West African Voodoo

Voodoo is an animist religion that attributes a soul to plants and inanimate objects. Despite what you’ve seen in the movies, for millions of Africans, voodoo is not about black magic. The main focus is about showing respect to their ancestors. Voodoo was born here in Benin and Togo. Even people who are Christian or Muslim here still practice Voodoo traditions as well. Just covering the bases.

: Voodoo, or Vodoun ‘the hidden’, influences every aspect of life — the way people do business, divvy up food, haggle over bush taxi fares, socialise, and perceive the world.

: A common way of communicating with the dearly departed is by entering a trance and becoming possessed by a spirit. We saw that drama first hand.

: Accepting a blessing from a voodoo priest.

: The porcupine is an Ashanti tribe symbol, because the porcupine “Fights from all angles”. These will be used in voodoo shrines.

: Happy little Voodoo family.

: Dog teeth are used in fetish shrines outside the home for protection.

: A female chameleon found Mike to be charming, but not worthy of changing color. Only male chameleons do that.

: The darker side of Voodoo is JuJu, when pins or nails are stuck into a figure.

: Cowrie shells represent protection from a divine power, the mother Goddess, or spirit of the ocean.

: First to volunteer at the Python Temple.

: Historically, the king was under attack in 1717 by rival forces. He hid in the forest, where the pythons encircled and protected him.

: The snakes represent the ancestors of the Voodoo people. Very calm pythons.

: Trying to be in the spirit of the place, I volunteered to have a VooDoo Medicine Man (Witch Doctor?) to look at my sore elbow.

: He mixed up a smelly concoction of shea butter, menthol and some powder. He then prayed over the jar and passed me the magic potion. Maybe I don’t have the right spirit for Voodoo – because it didn’t work.