| VOODOO GODS | BIOGRAPHY |
OVERVIEW
The native religion of the descendants of the African slaves brought to the Americas is known as Voodoo in the American South and Vodou in Haiti. There are local variations in beliefs and practices, but Voodoo was originally an underground religion where the faithful continued to worship African deities such as the Orishas under the names of Catholic saints. Such gods or spirits are known as the loa. In modern days, the Ragman came into conflict with Marinette, the loa of vengeance, and was himself possessed by the loa Ogoun.
MEMBERSHIP
| Member | First Appearance | Joined | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ogoun | Active | Loa of warriors | ||
| Marinette | Active | Loa of vengeance |
HISTORY
When millions of Africans were taken as slaves and brought to the Americas, they took their religion with them. While some eventually converted to Christianity, others incorporated elements of the Christian faith into their African religion in order to be able to keep practicing it. Hence, the slaves assigned the names of Catholic saints to African deities. Several of the African deities incorporated into this new religious amalgam were of the West African Yoruba or Dahomey tradition. One notable example is Ogun/Ogoun or the Orishas, the Black Gods. This new religion developed a bit differently in different geographical locations, but was called Voodoo in the American South and Vodou in Haiti. Kindered religions are Santería on Cuba, Candomblé in Brazil, and Obeah in the Caribbean countries (now considered more a form of folk magic than a religion).
In parallell to Christianity, Voodoo/Vodou has one supreme deity, the creator, but the daily running of the universe is left to the lesser gods, or saints. Such lesser gods or saints are referred to as the Loa.
Voodoo/Vodou is very loosely organized, but there are professional priests, called Houngans, and priestesses, referred to as Manmbos. Rites and practices may vary, but it is not uncommon in Voodoo/Vodou to make sacrifices to the Loa, be it food, tobacco, liquor or live animals such as chicken. In some ceremonies, the Loa are invited to join the congregation by possessing one of the faithful. The Loa is then referred to as a "rider" and the human as a "horse". Through its human vessel, the Loa can then speak and give advice.
There are also more malignant practices associated with Voodoo, such as the creation of zombies or voodoo dolls. Most of the time, such practices are merely tricks and frauds carried out by ruthless Houngans with in-depth knowledge of psychology as well as poison and herbs. But there are documented cases of dead inexplicably raised from the dead in order to serve their master as mindless zombies. And people seemed to have been tormented or even killed from damage inflicted upon an effigy (a "Voodoo doll"), traditionally by using a lock of hair from the intended victim.
Notable practioners of Voodoo/Vodou are crime boss Baron Sunday, Haitian criminal Obeah Man, Haitian hi-tech criminal Houngan (Jean-Louis Droo), Golden Age criminal Voodoo Queen, criminal Papa Midnite (Linton Midnite), Jamaican crimelord Agua Sin Gaaz and presumably also British metahuman Lady Voodoo.
CHRONOLOGY
For a definitive list of appearances of Voodoo Gods in chronological order click here