Contrasting Voodoo and Rastafarianism

As a result from colonization, slavery and missionary work in the Caribbean throughout the last
centuries, different religions or religious movements emerged among its inhabitants. These religions combine
cultural, historical, religious and social aspects from Africa, Europe, North America and even Asia. This
combination of elements is what makes the religions in the Caribbean unique. Most of them originated in
specific territories, as is the case of Rastafarianism, which originated in Jamaica; or Voodoo, which emerged in
Haiti. Although these two religions belong to different categories and have very different practices and beliefs,
they share a common aspect, which is the importance of music.
The Voodoo religion belongs to the neo-African religions group, according to the categorization made
for Caribbean religions. These religions were created as a way for African slaves in the Caribbean to remain
close to their African roots, beliefs and traditions. Voodoo is, perhaps, the religion with the most African
influence, for it emerged in Haiti, the first Caribbean territory to achieve independence. The catholic faith, which
was of course always present in Haiti, had an influence in Voodoo as well, resulting in a process of symbiosis
which the Voodoo people used to keep a low profile and be able to practice their religion in secret during the
times in which it was prohibited. Rastafarianism, on the other hand, is a religio-political movement, for it
emerged not only due to a set of religious beliefs, but also as a reaction to the political and social scene
regarding black people that was going on in Jamaica at the time. They sought to defend their rights as black
human beings, and also believed in their superiority as stated by the bible, according to their interpretation.
This religion combines a spiritual reality and a political protest, and is based both on the bible and on political
movement and speeches.
Not only do these religions differ in the category they belong to, but they also have very different
practices and beliefs. Voodoo is a polytheistic religion, with deities called lwas which are grouped into
nanshons. Each of these deities is believed to have a counterpart in a different nanshon, and to have a
distinctive personality. To learn about the deities, Voodooists perform rituals that lead to spirit possession, in
which a persons lwa takes over their body and speaks to the rest, teaching them and preaching. Rastafarians,
on the contrary, believe in a single God, Jah, and in a black Messiah sent to the earth to bring justice to all
Africans. The focus of their beliefs is not as spiritual as it is territorial. They see Ethiopia as their promised land,
and wait for the time in which it will be rightfully given back to them, and they will impose themselves over the
white race. In order to achieve this and get closer to God, they smoke ganja, follow a vegetarian diet and live in
isolated communities. They do not believe in spirit possession, unlike the Voodooists.
What these two religions do share is the important role of music in their rituals and encounters. For
voodooists, music and rhythm is essential in achieving spiritual connection with the lwas, which is why they
perform various African rhythms with different kinds of instruments like drums. They also sing in order to invoke
their deities. This type of African music performed by Voodooists has had a large influence on the typical
Caribbean music genres, which is proof of the religions widespread. Rastafarians also believe in the power of
music, and refer to the bible to prove its importance. Their musical expression evolved into a popular genre
nowadays: reggae. As a way of worshipping their god, their messiah and expressing their social discontent,
they wrote songs and developed a new musical style, which allowed them to project their beliefs in an artistic
way and spread the aspects of their religion worldwide.
Although these two religions have many structural differences, they respond to a similar background in
terms of history and culture. They both have a different focus, but they are proof of what such a big
combination of cultures can create. They also show the impact that the groups intentions and necessities can
have on a religion. Voodooists for one sought to maintain their African roots, while Rastafarians wished to
defend their rightful place in the world as blacks. Whatever the case, it is evident that to understand a religion,
one must look not only and the religions teachings and beliefs, but also at its history, its background, its people
and its origins.