New York City is home to one of the largest concentrations of Haitians in the United States and one of the oldest established Haitian diasporas in the country.
Historically, the majority of Haitians practice Catholicism as it was infused and imposed through French colonialism. But many practice Vodou at the same time. Vodou ceremonies, held throughout private basements and temples around the world, are where vodouists come to commune directly with the pantheon of Vodou spirits, or lwas, through ritual and song. Ceremonies typically start close to midnight, and last all night long.
At a time when organized religion generally is said to be losing members, Vodou, which takes an immediate, personal and tactile approach to spirituality, is thriving despite being outside of its original context.
A lot of Haitians who grew up in America don’t see Vodou as being at odds with their daily life.
On the contrary, vodouists, like others that adhere to polytheistic traditions, use ritual as a tool to end a sense of alienation derived from what they see as the ills of modern society.
