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I Introduction
In the midst of crowded streets filled with world-famous restaurants, historical landmarks, and museums, rests a city with deep historical complexity: New Orleans, Louisiana. Controlled by France, Spain, and the United States at various times in history, there is a unique mixture of colonial influences. Though the city is part of the United States today, French history is far from forgotten. In fact, French influence is written into every detail of the city, from the ever-present use of the French language to the annual Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) celebrations. However, New Orleans also exists in a liminal space, caught between the fervent Catholicism and the oft-maligned Voodoo. For, in equal portions is New Orleans remembered as Catholic and Voodoo. In Jackson Square alone, one can exit the historic St. Louis Cathedral, turn left, and within a three-minute walk arrive at a botanica-a religious goods store- with an active presence of Voodoo. One of these botanicas is that of Voodoo Authentica, a botanica that is a fusion of traditional New Orleans Voodoo and traditional Haitian Vodou.
While New Orleans Voodoo and Haitian Vodou have distinctive-though highly similar-names, they refer to related religions. Voodoo, however, originates from New Orleans and Vodou originates from Haiti. The owner of the botanica Voodoo Authentica, which is located in New Orleans, practices primarily Haitian Vodou. This connection to Haiti can be seen in the placards around the store that include numerous references to the words "Haiti" and "Haitian," as well as the fact that many of the employees are of Haitian descent or have connections to Haitian Vodou.
In U.S. popular culture-and in Haiti, as well-Vodou is often misrepresented and maligned. Whether Vodou is considered nothing more than a superstitious practice or an inherently evil, ominous religion-as it is rather commonly portrayed in cinema and literature-neither description remotely captures the complexity or importance of Vodou within Haiti. Vodou comes, in part, from the kingdom of Dahomey in modern-day Benin and was originally called Vodun. Though Vodun is still practiced today in West Africa and beyond, Vodun underwent a transformation into Vodou upon its arrival to the French colony of Saint-Domingue, which is now known as Haiti. The reason for this arrival has to do with the nefarious history of...