8/9/2019 Voodoo Hoodoo and Santeria

1/3

Visit www.hoodoo-conjure.com and www.texas-hoodoo.com 

Voodoo, Hoodoo & Santería© 1998 By John R. Milam

Santeria, Magic, Magick, Occult, Psychic, Wicca, Voodoo, voudoun, Vudu, Spells,

witchcraft 

~ African Religion In America ~Voodoo, Hoodoo, Santería and Macumba (as it is popularly called) all have

their origins in both Africa and Catholic America. The African people, who werebrought to the New World as slaves, carried their religion and magic with them.Those religious and magical practices, however, did become modified to suit theneeds of the New World.

Those slaves, who were brought to the Americas by Catholic colonists, learnedto adapt their religion and customs to the faith of their masters in order to

continue their traditions veiled though it was. Such was not the case in theProtestant English colonies. Whereas, the Catholic Church regarded the Africanslaves as human beings and insisted upon their conversion, the Protestantcolonists did not think of their slaves as fully human and, therefore, took littleinterest in their conversion. They further feared any slave congregation, evenreligious, as being conducive to revolt.

The transplanted Africans often blended their African religious and magicalheritage with the Catholicism of their masters and the result is the hybredreligions of Voodoo, Santería, etc. The Loas and Orishas had their counterparts in

the saints of the Church. The mysticism of the Church and its concern for thedeceased also was a linking factor between Latin Christanity and Africanreligious tradition.

~ Voodoo ~Voodoo has been portrayed merely as the practice of evil or harmful magic. In

our culture, the first thing that comes to mind when we hear the word, "voodoo",is that of death curses, pinned dolls and mindless zombies. While these areindeed part of Voodoo, they are only a small, negative part of this very rich and

 generally positive religion.Voodoo has its origins in Africa, among the people of Dahomey. This was the

area from which came many of the slaves brought to the French colonies in theNew World. The very term, "voodoo" comes from the Dahomean word for spirit,vodun .

In Voodou, there is a strong emphasis on paying honor to one's ancestors and toancestors of antiquity. Some ancient ancestors are particularly honored as being

http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/

8/9/2019 Voodoo Hoodoo and Santeria

2/3

8/9/2019 Voodoo Hoodoo and Santeria

3/3

Visit www.hoodoo-conjure.com and www.texas-hoodoo.com 

Nigeria. The slaves in the Spanish colonies had a different native language andculture from those in the French New World. This difference is reflected in thedifferences of their religious evolution.

Macumba, Umbanda, etc. are Brazilian/Portugese blends of African & Catholicreligions.

The Santería counterpart of the Voodoo loas are the Orishas. Las Siete Potenciasfricanas or The Seven African Powers are the principal Orishas in Santería.

Las Siete Potencias fricanas

 

The Seven African Powers are:

  Obatalá - rules peace & purity (O.L. of Mercy).  Elegguá - Messanger, opens & closes doors (St. Anthony).  Changó - Rules thunder, passions, power (St. Barbara). 

Oggún - Rules war & work (St. Peter).  Orúnla - Rules divination (St. Francis of Assissi).  Yemayá - Rules the sea, women, maternity (O.L. of Regla).  Oshún - Rules love, marriage, gold (O.L.of La Caridad del Cobre).

Other important Orishas are:

  Olofí - Aspect of Olodumare, the Supreme Being (Crucified Christ).  Oyá - Ruler of death & cemeteries (O.L.of Candelaria).  Babalú-Ayé - Ruler of healing & illness (St. Lazarus).  Ochosi - Ruler of hunting & jails (St. Isidor).

The reader can learn more about the Saints and their powers to intercede forspecial needs by visiting Christian Catholic Saints Page. 

http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://ravenpsy.tripod.com/members.tripod.com/~ravenpsy/xian.htmlhttp://ravenpsy.tripod.com/members.tripod.com/~ravenpsy/xian.htmlhttp://ravenpsy.tripod.com/members.tripod.com/~ravenpsy/xian.htmlhttp://ravenpsy.tripod.com/members.tripod.com/~ravenpsy/xian.htmlhttp://www.texas-hoodoo.com/http://www.hoodoo-conjure.com/