voodoo

Set of magical beliefs and practices, followed in some parts of Africa, South America, and the West Indies, especially Haiti. It arose in the 17th century on slave plantations as a combination of Roman Catholicism and West African religious traditions; believers retain membership in the Roman Catholic Church. It was once practiced in New Orleans and other areas of southern USA by African-Americans. Beliefs include the existence of loa, spirits who closely involve themselves in human affairs, and some of whose identities mesh with those of Christian saints. The loa are invoked by the priest (houngan) or priestess (manbo) at ceremonies, during which members of the congregation become possessed by the spirits and go into a trance.

A voodoo temple (houmfort) has a central post from which the loa supposedly descend to ‘mount’ the worshipper. The loa can be identified by the characteristic behaviour of the possessed person. Loa include Baron Samedi, who watches over the land of the dead; Erzulie, the black Virgin or Earth goddess; Ogu, a warrior, corresponding to St James the Great; and Legba, the lord of the road and interpreter between humans and spirits, who corresponds to St Anthony the hermit.