What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book. Buddhism has no special holy book like a bible but there are some old writings that give advice. Who are the central spiritual beings in yoruba religion. When african slaves were brought to the americas to work on plantations, they brought voodoo with them.
Your best option for what youre describing is to interview a priest. In benin and haiti, voodoo is now officially recognised as a religion. Buddhism 376 million followers tripitaka pali canon 5. Christians worship in churches and their spiritual leaders are called priests. Voodoo is a fusion of religious practices from africa that takes on different characteristics and emphases when practiced in various locations.
List of world religions and founders, religious books, place. Entries encompass individuals, concepts, specific religions, religious movements and churches, and include. They tend to derive morality, ethics, religious laws or a preferred. Big ideas simply explained series uses creative design and innovative graphics along with straightforward and engaging writing to make complex subjects easier to understand. Vodouisants also accept the existence of lesser beings, which they call loa or lwa. Vodoun religious practices commonly include appealing to the loa lwa, or spirits, and inviting them to temporarily take possession of or ride human bodies so that they may communicate directly with believers.
Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to explain the origin of life or the universe. Indeed, salvation through deicide is the most repulsive act imaginable, and slavery sanctioned in holy scriptures is not far behind. It has been suggested that voodoo in west africa evolved from the ancient traditions of ancestor worship and animism. We were hoodwinked into turning our backs to the one faith that could protect us from the wiles of the missionaries and their associates. A 1685 law, for instance, prohibited the practice of african religions, and required all masters to christianize their slaves within eight days of. The holy book for christianity is the bible the holy book for islam is the quran the holy book for the jewish is the torah hope this helped you bye asked in buddhism, shintoism what is the holy. In recent years, a few books have attempted similar tasks. Barring that, i recommend thy name is vodoun, by mami wata priestess or for a more panafrican take mami wata. Before that they were mostly buddhist but that philosophy of life does not really qualify as a religion since no cosmology.
Questions in the letter are answered by london swaminathan post no. Voodoo is an oral tradition without a primary holy text, prayer book or set of rituals and beliefs. Nov 09, 2009 most modern chinese are not religious and border on atheistic due to 50 year ploicy of their government to stamp it out. Some of the other holy works and books of hinduism are stories and epic poems.
Letter from pj hi sir, i am 17 year old kid from a tamil family, i was born in knear nagapattinam, i moved to france when i was. It is based on the teachings of jesus christ who lived on the holy land 2000 years ago. In different regions, voodoo practices, the names of gods and other traits can vary considerably. Hence large elements of west african, particularly yoruba, religion blended with catholicism can be found in religions such as vodun also known as voodoo haiti, candomble brazil and santeria carribean. Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The upanishads are also called as vedantas or the end of the vedas. The ceremonies commonly include drumming, chanting, dancing and the drawing of symbols known as veves vevers. Voodoo has since spread to other african nations, the caribbean, as well as north and south america. In the americas and the caribbean, it is thought to be a combination of various african, catholic and native american traditions. She helped many to get back to their roots, and is responsible for the preservation of a good deal that would have been lost from both african and the regional native american mysticism.
What book can give an accurate layout and beliefs of the. A handbook is a unique work that seeks to fill gaps in public knowledge and to provide muchneeded correctives when public perception diverges from facts. It is practiced around the world but there is no accurate count of how many people are voodooists. Included in this treatise are the numbers, colors, sacred days and contemporary herbs obtainable in the west associated with each deity. However, the puranas are supposed to be complied by muni vyasa. Their white masters, however, had other plans regarding the religious practice of their slaves. Vodou or voodoo is a monotheistic religion that is often misunderstood. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of dahomean, kongo, yoruba, and other african ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial saintdomingue as haiti was known then and christianized by roman catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries. Mar 22, 2011 i think marie laveaus birthday should be added to the list of holidays since she was one of the most famous priestesses in u. I was born in montreal and raised in vancouver, canada.
As is the kitabiaqdas, which translated means the most holy book. The origins of voodoo, the misunderstood religion ancient. The vodun are the centre of religious life, similarly in many ways to doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels that made vodun appear compatible with christianity, especially catholicism, and produced syncretic religions such as haitian vodou. The puranas are holy books of hinduism that date back to gupta empire in ancient india. Worship of the vodun is the original source of the haitian religion of vodou, which emerged as a syncretism of african, roman catholic, and caribbean religious traditions by african slaves. Feb 14, 2017 your best option for what youre describing is to interview a priest. Vodou rituals and ceremonies the haitian vodou religions are full of different types of rituals and ceremonies that are conducted. Vodun 1296 words 6 pages tori may imler phi 125 religions 42717 the holy ghost people v. Some of the other holy works and books of hinduism. The historical divergence of this association of africans to vodun while writing them out from the early foundations of islam and christianity, and many other religions, are probably lost to several of the napoleonic bookburning, libraryburning, and priestkilling terrorists, militants, academics and colonialists, but the cultural and. What are the top ten religions and what is the holy book for. Common in haiti and new orleans, vodou merges catholic and african beliefs to form a unique set of rituals that include voodoo dolls and symbolic drawings. The scriptures of the vedas are meant to guide hindu believers in their daily lives.
West african voodoo has been less influenced than other forms of voodoo because it is practiced in the place of its origination, yet christianitys influence, particularly roman catholicism, is significant. What yoruba belief and practice does prothero see as blurring a more rigid view of gender. This work differs from the encyclopedia of africanamerican religions garland, 1993 in its international emphasis, its orientation toward anthropological and ethnographic methodologies, its. This book will be of critical importance not only to those concerned with african, african american, and caribbean art, but also to anthropologists, african diaspora scholars, students of comparative religion and comparative psychology, and anyone fascinated by the traditions of voudou and vodun. If the quran is the central holy book of islam, name the second most important text. Religion is a cultural system that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and moral values. The obvious next step was to turn to the holy books themselves. The west african area is important because this is where the majority of slaves departed for the new world. There is only one holy book in christianity and that is the bible, however, protestant christian denominations use a bible with 66 books, while catholics use a bible with 73 books. The holy book of african vodun this is the cover you will receive. The encyclopedia of african and africanamerican religions. The vedas and these other works are further divided into two sections. The word vodun the haitian word voodoo comes from the african fon language which is still spoken today in benin.
Jan 11, 20 voodoo is a fusion of religious practices from africa that takes on different characteristics and emphases when practiced in various locations. Vodun or vudun spirit in the fon and ewe languages, also spelled vodon, vodoun, voudou, voodoo etc. The historical divergence of this association of africans to vodun while writing them out from the early foundations of islam and christianity, and many other religions, are probably lost to several of the napoleonic book burning, libraryburning, and priestkilling terrorists, militants, academics and colonialists, but the cultural and. Aug, 2014 the top eleven deities in voodoo mythology voodoo mythology is a fascinating hybrid of yoruban, dahomey, fon and christian mythology intermixed with touches from caribbean belief systems. Oct 20, 2016 the akodessewa fetish market, or marche des feticheurs, is a kind of super supply where you can find anything from leopard heads and human skulls to voudon priests who bless fetishes. Vodun is practised by the ewe, kabye, mina and fon peoples of southeastern ghana, southern and central togo, southern and central benin and under a different name the yoruba of southwestern nigeria. The majority of the vedas are considered the shruti, which is translated to that which is hard. These texts are glorious tales of the hindu trinity brahma, vishnu and maheshwar shiva. The top eleven deities in voodoo mythology balladeers blog. Worship of the vodun is the original source of the haitian religion of vodou, which emerged as a syncretism of african, roman catholic, and caribbean religious traditions by. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of dahomean, kongo, yoruba, and other african ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial saintdomingue as haiti was known then and christianized by roman catholic missionaries in the.
The history of voodoo does not start, as many people believe around 1500 ad in haiti, but about 15,000 years before christ in africa. Hwlengan means preservation in the ajafon language that originates in benin republic, west africa. Here you will find information on some of the more common. There are many religions, most of which have at least one holy book. Sacred gods of vodun is a well articulated, yet concise work, detailing accurate attributes and quality descriptions of 54 of the deities of african vodun. Jul 15, 2014 questions in the letter are answered by london swaminathan post no. Though my neighborhood was poor, its public schools were. The african origins of western civilization, religion, and ethics philosophy. Hadith what are the two 20th21st century events prothero sees as bring islam into modern western consciousness. Apr 21, 2015 modern day benin is regarded as the birth place of this religion, and the name voodoo itself means spirit in the local fon language. Nevertheless, voodoo is still a rather misunderstood religion due to its inaccurate portrayal by the media. Most modern chinese are not religious and border on atheistic due to 50 year ploicy of their government to stamp it out. The akodessewa fetish market, or marche des feticheurs, is a kind of super supply where you can find anything from leopard heads and human skulls to voudon priests who bless fetishes. The most holy of the hindu books is written in sanskrit and is referred to as the vedas.
Vodun from a outsiders perspective, many religions can be seen as strange and unusual, but to those who follow and worship under the religion it makes sense and it helps them in their everyday lives, because of this. While others are conducted, by houngans and mambos, for private clientel. Christianity is the worlds biggest religion, with about 2. Followers of vodou known as vodouisants believe in a single, supreme godhead that can be equated with the catholic god.
Other holy scriptures in hinduism are called the upanisads, the smrutis, the puranas, the ramayana and the mahabharata. Vodun holidays and orisha birthdays orisha online altar. Vodun meaning spirit in the fon and ewe languages, pronounced with a nasal hightone u. Some ceremonies or rituals are offered and open to the public vodou community. The religions book is also perfect for religion and philosophy students. By extension this sacred books name means the preservation. Feb 05, 2012 the vodun are the centre of religious life, similarly in many ways to doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels that made vodun appear compatible with christianity, especially catholicism, and produced syncretic religions such as haitian vodou. Bible is the holy book which consists of old and new testaments. The top eleven deities in voodoo mythology balladeers.
Vodou, also spelled voodoo, voudou, vodun, or french vaudou, a religion practiced in haiti. I did not know any christians or serious followers of any other religion while i was growing up. The term vodun is derived from the god vodun, who was worshiped by west african yoruba men and women who lived in 18th and 19th century dahomey. May 25, 2011 voodoo is a religion that originates in africa. Hinduism, has many holy books, but most popular is shreemad bhagavad gita, upanishads and veda. Thus, the real source of voodoo is the egyptian pyramids. Haiti is the central location of the voodoo belief system but naturally it has spread throughout the world as have other faiths. The religion makes use of a wealth of rituals and observations that affect followers daytoday lives, making a straightforward list of observances.
With over 7 million copies worldwide sold to date, these awardwinning books. It described vodun as a profoundly evil religion, and included lurid descriptions of human sacrifice, cannibalism, etc. Muata ashbys book sets the stage with discussions of kemetic ancient egyptian civilization, and how the original teachings of the great shepsu led to the rise of other traditions like ayurveda on the indian subcontinent and, of course, christianity. Vodou sacred sites of haiti lakou soukri danach, gonaives with spiritual leader sevite mariecarme delvas haitian vodou also written as vaudou, vodun, vodoun, and voodoo is a syncretic religion practiced chiefly in haiti and the haitian diaspora.
Prayer, place of worship, belief systems, rituals, worship, symbols, sacred writings, deity, festivals, rite of passage. These are just the ones i know of and have gathered from a variety of people and sources. Voodoo is a name for several religious practices derived from west african voodoo. This important new reference covers african and africanamerican religion in subsaharan africa, north america, south america, and the caribbean, and provides vital insights into its growing worldwide influence in europe, asia and the south pacific. If god the creator had spoken through any of these books and i thought he probably had not, his authorship would be obvious. Adherents also emphasise ancestor worship and hold that the spirits of the dead live. The bible is considered to be the word of god by both protestant christian groups and catholic groups. The original west african voodoo is a polytheistic religion called vodon also spelled vodun, voudoun, vodou, vaudoux, vodoun or voudou. Sep 27, 2012 for example, the holy book of christianity is the bible, the holy book of islam is the quran, and the holy book of the baha. This book caught the imagination of people outside the west indies, and was responsible for much of the misunderstanding and fear that is present today. Our neighbors could also be described as nonreligious. Hwlengan is the only existing codified holy book of african vodun.
However, as with any religion, followers of vodou cannot be lumped into a single category. These are more intimately involved in daytoday life. The church of jesus christ of latterday saints uses four holy books. For more information on new world africanderived religions, refer to the the santeria page at ontario consultants for religious tolerance. It was compiled from ancient sources by his majesty axosu agelogbagan agbovi i, the king of the ganlodo monarchy and released in january 2015.
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