Lentorama 2019: Resurrect My Globe!

Day 8: Haiti

As a largely Catholic country, Haiti tends to celebrate Easter much like other countries in the Caribbean and Central/South America. There are processions with music (provided by local rara bands), church services, and big meals. But the most unique Easter tradition in Haiti isn't even Christian.

Practitioners of Vodou gather every Easter Sunday in Souvenance to honor the spirits (loas) by performing various rituals. These include bathing in a sacred pool, sacrificing animals, wearing white, and dancing (with more music by the rara bands). 

These rituals aren't that far off from Christian Easter traditions found elsewhere. Wearing white is common in many countries, bathing in the sacred pool evokes baptism pretty strongly, the Eucharist can replace animals at the sacrifice, and the dancing sounds a lot like the parades and processions seen around the world (just with more homemade instruments). This shouldn't be that surprising given the syncretic nature of Vodou, but it's always interesting to see how traditions cross over and are adapted into different cultures.