Vodou

American  

[voh-doo] / ˈvoʊ du /

noun

1. an Afro-Caribbean religion practiced chiefly by Haitians, deriving principally from West African Vodun and containing elements borrowed from the Roman Catholic religion.

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Etymology

Origin of Vodou

First recorded in 1880–85; from an Indigenous language spoken in Benin

Example Sentences

Shunned publicly by politicians and intellectuals for centuries, Vodou is transforming into a more powerful and accepted religion across Haiti, where its believers were once persecuted.

From Seattle Times

Amid the spiraling chaos, numerous Haitians are praying more or visiting Vodou priests known as “oungans” for urgent requests ranging from locating loved ones who were kidnapped to finding critical medication needed to keep someone alive.

From Seattle Times

“The spirits help you. They’re always around,” said Sherly Norzéus, who is initiated to become a “mambo,” or Vodou priestess.

From Seattle Times

But when he lost his job and his wife left him nearly two years ago, a friend suggested he try Vodou.

From Seattle Times

Vodou is attracting more believers given the surge in gang violence and government inaction, said Cecil Elien Isac, a 4th-generation oungan.

From Seattle Times