The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-05-03
SECRETS OF V0UDOO.
THE SACRED RITES HAVE BEEN
WITNESSED BY WHITES.

Great Secrecy Is Maintained by the Ne
groes in the Performance Of tho Prac-
tees Relating to the Superstition.
Where voudooisn II Practiced.
The superstitions more or less current
among the negroes OF Louisiana, under the
general name of voudoo, are without doubt
relics of savagery brought by the ancestors
of the civilized negroes from Africa. The
voudoo ceremonial has never been de-
scribed in detail by any writer on the sub
ject, because, for the most part, there is no
regular routine or form of the rites, which,
whatever they may have been in the be-
ginning, have doubtless become confused
and mingled with various superstitious
customs, some of which were derived from
the whites themselves, and were preserved
from the medieval times when even the
most enlightened people of Europe believed
in witchcraft and the practice of magic.
Voudoo rites, as practiced in Louisiana,
have usually been conducted in secret, but
they are commonly believed to consist of
prolonged and violent dancing by persons
of both sexes, sometimes with little or no
clothing. Tales are told OF scenes of wild
debauchery which occurred at these dances,
and from the frequent statements that llv-
ing snakes are used in some of these exer-
cises it would appear that sort of serpent
worship makes up at least part of the
groundwork upon which the rites are
based.
In the West Indies, but most particularly
in Hayti, these survivals of negro savagery
are quite common, and the rites are de-
scribed as revolving in the extreme, en-
bracing serpent worship, the most aban-
doned debauchery, with human sacrifices
and cannibalism. Sir Spencer St. John. in
his work on the "Black Republics Of the
West Indies" has related at length ac-
counts of these matters, which appear to
be established as facts by testimony en-
tirely credible. His narratives of the YOU
doc practices in Hayti are detailed and cir
cumstantial, and while all the testimony is
conclusive as to the African origin of these
superstitions the writers who have paid
most attention to the subject have not been
able to trace the myths to the particular
tribe and localities from which they were
derived.
DERIVATION OF THE WORD.
The first writer to give any apparent &C
can superstitious rites is Major A. B. Ellis,
British officer, who, it seems, has made a
study of the negro tribes in their ancient
Africa. In The Popular Science Monthly
he prints an article in which we find some
interesting matter. He gives the follow
ing as to the derivation and definition Of
"voudOO:'
The word vodu belongs to the Eve Ian
guage, which is spoken on the slave coast
of West Africa. between the River Volta
on the west and the kingdom of Porto
Novo on the east, and extends inland, as
far as it is known, about 100 miles. It is
derived from the verb vo-to inspire fear
and is used in just the same way as En-
glish speaking people used the word
"fetich"-that is to say, it is used as a
descriptive noun god" and also an adj
jective in the sense of sacred or belonging
to god.
Thus any native god may be described as
a vodu, and his image, paraphernalia and
sacred tract of bush called vodu. A priest
is termed vodu-no-"He who stays with
the vodu" The word is not an epithet of
any particular god, it is a general term,
and it is, therefore, incorrect to say that
cit is the name Of an imaginary being OF
vast supernatural powers residing in the
form of harmless snake"
No doubt the python god, worshiped by
the inhabitants of the southeastern districts
of Eve territory, may very correctly be de-
scribed as a vodu, but it Is not more vodu
than Khebioso, So, Legba, Bo, Hunt, WI
and other gods of the Eve pantheon. The
expression "vodu worship" means, then,
"god worship" which is rather compre-
hensive term.
AFRICAN AND AMERICAN voUDOO.
The Whydahs, people of the Eve ma
ton, are well known worshipers of a
python, or serpent god. and they, about
the year 1920, were wholly subjugated by
the Dahomeys and sold into slavery. Many
of them were carried to the French West
Indies, where they maintained their relig-
ion. Some of these Whydahs were brought
to Louisiana, and hence the snake cult
which is found here. But many more
tribes, which were not snake worshipers,
were also reduced to slavery, and some of
their number were brought to America, so
that their superstitions were mingled with
those of the others
The Whydahs had very elabo rate SER
pent cult, maintaining temples where
bands of young girls ministered and took
part in the dances and other exercises.
These female attendants were organized as
a sisterhood, known as Kosio. The name
of their snake god is Danh-gbi. Says the
writer quoted above:
The Kosio of Danh-gbi usually appears
with the bosom smeared with palm oil, but
their distinguishing mark is necklet call
ed adunka, made of the twisted flaments OF
a sprouting palm leaf On ceremonial oc-
casions they wear fillet Of the same ma
terial, with anklets, armlets and neck
strings of cowries.
As is the case with the women attached
to temples in India, this life is not consid-
cred dishonorable. because it is regarded
as a part Of the service of the religion.
The kosio are, indeed, not considered as re-
sponsible for their actions It is the god,
say the people, who inspires them at such
times.
The voodoo rites as practiced In Louisi-
ana are far less brutal and atrocious than
those in use in Hayti, but they are savage
and demoralizing There is no statute
against them here, but the dances have
been stopped when characterized as disor-
DERBY assemblages. 1t has been supposed
that these superstitions will be extermi-
mated by civilization. but such result has
not vet been attained. 1t is TO be doub ted
if superstition is ever eradicated from hu-
man nature. 1t is claimed even that the
negroes are returning TO their savage
myths. This is an interesting question
New Orleans Picayune-
Chicken Feathers-
Dashaway-Look here, Uncle Jasper,
thought you said your wife's new dress
was trimmed with feathers, ! didn't see