Haitian Vodou

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Haitian Vodou () is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West and Central Africa and Catholicism. There is no central authority in control of the religion and much diversity exists among practitioners, who are known as Vodouists in English. Vodou teaches the existence of a transcendent creator divinity, Bondye, under whom are spirits known as lwa. These lwa typically derive their names from traditional West and Central African deities, are equated with Catholic saints, and divide into groups called nanchon ("nations"), most notably the Rada and the Petwo. This theology has been labelled both monotheistic and polytheistic. Vodouists will often be initiated into an ounfò (temple), run by an oungan (priest) or manbo (priestess), through which group ceremonies are conducted. Alternatively, Vodou is also practised within family groups or in secret societies...

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