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by Fred C. Wilson III
November 12, 2010
“Democracy means that people can say what they want to. All the people. It means that they can vote as they wish. All the people. It means that they can worship God in any way they feel right, and that includes Christians and Jews and voodoo doctors as well.”
-Dalton Trumbo-
BLACK ARTS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Voodoo or Vodou is alive and well in the Philippines. Like in many so-called ‘Catholic’ countries, Christianity and Voodoo (Vodou) aren’t mutually exclusive. In isolated out-of-the-way places in the Philippine archipelago the island of Siquijor comes to mind. On Siquijor many Christians often practice Vodou though the official hierarchical Church strongly disproves. The Philippine Province of Siquijor is noted for witchcraft. Shamans, witches who practice healing as opposed to sorcerers, twisted individuals whose mission in life is to inflict pain, death, and destruction, both vie for members.
In the Philippines shamans (voodoo priests) are called the Mananambal. They use their alleged powers to heal diseases and sicknesses that have their origins in the realm of the supernatural. These shamans claim their power comes from the saints and the souls of the dead.
On the opposite end of the shamanistic equation are the Mambabarang. Reader these folks are downright mean. Not only do these sorcerers make life miserable for people, they’re paid pretty well to do it. Services rendered by these individuals can cost anywhere from P6,000.00 to P30,000.00. Clients rely on these bad boys/girls to solve land disputes, punish adulterous spouses or lovers, and to get even with enemies. People who live in Bohol and Dumaguete rely on both shamans and sorcerers to help them in times of need. (Source: www.dumagueteinfo.com).
HISTORY OF VOODOO
Vodou has its origins in Africa. Reader, you just mention the word ‘Voodoo’ and some people cringe. Many associate Vodou with hex causing dolls that you stick pins in certain vital places to project pain on to certain body parts of enemies. Others think of Zombies the walking dead who feast on the blood and flesh of humans and animals. A lot of people consider Vodou satanic. Both views are gross misconceptions. Vodou is a legitimate religion. Vodou is a combination of nature and ancestor veneration coupled with a deep concern for the daily welfare of its adherents.
Vodou has many spellings: Voodoo, Vodou, Voudoun, and some others. Westerners often associate this religion with the African Diaspora that historical period when Black slaves were transported across the Atlantic Ocean to New World. Many people associate Haiti as the world capitol of all things Vodou. Vodou is practiced in Haiti, the Middle East, the entire Caribbean, both Americas, and the Philippines. More than a few scientists and anthropologists believe this shamanistic tradition is well over 10,000 years old which makes it the oldest religion on earth!
Vodou plays an enormous part in the lives of communities where it flourishes. Vodou rites are colorful and scary. Color, music, magic, mystery, spirit possession, and dance all play large parts in Vodou ritual. This religion has a strong oral tradition and is passed on generationally through storytellers. There are no prayer books or sacred scriptures in Vodou and practitioners believe they can communicate one-on-one with people in the spirit world. Vodou is a personable religion who’s ‘liturgies’ vary with location. When academics study this religion they’re invariably led to a vast collection of stories passed on generationally. Because of the familiarity between worshipers and the worshiped Vodou’s popularity has never waned (Source: www. secrets2voodoo .com).
MY VOODOO CONNECTION
I can personally relate to Vodou. While I consider myself an orthodox Catholic-Christian and Cooperator of Opus Dei, both sides of my family were active practitioners of the Vodou religion as was my first wife’s family. Our families have a rich shamanistic tradition. My mother + May GOD rest her soul + would tell me some of her girlhood experiences growing up in New Orleans. She’d tell me stories of some of the really bizarre rituals she observed and participated in. Mom told me a story of when she was a pre-teen girl when she served an apprenticeship with a female shaman or sorcerer whose title I forgot.
Mom told me the time she was ordered as I remember to go to Hope Cemetery (Mausoleum) to get some “graveyard dirt.” This dirt was to be used later in some Vodou ritual. Mom told me the dirt’s purpose I can’t remember. About mid-morning she left for the mausoleum to get the dirt. Along the way she met some of her playmates, joined in their games, and forgot about the dirt. Hours later as it grew dark she remembered her original mission of procuring a small brown bag of soil from the Mausoleum located miles away from her home. Not wanting to return to her teacher empty handed she scooped up a handful of ordinary soil, bagged it, returned to the sorcerer, and quickly handed the small bag to the priestess. Days later when the shaman/sorcerer spotted my mom on the street with her playmates, the irate shaman/sorcerer chased her up and down the street shouting obscenities at her! The magician was angry because the ritual backfired. She needed “graveyard dirt” to make the magic work.
Reader that’s it for this weeks’ Mega Scene’s Philippine Adventures; outta’ word space. Next week I’ll conclude with my experiences with Vodou. I’ll talk about my ‘Cousin Snake’ a man who actually signed a blood pact with Satan, lived in perfect health dying rich in the middle of the Great Depression at the ripe old age of 95! I’ll give a vivid account of my participation in a Vodou ceremony that was part of my engagement ‘package’ shortly before I married my first wife. I’ll talk about the time my first ex-wife put a hex on one of my professors when I was completing my master’s degree. I’ll also tell you where to find Vodou supply stores in Chicago and complete this mini-series with what the Bible says about the black arts. Till next week drive sober, love your family, and GOD be with you. (vamaxwell@yahoo.com)