The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-02-05
monial OCCASION, when tho drum
mers strike the 'theme,' tho particip.
ants know the dance and song which
go with it. There arc from 300 to
400 different dances.
"Tho ccrcmonials oro
RITUALS or WITCICRAFT


"Tho ccromonials nro
RITUALS or wITCUCEAFT
and arc hold for the purpose Of gain
ing various favors from tho Great
Yellow Sorpont, such as the euro of
sickness, tho bringing down Of OWL
upon enemies, and oven tho causing
of death to persons who may havo
given offence to tho society or to
individual mcmhcrs. AS tho dances
progress they become more and molr
furious, usually ending in frenzy
that overcomcs all tho partici pants,
who become or: ~ for tho timo being,
many Of thcm falling into a sort Of
cntalcptic condition. Tho culminn-
ton Of tho orgy is tho sacrifice of Il
living animal and tho drinking of its
blood, which is passed around for
that purpose in II jug, mixed with
rum. Finally tho victim is boiled in
pot and eaten.
"The drums used to accompA any
the dances are an important feature
OF tho ccremonlals. Usually they
arc employed in groups Of throc,
each group having lis peculiar color
and signs1i Nc. Tho drums, for
example,, como into play only on
those moro serious occasions whom
the ritual happens to have for its
special object tho bringing down Of
wrath upon porson who may havo
be,n so unfortunate as to cxcito tho
i'll will Of the society. This sct of
drums is known as tho trio Of death,
red bcing tho color appropriuto to
death and tho sacred color Of tho
Vuudoux When beaten they arc
supposed to excite vehement anger
of tho Evil Spirit, which is to be Iii
rcctcd against tho individual aimed
at.
"Each Noodoo ceremony is prcsid-
od over by sorccror in chief, known
rs tho Papcloi, who is assisted by n
witch woman called tho Mumcloi.
These personagos have attained their
high rank in the society, as it is TN
dcrstood, through tho long practice
Of extraordinary wickedncss, and
usually they are of hideous aspect,
tho notion being that their suporna.
tural powor varies directly with their
ugliness. Nobody darcs to disoboy
them, inuamuch us TO do so would
be to invite tho most droudful con-
sequences, and they are able to dc
vote thoir ontiro time TO evil doing,
being maintained hy gifts which their
followers bestow upon them in the
nominal shape Of offerings to the
devil god.
"Theso priests and priestcsscs are
usually distinguished by peculiar.
KNoTr1NG OF THEIR KINKy WOOL.
but in Hayti any old man or woman
Of strange appearance is apt to be
suspected Of being Il Papoloi or
Mamoloi. They undoubtedly pos
sess Il remarkable knowledge of the
medicinal properties Of plants, espo
chilly rs to poisonous iebrifuges. Sc
great is tho faith in thom as medical
practitioners that in cases Of serious
illnoss thoy are commonly called in
oven by persons outside tho pale ol
tho Voodoo organization, and today
by regular physician, no matter how
capable, can make n living in Hayti
Notwithstanding tho number Of droad
ful diseases which prevail on tho
island.
"Tho witch doctors Of Vadoux are
known to be poisoners ard in this
capacity they may wcll be dreaded
by persons who have no faith in THEN
supernatural powers. 1t is said that
they are acquainted with certain ex.
tracts and dccoctions of plants
which, being administered in small
doses at intervals, will induce q grad
ual decay Of the victims mind, re
duciDg him to state Of idiocy
They have other poisons which work
in SO subtle q fashion that no harm
10 done by them apparently until
when tho secret administration o1
them is suddenly stopped, the unfor
tunate dies By reason Of their with
drawal. Tho venom Of tho scorpion
and terantula, intensified by distilla
ton, makes the merest scratch Of {