The Spiritual Heart of Voodoo: Understanding a Misunderstood Religion
The Origins Of Voodoo: Voodoo began in West Africa, particularly in what is now Benin, Togo, and Nigeria. When millions of Africans were forcibly brought to the Americas during the slave trade, they carried their spiritual beliefs with them. In places like Haiti, Louisiana, and Brazil, these traditions merged with Catholic practices to create what we now know as Voodoo. The word itself comes from "vodun," which means "spirit" in the Fon language of Benin. This blending happened because enslaved people were often forced to practice Catholicism, so they combined their ancestral beliefs with Catholic saints and symbols to preserve their heritage.