The sun., 1891-06-09
THE yoUDoo DANCE
Described NJ the Eyewituess or . Crazy
Ornte Near Port.su-Frince.

Ornse Near Port-su-rrince.
voudooism fs practised quito generally In
Hayti, but with such secrecy. especially In the
cities that few except natives ever witness lis
rites. Opinion. vary as to human sacrihoes
Many say they are not offered Others think
that they are always made at the great festf-
walls. but so secretly that 1t Il almost impos-
sibe to see them. II is matter of record
however. that few yenrs ago several worship
rers were caught near Fort Bizoton devourinG
the fragments OF child the goat without
horns OF their altar. and. after trial. they
we're found guilty and executed.
During q political celebration In Port-nu-
Prince one Saturday not long ago. learned
that on Sunday voudoo dances would be held
In the vicinity OF the city. and 80 on the follow
ing morning started out to find one. l had
walked out about mile. when heard a drum
In the distance. / toiled along un-
der the broiiing sun. and at last 10.
Gated the sound behind screen OF
freshly cut palms at little distance from the
TO the trees. and pushed my way thu ough 9
gap to lind IN fiont oil me pavilion ABOUT
ni roaf asss was ormea Of palm and was
end were three men with syin,ris;al ;I q d7umss IN,
% Varied In IN length from iosr ieei to two. Near
sne sonH poson Outside o 0dH se arbor md
little or no attention was paid to ME At first rs
S Sn aaPSs %sEs Ss drn%s tae se
spsststors ,oinsd 70 cultural chan. I'm End the
h1h Des S mE covere WIN
a sis siiE handsrrchis! With him we're an
%snis. nsssns Priest asd small sIsl %ast'f be
small eourd covered with siri1ss & 6rnds;
The e. drums % % %Hii We're wei dressed. q. were
also The ffty or sixty spectators; mostly
who e: sass o Ss on
and sss srsnady ~ Oroporsonsa ''e' ,''
pavilion @ snS PAUSED z ont q sSs sra%si ,Tss
be slowly Drought il toward Biz lirs: Anolher
large silk handkerchief was thrown over hts
ssrsx ~ sns and tie
mugs contents, which looked Ike wn,er,n IN
on e. po ~ o.
The! sroyeiled on ihe ground. M:
dabs al s"S Of mi mud Then one by one they crawied
10 the Papaio!. klssine the around before him;
them to their knees. wiped their faces with
sss SSs ,sisss sIjs! sh sss i
tho left. and ali resumed their seats.
One middle aaeL woman began dancing
persniration rolled down her lace. She danced
up to the Papalol and bent over 80 that she
and then. sprinRinR uptopohed her breasts.
sHt hrr
eareiuiy He did the same to her. The dancs
the hn Hs emerged Sf6 the the
81 silk over her head. She enptied u at q
he drums: the &ammaioi Mann ie TOOK % on s6e dnncers
.hoss and stockings and :" Killed her dress up
teizine her dress with both hands. did most
nsy .n s rns% 1ESpna oy.r IN and es oy.s
mouth foaming. and her face contorted. and
iy ofi Suddenly she :topped rose to her feet.
bsd over back ward as Il she. we're dead.
The OLD Mammaloi mar ded her Ronrd to an-
wo bd1
Fhas tly twltch amt h r fac. became cont ted;
a Again .n aud AGAIN tile shnd % ders were rcpented
'Ss most faseinasine thing have ever sson; S:
broke. Into a gallop around the po. I.
10 ana rs bo R.r
,he sprsng to to the H HPapaioi: seized him BY he he
h 0a into
10Th cheeks and the mouth. She rubbed the
10Th ru bbed faces. She broke away to
'csmme her position at the centre POLE
Rhtle the Papnloi Withdrew for the mug.
Her eyes mot mine. she advanced, seized my
lands, and repeat ted the kissing and nose rub
Ding. 1t was not pleasant. hut n furtive x ance
It the solemn faces around mo informed me
hat discretion was hotter than cleanline-a. I
While her toilet was being made.
yhich. In her case included the removal Of her
lress the master OF cere onies apprnached me
Ind. after another hnndshake. invited mo to
rink. declined with thanks. The priestess
lrank. and the orgy continued.
The three priests went into the hut Pres
'ntly the Pnnaloi returned alone: q glitter Ike
insanity In his eyes and his mouth hecksd With
oam. The master OF cerem les and bis as
istant came from the hut. bearing a white
hicken. They approached the Papaloi. In
family all rushed to him. and he WAS con-
ealed by the painting fu,ious crowd for five
minutes. When tho crowd opened the dancing
vomen had triangular hlotches ~ blood on
heir foreheads and bloody mouths. The
hlcken had disappeared.
Up to the time when 1 left. the dance had |
'een In progress about three hours. and there
ad boen no drunkenness or inderency Of any
ind, except the exposure OF the persons OF The |
an GERS. but my impression was that the re-
!gious part OF the Ceremony ended with ent,ng |
he chicken. and that tho drinking and the |
rRy generally commenced at once. to be kept
10 a. night. ! now honestly believe In human
acrihces At these great ceremonies. The
rowd left seemed equal to anything.