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Indigenous Religion and Voodoo - Online Essay

Indigenous Religion and Voodoo

An indigenous religion is a native religion that originated in a specific region and culture (1). Benin has one of the highest religious diversities in the world (2). Benin also has one of the highest percentages of people who follow the indigenous religion of Voodoo, with over 60% of the population practicing it (3) (4).
Benin has long been called the â€śbirthplace of Voodooâ€ť (4). Voodoo, in the native Fon language, means Spirit (5). Voodoo is actually a combination of different cultural beliefs. In ancient Egypt, the Yoruba people were enslaved. Once they were freed they began to spread across Africa, carrying many of the Egyptian beliefs with them. In West Africa, in what is now ...

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coast on a trail called the Route des Esclaves. As part of their religion, these slaves would circle the Tree of Forgetfulness nine times as a way to forget their past so that their new life wouldnâ€™t seem so horrible (4). Voodoo continued to spread, despite early attempts to repress it by making Voodoo illegal and forcing slaves to convert to Christianity. It soon became a dominant religion in parts of the New World such as Brazil, Haiti, and New Orleans (4) (5) (6) 7).
Voodoo has no official religious texts, therefore, many variations of all elements of Voodoo have developed. In Benin, Mawa-Lissa is generally considered the name of the supreme deity (4) (8). The supreme deity is the creator of life, but is generally uninvolved with humanity. Spirits, deceased ancestors, and lesser gods, called Iwa, interact with humanity, watch over us and are the intermediaries with Mawa-Lissa. Each lesser god has a specific job. For example, Sakpata is the god of illness, healing, and Earth. ...

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Indigenous Religion and Voodoo. (2017, March 14). Retrieved February 22, 2025, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Indigenous-Religion-and-Voodoo/106150

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PAPER DETAILS

Added: 3/14/2017 12:45:44 AM
Submitted By: abcdefg
Category: Religion
Type: Premium Paper
Words: 699
Pages: 3

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