Vodou: Myth and Reality

Spotlight Archive

March 31, 1998
Vodou: Myth and Reality

Blue Line Graphic

Far from the Hollywood myth of zombies returning from the dead or witch doctors sticking pins in dolls, Vodou is actually a complex set of religious beliefs that merge African and Christian elements into a coherent whole. To explore the meaning of Vodou and its role in Haitian history, politics, and culture, the Brooklyn College Department of Africana Studies will host a conference on "The Spirit and the Reality: Vodou and Haiti" on Friday, April 3, and Saturday, April 4. The symposium will be held in the Student Union Building at Campus Road and East 27th Street.

"The presence, role, and importance of Vodou in Haitian history, society and culture are unarguable, and recognizably a part of the national ethos," said Dr. Régine Latortue, professor and chair of the Department of Africana Studies. "The purpose of this conference is to undo the misunderstandings, the Hollywood myths, surrounding Vodou. We want people to see it simply as a religion due the respect of other world religions."