas.
Although most Christians term any relgion that is not Abrahamic as "pagan", the Catholics have long been tolerant of the practice of voodu. Most Protestant Evangelicals are not.
(this all .. of course... is only my opinion and my selection of sources... not meant to masquerade as the "Truth")