...Voodoo ~vs.~ Santeria| | | When people think of chicken bones, dolls, love potion and spells they tend to think of “Black Magic”/Witches. At least that is how it has been depicted in many movies, and TV shows for many, many years. What people don’t realize is that “black magic” also known as Voodoo and the Santeria religion, which has been around way before television was even invited and way back into slavery days. In this paper I plan to show the differences and similarities between the two religions so one may get a better understanding of this so called “black magic. ORGINS: Both Voodoo and Santeria originated from the Yoruba people of West Africa. When abducted from their homes and made slaves in the Americas and the Caribbean, without regards to their beliefs and faith. They brought their beliefs with them, but were forbidden to be practice. Being forbidden, these people were forced to keep their beliefs hidden and behind closed doors. During the days of slavery the Roman Catholic faith were forced upon those that were made slaves. But some slaves were smart and resourceful; they decided to hide their native religion of either Voodoo or Santeria in the very same Catholic religion that was being forced upon them. BELIEFS: according to Wikipedia, “Voodoo combines the elements of European and African beliefs and Roman Catholicism.” Those who believe in Voodoo “believe that spiritual forces, which can be kind or mischievous, shape daily life through and...
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...been impacted and influenced by different people. An important group that helped contribute to the Spanish America were African slaves. These people brought literature, religion, culture, food, dancing and even family traditions to this wonderful country. They also helped to influence many famous dances and the food we eat today. It is amazing how African traditions and cultures are still alive and today used by people worldwide. In this article, I will talk about the wonderful influences and contributions of African Americans to make Latin America what it is today. It is clear that Latin America would not be what it is today without the contributions of Africans. Literature is heavily influenced by African American and can be seen in my famous writtings.Relatos Africanamericanos is a great book that gives extensive information about the contributions of Africans. The Boy King was forced to go to Brazil, but helped freedmen and creates unity and respect among other Africans. Assistant and also worked at the same veneration of Our Sonora del Rosario. (93) cases in Cuba many blacks were forced to become communist to even publish their books and had to spend a lot to get publicity. These stories written by African Americans represent many cultures tradition. They also talk about an important issue in the world, racism. One of my favorite stories is 'The African Granny' this story exposes how racism played a role. In this story, the grandmother is accused of murder at the age of...
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...commonly associated with the practice of Voodoo. It is commonly believed that Voodoo is solely black magic; concerned with satanic rituals and terrifying dolls made to mirror victims and then used for torture. This is due to the misrepresentation of the practice shown in movies, discussed on social media, or even communicated to others verbally. Voodoo is actually a religion made up of Catholic, African, and Native American practices rather than a dastardly form of magic. Of course there will always be individuals with ill intents no matter what the circumstance is, but with the evil there is also the virtuous. Voodoo...
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...La Ultima Cena In an ideal world, mankind would live in peace with all others. One could look to another person and judge them etiquette, moral or even social value. However, humans have gone through many dark times, usually involves the intolerance that mankind has for one another. Whether it is an disagreement on religion, a power struggle for land or the development of society, if there is one thing humans are consistent in is that we do not play nice. However, for people to judge each other on a superficial and meaningless factor such as color is truly bewildering, considering all the many things that makes us different. Because of this type of judgmental mentality, superiority complexes were soon followed, putting specific groups at the top of the food chain. Sadly, those of African descendance would bare the burden of being slaves, in every meaning of the words, to a vast majority of the world due the ignorance of the human race. The movie, The Last Supper, by Tomas Gutierrez Alea depicts the interaction and relationships of the denizens of a sugar plantation in Cuba during the eighteen hundreds. All from the Count to the overseer and slaves had ways of interacting with one another, which was mostly decided on their race and social status. The movie deals with various topics that defined that era in time and there are many reoccurring themes in the movie that can be seen in other periods of time and places. In this paper, many aspects of black culture will be discussed...
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...one of the many names that various religions use for the name of God. In the Western world the term used for the Divine is God. Divine as he is called is just, compassionate, infinite in virtues and pure. In describing the relationship with the Divine, according to the Western culture that believes in one God, Creator of all things, ruler over everything. Other traditions that believe in one God: the Yoruba, Christians and Muslims. Those believing in more than one God are the Wicca; they worship both gods and goddesses. When we talk about the different traditions and their relationship with the Divine we talk of spending time in prayer, reading and studying of the Bible, Quran, or whatever religions use to study, rituals and a set of morals and beliefs to live everyday life. All religions have some type of prayer time, for example with some Christians they have a basic prayer that give praise, honor and glory to the most High God and Savior, Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of sins, healing, prosperity, etc. Roman Catholics pray to their God and the Virgin Mary. Spending time with other believers and reading of the Bible with rituals being the way that humans can be sure they are living their lives pleasing to the God of their understanding. Falun Gong, closely related to traditional Chinese religions practice a series of five physical exercises believing they gain health and strength. The Yoruba traditions are a mixture of Yoruba religions and Christianity rituals consisting...
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...Culture-bound syndrome The term culture-bound syndrome was included in the fourth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) which also includes a list of the most common culture-bound conditions (DSM-IV: Appendix I). Included in DSM-IV-TR (4th.ed) the term cultural-bound syndrome denotes recurrent, locality-specific patterns of abnormal behavior and troubling experience that may or may not be linked to a particular DSM-IV-TR diagnostic category. Many of these patterns are naturally considered to be illnesses, or at least afflictions, and most have local names. Although presentations conforming to the major DSM-IV-TR categories can be found throughout the world, the particular symptoms, course, and social response are very often influenced by local cultural factors. In contrast, cultural-bound syndromes are generally limited to specific societies or culture areas and are localized, folk, diagnostic categories that frame coherent meanings for certain repetitive, patterned, and troubling sets of experiences and observations. In medicine, a culture-specific syndrome or culture-bound syndrome is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture. There are no objective biochemical or structural alterations of body organs or functions, and the disease is not recognized in other cultures. While a substantial portion of mental...
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...Vulnerability for Haitian Population to Access Healthcare in South Florida A M NUR/440 December 9, 2013 Vulnerability for Haitian Population to Access Healthcare in South Florida The purpose of this paper is to project the experience on the presented material to a group of co-workers in regards to bringing awareness to the Haitian community and healthcare issues they face. In reference to the brochure presented, it explained cultural variables between American and Haitian beliefs and religion as well as communication barriers and reasons behind it. The brochure also demonstrated why culture is put on such high value for the Haitian community and what disparities might they face with incompetent healthcare workers towards some of the issues faced and why it would be considered vulnerable. Data collected towards the outcome of the presentation as well as understanding of why this would be a barrier to healthcare was well received within the workplace. Concept of Vulnerability in Haitians “As a triple minority, Haitians face challenges as racial and ethnic minorities, as immigrants, and as individuals who experience poverty at disproportionate levels” (Belizaire & Fuertes, 2011, p. 95). Haiti is considered one of the poorest countries in the world according to Florida Times Union, (2010). Due to the earthquake in 2010, Haiti has lost majority of its economy and potential of growth, hence increasing the immigration of Haitians to South Florida. As healthcare providers...
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...Paul Farmer: AIDS & ACCUSATION Paul Farmer’s mission to educate the true causes of sickness and poverty, about the connections between political economy and human suffering is admirably addressed in this powerful book. Haitians stricken with AIDS in the late 1980s in the tiny community of Do Kay. Farmer explains how local knowledge and personal reactions to illness are connected to larger national and global forces, and how the stage was set hundreds of years ago for the misery that is the reality for most people in today’s Haiti. What I must point out is how Haiti is decorated with palm tress and colorful hibiscus flowers. Mountains stand majestically looking down upon sandy beaches and green valleys. From afar it appears as any other island one might encounter sailing the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Yet, as we draw closer we notice a difference. 5 December 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a large island in the region of the Western Atlantic Ocean that later became to be known as the Caribbean. Columbus promptly claimed the island for the Spanish Crown, naming it Navidad (Christmas), after his flagship, the Santa Maria. I continue to find several names that Columbus named Haiti upon discovery (Hispaniola and La Isla Hispaniola) which was it? Inhabited with Tainos (or Arawak) people, who called their island Ayiti, Bohio, or Kiskeya. The Taino Indian (or Arawak) inhabitants referred to their homeland by many names, but they most commonly used Ayti, or Hayti (mountainous)...
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...Paul Farmer: AIDS & ACCUSATION Paul Farmer’s mission to educate the true causes of sickness and poverty, about the connections between political economy and human suffering is admirably addressed in this powerful book. Haitians stricken with AIDS in the late 1980s in the tiny community of Do Kay. Farmer explains how local knowledge and personal reactions to illness are connected to larger national and global forces, and how the stage was set hundreds of years ago for the misery that is the reality for most people in today’s Haiti. What I must point out is how Haiti is decorated with palm tress and colorful hibiscus flowers. Mountains stand majestically looking down upon sandy beaches and green valleys. From afar it appears as any other island one might encounter sailing the turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Yet, as we draw closer we notice a difference. 5 December 1492, Christopher Columbus landed on a large island in the region of the Western Atlantic Ocean that later became to be known as the Caribbean. Columbus promptly claimed the island for the Spanish Crown, naming it Navidad (Christmas), after his flagship, the Santa Maria. I continue to find several names that Columbus named Haiti upon discovery (Hispaniola and La Isla Hispaniola) which was it? Inhabited with Tainos (or Arawak) people, who called their island Ayiti, Bohio, or Kiskeya. The Taino Indian (or Arawak) inhabitants referred to their homeland by many names, but they most commonly used Ayti, or Hayti (mountainous)...
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...and a free spirit. That remains true; however, she has opened up more about herself and her heritage as our friendship has grown. R.M married outside of her race to a man from Ghana and they have three children, two girls and one boy. She has not been back to her homeland due to some political unrest and problems with corruption in Haiti. R.M states that kidnapping of American tourist for ransom is a common problem in Haiti and has deterred her from visiting her relatives. R.M practice Christianity and attends church every Sunday. She chooses to practice Christianity alone, abandoning the Islam religion and the voodoo practice because she converted to Christianity when she married her husband. Marring a Ghana man is not a problem because her family has assimilated to the American culture. Her father is Haitian and similarly married outside of culture to an African American woman. R.M’s paternal grandparents and has many relatives in Haiti as well as in Miami, Florida. She recalls growing up with a Haitian heritage and eating mainly Haitian meals. Present United States Census of the Haitians-Americans According to Giger & Davidhizar (2013), the majority of Haitian immigration during the1980s was part of the change in immigration policies in the United States. In addition to the policy changes, Haitian immigrants used man-made boats or rafts to illegally come to the United States. A large number of immigrants settled in Florida, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and...
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...Haitian Culture ORIGINS OF CULTURE The Republic of Haiti is a Caribbean country that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. It is approximately 500 miles from Key West, Florida. It was first settled by the Spanish in the late 1400s, during the era of Columbus. After the entrance of Europeans, Hispaniola's indigenous population endured near-extinction, in what is perhaps the worst case of depopulation in the Americas. A generally believed hypothesis indicates the high mortality of this colony in part to Old World diseases to which the native people had no immunity due to a lack of exposure to the European diseases. A small number of Taínos, the natives to the island, were able to stay alive and set up villages elsewhere. Spanish attentiveness in Hispaniola began to diminish in the 1520s, as more profitable gold and silver deposits were found in Mexico and South America. It was the decreasing interest in Hispaniola that allowed the French to create a colony in the early 1600s. French buccaneers created a settlement on the island of Tortuga in 1625, and were soon united with like-minded English and Dutch privateers and pirates, who formed a anarchistic international community that survived by marauding Spanish ships and hunting wild cattle. Before the Seven Years' War (1756–63), the economy of Hispaniola slowly expanded, with sugar and coffee becoming important export crops. After the war the colony underwent rapid expansion. In 1767, it exported 72 million...
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...the Kabye people, Mina people, and Fon people of southern and central Togo, southern and central Benin. It is also practiced by some Gun people of Lagos and Ogun in southwest Nigeria. It is distinct from the various African traditional religions in the interiors of these countries and is the main source of religions with similar names found among the African Diaspora in the New World such as Haitian Vodou; Puerto Rican Vodú; Cuban Vodú; Dominican Vudú; Brazilian Vodum; and Louisiana Voodoo. All of these closely related faiths are syncretized with Christianity to various degrees and with the traditional beliefs of the Kongo people and Indigenous American traditions. Theology and practice Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The vodun are the center of religious life, similar in many ways to doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels that made Vodun appear compatible with Christianity, especially Catholicism, and produced syncretic religions such as Haitian Vodou. Adherents also emphasize ancestor worship and hold that the spirits of the dead live side by side with the world of the living, each family of spirits having its own female priesthood, sometimes...
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...Conley and Amber Wirth American Intercontinental University Abstract In knowing how people of the past decades lived we must examine the past and study many things they left behind. By understanding how they lived and what impact they had as they migrated to the New World, it is then we understand how they lived and understand what the environment was like. Looking at the impact that immigrants had and brought to the New World we see what cultures and food dishes they brought to our civilization. The Migration of Cultures By 1830 the United States consisted of 2.3 million out of 12.8 million were of African descent and upon them settling after being brought here from Africa they brought many traditions and impacted the culture today. When they came to the United States they brought scientific and technological systems from the West and Central Africa as well as many food dishes such as; gumbo and rice, millet, sorghum, watermelon and black-eyed peas. They also brought tradition with them regarding funerals, celebration festivals, arts, music, dugout canoes, the banjo and language which also had an effect on the European culture as well and this is known as Africanism (Nps.gov, n.d.). Africanism is directly related to African American and Creolization which asks the question when you stop and give to the American or European culture. They point out that the African culture has direct impact on Africa, African-American, Creolization, African-Jamaican and European...
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...When you think of black beauty, good food, a country that is struggling, or other things of exotic islands you can think of many different regions that may obtain it but today were talking about one. Many people think that all black people are African American. However, that’s not true. We are going to go across the globe to the Haitian culture. I was introduced to this culture by having friends that are a part of it since birth. I loved the experience from the food to the distinguishing between the difference of Haitian Americans and Haitians in Transition and American-Haitians. The cultural is similar to a lot of others, but it most definitely has its own identity. Haiti is known from many different aspects of visions on what people may or may not think that it is. Majority may think that Haiti is a country that is mostly made up of poor people and rugged surroundings. It is actually located in the subtropics on the western third of Hispaniola. Haiti name means "mountainous country". It comes from the language of the Taino Indians who lived on the island before European colonization came. (http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Haiti.htm). Around 2000, the African population was around 95%. Many of the wealthy ones would think of themselves as being French and the rest consider themselves as Haitians (http://www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Haiti.html). The official Language of the Haitians is French. They later began to know how to speak Kreyol. With the adoption of a new constitution...
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...The birth of hip hop was one of the most important cultural movements that continue to impact the lives of those who hear the music. With its history deeply rooted in the music styles of West African griots, the elements of hip hop represent the suffering and painful journey slaves faced. The culture of DJing, rapping, graffiti and breakdancing was later integrated into this new music genre. As a result, many stereotyped hip hop as music that was particularly popular among blacks, which could be affiliated with radical black groups and gangs. Even today, many hip hop songs are negatively known for their message about drug use, sexual desires, and violence. REACH is a dance team affiliated with Rutgers University that focuses on the glorification...
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