The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-16
HORRORS OF HAITI V00DO0.
Awful Rites Practiced, in Which
Mothers Eat Their Children.
fChicago Chronicle.)


When two negroes were garroted at
Havana year ago for murder result
ing from vOodoO practices considerable
surprise was expressed that such a
survival of savagery as voodOoism still
existed on this continent.
In parts of Cuba, in Haiti and other
West Indian islands, however, the spell
of the voodoo is potent today, just as
it dominates the minds of certain ne
gro tribes on the coast of West Africa.
To a lesser extent and long since d.
vorced from human sacrifices, voodoo
superstitions prevail among the ne
groes Of Louisiana and other sections
Of the gulf coast.
Voodoo, or vaudoux, worship has long
been deeply rooted in Haiti. 1t is in
timately associated with the politics of
the republic, and those presidents or
other heads of the government who
have had the courage to defy public
opposition and direct their influence
against this cult have met with but
little success.
Those who practice voodoo are great
ly feared by the Haitians who are not
votaries of the snake god. The faith
ful' are distinguished by their curious
method of knotting the hair and by
the prOfusion of ornaments which they
affect.
An analogy may be traced easily be-
tween the rites of the African natives
who worship Danh-gbi and the ceremo-
MES of the Haitians who belong to the
voodoo sects.
A priest In Haiti is known as papa
or master or king There is but one
priestess, whom the priest has elevat-
ed TO that rank She is called mamma
or mistress or queen. The power of
the king and queen is absolute; their
rule extends during lifetime.
The thunderous rumbling of the
drum calls the people together. This
sound is most impressive and can be
heard for long distances.
When the initiated arrive upon the
sacred spot each fastens a pair of san
dals to the feet and decks the body
with a number of red handkerchiefs,
rcd being the faVOrite color of the VOo-
doc.
Upon the altar are seated the king
and queen Tor papaloi and mamanloi,
as the Haitians call them) arrayed in
resplendent costume. of which red is
the predominant color and beside them
is placed q box with Stats in front
through which may be seen the object
of their Worship-a non-venomous ser
pent.
The worshipper approaches the altar,
does obeisance and makes his proteSta-
tons of eternal faithfulness and sub
mission. Taking the hands of the king
and queen he repeats his oaths.
When all have acknowledged them
selves as true servants of the god the
king md queen descant to their follow
ers upon the joys of the religion and
what happiness is in store for those
who Faithfully obey the deity's man
dates. Then the king expresses him
self willing to give advice to those who
need ii.
Each approaches. according TO his or
her seniority in the sect and asks the
desired favor. AS each question is
asked the king appears wrapped in
profound thought for several moments.
Suddenly the spirit OF the god seizes
him, he places the box containing the
serpent upon the ground and COM
mands the queen to get upon it. This
she no sooner does than she begins to
tremble violently and froth at the
mouth and then utter the words which
the god sees fit to inspire
All kinds of advice. is requested, of
course, and all sorts is received. Many
crimes are very likely Matched or en-
couraged through the queens instruc-
tions. Her commands are always inn
plicitly obeyed.
After all have taken advice the king