But while the Hollywood image of a zombie is exaggerated, these creatures do actually bear similarities to the real walking dead. The first references to zombies were discovered in Haiti.
Ceremonial religion is an important aspect of the Haitian culture.
Voodoo, or vodoun, is widely practiced and while the basis of the religion has little or nothing to do with black magic, the art of creating zombies is the exception. Haitians believe that relatives or friends who have annoyed others or are lazy, slovenly, or dishonest are in danger of being turned into zombies. Until recently, it was believed that a Bokor had the power to control the living and the dead. But Wade Davis, a noted ethnobiologist, disproved the theory. He interviewed two zombie victims and concluded that each had been given a powerful poison, administered either through open wounds or in their food.