THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR BELIEFS, DOCTRINES AND RELIGIONS
4. VODOO
Estimated year of creation: 8,000 BC
God or Prophet of Voodoo: Bondye or Mawu.
Main Voodoo Books: The Secret Book of Voodoo.
Headquarters / Capital in the world: It does not have headquarters as such, but it is found in all the continents of the world, especially in Africa and America.
Number of faithful around the world: 80 million.
Main symbol of voodoo: I see them.
Main spirits of voodoo:
In the cult of voodoo they are called Loa, the spirits that serve as intermediaries between men and Bondye, the ruler of the supernatural world. They present certain similarities with the angels of Christianity, but unlike these, they are served. Each one has a different personality and multiple ways of being praised (for songs, dances, ritual symbols and others).
There are 4 main families of Loas:
The Rada, considered the oldest and guardians of moral principles.
The Petro, who have a more fierce and warlike personality.
The Ghede, who are the spirits of the dead.
The Dantors are the ones with special power.
Other Loas:
Voodoo basics:
Voodoo beliefs acknowledge the existence of a Supreme Being who created the universe but is too far away to have a personal relationship with his worshipers. Therefore, the followers of this sect follow the "loa" or lesser deities for guidance in their lives. The loa are the spirits of the ancestors, animals, natural forces and spirits of good and evil.
An interesting concept of voodoo beliefs is the ritual that takes place one year and one day after the death of a relative. The voodoo belief states that there are two parts to the human soul. The two parts consist of the "ti-bon-ange" (good little angel) and the "gros-bon-ange" (great good angel). The "gros-bon-ange" is the life force of the body, and after death, it must return to the cosmos.
To ensure that the "ti-bon-ange" has a peaceful rest, the "gros-bon-ange" must be called through an expensive ritual that involves the sacrifice of a large animal, such as a bull, to appease the "ti-bon-ange". If the spirit of the "ti-bon-ange" is not satisfied and given a peaceful rest, the spirit remains bound to this earth forever, and brings disaster and disease to others.
Short description of voodoo.
Voodoo is a cult that originated from the beliefs held by the peoples who were transferred as slaves from West Africa, and from the contact of these beliefs with the Catholic Christian religion, typical of the countries where they were transferred, therefore generally in America. It is a theistic variant of an animistic system with a strong magical and esoteric component. Due to its direct link with Neolithic cosmology and belief systems, its study is of great interest in the field of paleoanthropology. Voodoo is among the oldest cults in the world.
References:
https://www.ecured.cu/Vud%C3%BA
