1.伏都教简介

在海地，巫毒信仰为两大官方信仰之一，因为被法国殖民过的关系，另一个官方信仰则是天主教，一个海地人可能会说，80% 的海地人信仰天主教，而100% 的海地人追随巫毒信仰。
伏都教又译“巫毒教”，是目前最为人熟悉的非洲信仰。根源于非洲，现已经传播非洲以外地区和西方世界，同样地也发生了融合主义的现象。Voodoo 一词来自达荷美共和国（Dahomey）的语言 vodu，意指众神（gods）。流行于西起加纳东迄尼日利亚的西非诸国，信仰的民族有芳族、约努巴族等，也盛行于海地与加勒比海,美国南部路易斯安那州及南美州。
伏都教最著名与最恐怖的特色是活死人，即是僵尸。如果有人开罪别人，那人会找巫师，巫师会让他吃下河豚毒素，他会进入奇怪的假死的状态，成为奴隶，在庄园干苦工。伏都教也信仰精灵，有降神仪式。伏都教受天主教影响，只有一位主神(大主子)。但是受西非影响(有诸神)，诸神是主神化身。要用猪为牲礼。

2.伏都教的起源

伏都教起源于西非。创始人是被称为“伏都教女皇”的拉维尤、她是路易斯安那州克里奥尔人土著居民，她的事迹在路易斯安那州富有神秘色彩，总是与超自然现象联系在一起，人们认为，西非国家贝宁是伏都教诞生的摇篮。在当地的语言中，伏都（Voodoo）是“神”、“精灵”的意思。作为一种崇神教，伏都教可能是从古老的祖先崇拜和精灵崇拜传统演变而来。
伏都教的起源，可以追溯到16世纪。当时海地是法国殖民地，被贩卖到海地岛的非洲黑奴把一些非洲原始宗教带到那里，主要是是西非的贝宁原始宗教。贝宁是全世界伏都教的原始发源地，过去的常规是掳人为奴，用活人献祭。贝宁每家都有祖灵崇拜的铁祭坛，是他们与祖灵交通的地方，实际上每天家人都可以在祭坛前，和他们的祖灵谈话。当地的天主教徒有时会在做弥撒到一半时，冲回家祭祖。随着17—19世纪奴隶的买卖，贝宁伏都教也输往其它国家，海地、巴西都深受影响。海地又吸收了法国人带来的天主教许多繁杂的宗教仪式，就渐渐形成了伏都教，并在海地流传起来。

3.伏都教的主要教义

伏都教与天主教等正当宗教和一般原始宗教的根本区别在于，它是一种建立于恐惧的信仰。主要教义是：现存的天下万物，都不过是一种表象，其背后还有更重要的灵魂力量在活动。这个灵魂世界的首领，是一个名叫力格巴的神。其它还有主管死亡，生育，爱情，妒忌和报复等神多人。巫师和术士则是人与神的媒介。许多海地人相信，如果不参加伏都教的祭礼，便难免被其所害，在这种恐惧心理的作用下，伏都教在海地得以发展。已故的海地总统杜瓦利埃生前曾利用伏都教进行统治，自称拥有大祭司的权力，又封属下的秘密警察为“巡回巫术师”。这种统治方式，更助长了伏都教的繁荣。
巫毒除了深具民族宗教色彩，现代巫毒的提倡又添上了政治意味。在非洲、拉美人民被西方殖民地国奴役之时，巫毐信仰遭到严格禁止，而例如在海地对法国殖民的推翻过程当中，巫毒在民族意识的凝聚上扮演了极其重要的角色。除了历史政治的破坏，巫毒面临的另一个重大威胁就是西方媒体所塑造出来的极为负面的刻板印象，例如使用诅咒用的小人形、招揽「恶灵」、恐怖的夜间仪式，或是丑化的活体献祭仪式。 但是有些人却不这么认为，因为巫毒术中有许多关于守护、治疗、恋爱等正面的法术，便有了运用精巧的手工发展出的一系列涵以及名称各异的主体巫毒娃娃。

4.伏都教的发展

从非洲到海地再到美国，在这个传播历程当中，Voodoo 一词也出现了 Hoodoo 的别名，说是别名，但却不能被划上等号，就好比当我们现在讲到佛教时，我们会先说明是印度佛教、南传佛教、藏传佛教或是中国佛教一样，Hoodoo 一词内涵了各处的本土性或差异性。例如，在新奥尔良，巫毒信仰的活动是十分个人化和隐私化的，而在海地则有很多公众的活动。另外，在内涵上，Hoodoo 一词偏重法术（magic）成份，如符、咒、护身符和人形偶的使用。
巫毒
巫毒除了深具民族色彩，现代巫毒的提倡又添上了政治意味。在非洲人民被西方殖民地国 奴役之时，巫毐信仰遭到严格禁止，而例如在海地对法国殖民的推翻过程当中，巫毒在民族意识的凝聚上扮演了极其重要的角色。除了历史政治的破坏，巫毒面临的 另一个重大威胁就是西方媒体所塑造出来的极为负面的刻板印象，例如使用诅咒用的小人形、招揽「恶灵」、恐怖的夜间仪式，或是丑化的活体献际仪式。
海地是全球第一个黑人共和国，也是美洲新大陆第二个独立国，在1804年1月1日宣布独立，最早是哥伦布发现今日海地国家的所在，而当时哥伦布将它命名为艾斯盆纽拉岛。现在的海地岛为许多人所知，是因为这里有一种诡异的宗教—— 伏都教。“ 织梦内容管理系统
巫毒” (Voodoo)，原意是“精灵”的意思。它原来是流行于西非加纳等地的一种神秘宗教。16世纪时，海地沦为法国殖民地，法国的白人殖民者把大量非洲黑奴贩卖到海地的同时，也把流行于非洲的原始宗教带到了海地，后来这些非洲黑奴将罗马天主教许多繁杂的宗教仪式与当地土教混合，便形成了神秘、诡异、令人恐怖的伏都教。
伏都教教义认为:现存的天下万物，都不过是一种表象，背后还有更重要的灵魂力量在活动。这个灵魂世界的首领是个名叫力格巴的神，他是人与幽灵的媒介，其他还有蛇神等。巫师和术士则是人与神的媒介。在伏都教的繁杂仪式中，拜祭时要向这些神抵祷告，求神帮助。伏都教中那些 稀奇古怪的午夜祭礼仪式，一般都是在丛林深处的庙宇里举行。仪式首先是大祭司祷告、念咒和奠酒，然后在地上画些灵符祭神，最后是进行唱歌、击鼓和跳舞等其他活动。
许多海地人相信，如果不参加伏都教的祭礼，便难免被其所害。这种恐惧心理和周围群体的无形压力，使伏都教在海地变得神秘莫测。据说，已故海地独裁者杜瓦利为加强自己的统治，就曾利用伏都教迷惑和愚弄百姓。他自称有大祭司的权利，又封他手下那些残忍好杀的秘密警察为“回巫术师”。这种恐怖统治，更助长了伏都教的猖撅。

5.伏都教与还魂尸

在伏都教的邪恶行为中，最令人毛骨慷然的是制造“还魂尸”。所谓“还魂尸”是指一种处于生与死的临界状态之间的活死人，即“会走路的死人”。据说伏都教有一些秘密组织，在巫师收取主家一定数量的金钱后，便施法向指定的某个活人施以毒咒使其死亡，再对其尸体施以还魂术使之复活，将其变成无知觉、无意识而能干活、任由主人随意奴役和支配的“活死人”。人类学家梅特罗在他的专著《海地的伏都教》中这样描写还魂尸:“他全身冰凉，能行动，能吃东西，能听从主人对他的指令，但却没有记忆力，也不知道自己身处的环境。”
海地人往往相信伏都教术有起死回生的魔力。术士将死尸的灵魂偷走，然后使死尸复活，变成一具能够活动但没有意志的还魂尸。如果事先采取适当措施，还魂尸便会从此任由主人摆布，惟命是从。
因爱而怀恨在心的意识在伏都教中占很重要的地位，因此一个人必须经常小心，以免得罪不好惹的人。
却说有个伏都教术士向一名少女求爱，但少女已与别人订婚，因此断然拒绝术士的要求。术士恼羞成怒，临走时不停喃喃诅咒。过了几天，少女便生病死去了。碱葬时，有人不慎将香烟头掉在尸体一只脚上，灼出一个灼痕。
数月后，传说有人看见这个少女与术士在一起，但因为没有证据，所以传闻很快被人遗忘。几年后，少女突然在自已家里出现，原来术士后悔自己的所作所为，将魂还尸，使少女死而复生。许多参加过少女葬礼的人，凭她脚上的灼痕认出了她。

过去，外国来到海地的人听到当地土著述说“还魂尸”，总以为这只不过是一种传说或恐吓。但当他们来到海地实地考察时，发现不少当地人在埋葬自家的亲属之前，为了害怕和避免他们当还魂尸，便常常先把死尸的喉管割断，或是在心脏处钉上大铁钉。这种异常的行为引起不少科学家的震惊和重视。
据记载，1930年法国人类学家德鲁基在海地亲眼看到了4个奇怪的人在田间干活，“他们穿着麻袋片做成的破烂衣服，双手软绵绵地垂在两旁，脸孔和手似乎都没有肉，皮肤则像皱羊皮纸似的附在骨头上。”后来，他才知道，这些是还魂尸。
1982年，美国《国民询问报》上，曾刊登了一位名叫纳西斯的海地黑人被变成“还魂尸”的遭遇。据称，1962年，纳西斯因财产纠纷被哥哥串通巫师所害。他先是莫名其妙地病倒，然后又觉得自己全身冰凉，并迷迷偶偶地听到医生宣布自己已死亡，还感到自己被埋进坟墓，后来又被缚住双手带到一个农场，和100多个有着同样命运的人一起干活。终于有一天，工头忘了给他服药，他才恢复神智逃离魔窟。直到1980年，当他得知哥哥已经去世，才怀着复杂的心情返回了故乡。后来，海地太子港精神病中心的有关专家对纳西斯进行了全面的检查，最后的医检报告是:“他确实是被施行过还魂术。”
2001年，美国联邦官员偶然截获了一个由日本寄往美国一家私人住宅的可疑包裹，里面藏有几只装有白色晶体粉末的玻璃瓶。起初，联邦官员极为兴奋，他们以为查获了一批海洛因。但现场的初步鉴定表明，这并不是毒品。为谨慎起见，联邦官员将样品送到了加利福尼亚州劳伦斯•利沃莫尔国家实验室，请那里的专家对样品进行鉴定。结果令人震惊，这种粉末原来是世界上最致命的毒药之一—— 河豚毒素，英文缩写为TTX，而1克河豚毒素的毒性是1克氰化物的10000倍。
1982年，美国哈佛大学的植物学家韦德•戴维斯及生理系专家们，对此进行了长期的研究，还花钱买来当地巫师的“还魂药粉”，通过对其进行药理分析之后认为，海地的巫师大都利用河豚素或蟾蜍毒素来制成所谓的“还魂药粉”，这些药粉能影响人的心脏或神经系统的功能紊乱。受害人误食或接触这些药粉会出现假死状态，被人以为死亡而被埋人坟墓。然后巫师又把他们从坟墓中挖出，再给其吃些促其苏醒的解药麻醉剂，受害人就变成了任人摆布的还魂尸。

7.海地伏都教中的洛阿神

洛阿神是海地伏都教信仰中的神明。同时，他们被认为是人类和造物主之间的纽带。然而不同于圣人和天使，他们不仅仅是祈愿的对象，而且还是被侍奉的对象。
他们各自有着不同的好恶，不同的圣歌，圣舞，圣物，还有不同的服侍方式。如上所述，洛阿神并非信仰自身，而是造物主的信使。
为了维护自身信仰的权威，防止欧洲主子们的干涉，海地的黑奴们将洛阿神和罗马教廷的圣人融合在了一起。所以伏都教的祭坛常常会出现基督教的人物。
例如，雷格巴（洛阿神中的守门人）实际上是圣彼得或者圣拉萨路的变体；而阿伊杉（商业之神）实际上是圣克莱尔的变体等等。这种融合同时也反过来影响伏都教神明。
很多基督教圣人凭借其自身的名望称为了洛阿神，比较著名的有圣菲洛米娜，大天使米迦勒，圣朱德和施洗约翰。
在仪式中，恩贡（祭司），曼柏（女祭司）和波哥（巫师）会召唤洛阿神，接受侍奉和贡品，并且满足人们的需求。洛阿神以附身的形式现身。有时被驾驭者会出现被鞭策或抽搐等现象。然而另一些洛阿神（如阿伊杉）则会悄无声息地现身。 内容来自dedecms
不同的洛阿神（附身）在语言和行为上很容易区分。祭司们会在认出之后献上特定的圣物。比如向尔兹莉·芙蕾达（爱情与美貌之神）献上镜子、梳子、衣物或珠宝，向雷格巴献上拐杖、草帽和烟斗，向星期六男爵（即巴隆·撒麦迪，死亡之神）献上大礼帽，墨镜和雪茄。
接受祭品之后（或者提供帮助和建议之后），洛阿神就会离开。和西方对附身的理解不同，洛阿神并不需要停留在被附身者体内。然而一些洛阿神顽固成性，比如盖得诸神（掌管死亡的洛阿神家族）是出了名的烟鬼、酒鬼。然而满足这些神明正是恩贡和曼柏的工作。
洛阿神的家族很多，以下是其中一部分：拉达，培多罗，那哥，刚果，盖得。
拉达诸神是善神，多数来源于非洲（的信仰）。其中包括雷格巴，洛可（医药与智慧之神），阿伊杉，阿奈莎，丹巴拉·维铎（拉达诸神之长），阿依达·维铎，尔兹莉·芙蕾达，拉塞娜和阿格乌。他们的代表色为白色。
培多罗
培多罗诸神通常是激进而好战的神明。他们是来源于海地和美洲的信仰。其中包括尔兹莉·丹铎（尔兹莉的培多罗形态），马里内特，迈特·卡夫（十字路口之长）。他们的代表色是红色。
刚果
起源于非洲刚果地区，包括绝大多数辛比神（多为蛇神），其中也包括上文中的马里内特。
那哥
起源于尼日利亚，特别是讲尤鲁巴语的地区。包括绝大多数欧古恩神明（钢铁、狩猎、政治、战争之神）。
盖得
死亡领域的神明，由星期六男爵（巴隆·撒麦迪）和其妻子马曼·布利吉特带领。盖得家族通常喧嚣，粗鲁，好色，并且乐于恶作剧。由于已经“生”过，他们无所畏惧。有时他们会在现身（附身）之后吞食玻璃，辣椒，或者将辣椒酱涂在敏感部位等。他们的代表色是黑色和紫色。

【英文材料】
Origins of Voodoo
　　Voodoo is a derivative of the world's oldest known religions which have been around in Africa since the beginning of human civilization. Some conservative estimates these civilizations and religions to be over 10 000 years old. This then identify Voodoo as probably the best example of African syncretism in the Americas. Although its essential wisdom originated in different parts of Africa long before the Europeans started the slave trade, the structure of Voodoo, as we know it today, was born in Haiti during the European colonization of Hispaniola. Ironically, it was the enforced immigration of enslaved African from different ethnic groups that provided the circumstances for the development of Voodoo. European colonists thought that by desolating the ethnic groups, these could not come together as a community. However, in the misery of slavery, the transplanted Africans found in their faith a common thread.
　　They began to invoke not only their own Gods, but to practice rites other than their own. In this process, they comingled and modified rituals of various ethnic groups. The result of such fusion was that the different religious groups integrated their beliefs, thereby creating a new religion: Voodoo. The word "voodoo" comes from the West African word "vodun," meaning spirit. This Afro-Caribbean religion mixed practices from many African ethnics groups such as the Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos, Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches.

The Essence of Voodoo
　　Within the voodoo society, there are no accidents. Practitioners believe that nothing and no event has a life of its own. That is why "vous deux", you two, you too. The universe is all one. Each thing affects something else. Scientists know that. Nature knows it. Many spiritualists agree that we are not separate, we all serve as parts of One. So, in essence, what you do unto another, you do unto you, because you ARE the other. Voo doo. View you. We are mirrors of each others souls. God is manifest through the spirits of ancestors who can bring good or harm and must be honored in ceremonies. There is a sacred cycle between the living and the dead. Believers ask for their misery to end. Rituals include prayers, drumming, dancing, singing and animal sacrifice.
　　The serpent figures heavily in the Voodoo faith. The word Voodoo has been translated as "the snake under whose auspices gather all who share the faith". The high priest and/or priestess of the faith (often called Papa or Maman) are the vehicles for the expression of the serpent's power. The supreme deity is Bon Dieu. There are hundreds of spirits called Loa who control nature, health, wealth and happiness of mortals. The Loa form a pantheon of deities that include Damballah, Ezili, Ogu, Agwe, Legba and others. During Voodoo ceremonies these Loa can possess the bodies of the ceremony participants. Loa appear by "possessing" the faithful, who in turn become the Loa, relaying advice, warnings and desires. Voodoo is an animist faith. That is, objects and natural phenomena are believed to possess holy significance, to possess a soul. Thus the Loa Agwe is the divine presence behind the hurricane.
　　Music and dance are key elements to Voodoo ceremonies. Ceremonies were often termed by whites "Night Dancing" or "Voodoo Dancing". This dancing is not simply a prelude to sexual frenzy, as it has often been portrayed. The dance is an expression of spirituality, of connection with divinity and the spirit world.
　　Voodoo is a practical religion, playing an important role in the family and the community. One's ancestors, for instance, are believed to be a part of the world of the spirits, of the Loas, and this is one way that Voodoo serves to root its participants in their own history and tradition. Another practical aspect of Voodoo ceremonies is that participants often come before the priest or priestess to seek advice, spiritual guidance, or help with their problems. The priest or priestess then, through divine aid, offer help such as healing through the use of herbs or medicines (using knowledge that has been passed down within the religion itself), or healing through faith itself as is common in other religions. Voodoo teaches a respect for the natural world.
　　Unfortunately, the public's perception of voodoo rites and rituals seems often to point to the evil or malicious side of things. There are healing spells, nature spells, love spells, purification spells, joyous celebration spells. Spirits may be invoked to bring harmony and peace, birth and rebirth, increased abundance of luck, material happiness, renewed health.The fact is, for those who believe it, voodoo is powerful. It is also empowering to the person who practices it.

Voodoo and its fight to survive.
　　Despite Voodoo's noble status as one of the worlds oldest religions, it has been typically characterized as barbaric, primitive, sexually licentious practice based on superstition and spectacle. Much of this image however, is due to a concerted effort by Europeans, who have a massive fear of anything African, to suppress and distort a legitimate and unique religion that flourished among their enslaved Africans. When slavers brought these peoples across the ocean to the Americas, the African's brought their religion with them. However, since slavery included stripping the slaves of their language, culture, and heritage, this religion had to take some different forms. It had to be practiced in secret, since in some places it was punishable by death, and it had to adapt to the loss of their African languages. In order to survive, Voodoo also adopted many elements of Christianity. When the French who were the colonizers of Haiti, realized that the religion of the Africans was a threat to the colonial system, they prohibited all African religion practices and severely punished the practitioners of Voodoo with imprisonment, lashings and hangings. This religious struggle continued for three centuries, but none of the punishments could extinguished the faith of the Africans. This process of acculturation helped Voodoo to grow under harsh cultural conditions in many areas of the Americas.
　　Voodoo survives as a legitimate religion in a number of areas of the world, Brazil where it is called "Candomblé" and the English speaking Caribbean where it is called 揙beah? The Ewe people of southern Togo and southeastern Ghana -- two countries in West Africa -- are devout believers. In most of the United States however, white slavers were successful in stripping slaves of their Voodoo traditions and beliefs. Thus Voodoo is, for most African Americans, yet another part of their heritage that they can only try to re-discover.

The Power of Voodoo
　　The strength that the Africans in Haiti gained from their religion was so strong and powerful, that they were able to survive the cruel persecution of the French rulers against Voodoo. It was in the midst of this struggle that the revolution was conspired. The Voodoo priests consulted their oracle and learned how the political battle would have to be fought in order for them to be victorious. The revolution exploded in 1791 with a Petr?ritual and continued until 1804 when the Haitians finally won independence. Today the system of Voodoo reflects its history. We can see the African ethnic mixture in the names of different rites and in the pantheon of Gods or Loas, which is composed of deities from all parts of Africa.

　Haiti's government officially sanctioned voodoo as a religion
　　Thursday April 10, 2003.
　　Haiti's government has officially sanctioned voodoo as a religion, allowing practitioners to begin performing ceremonies from baptisms to marriages with legal authority.
　　Many who practice voodoo praised the move, but said much remains to be done to make up for centuries of ridicule and persecution in the Caribbean country and abroad.
　　Voodoo priest Philippe Castera said he hopes the government's decree is more than an effort to win popularity amid economic and political troubles.
　　"In spite of our contribution to Haitian culture, we are still misunderstood and despised," said Castera, 48.
　　In an executive decree issued last week, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide invited voodoo adherents and organizations to register with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
　　After swearing an oath before a civil judge, practitioners will be able to legally conduct ceremonies such as marriages and baptisms, the decree said.
　　Aristide, a former Roman Catholic priest, has said he recognizes voodoo as a religion like any other, and a voodoo priestess bestowed a presidential sash on him at his first inauguration in 1991.
　　"An ancestral religion, voodoo is an essential part of national identity," and its institutions "represent a considerable portion" of Haiti's 8.3 million people, Aristide said in the decree.
　　Voodoo practitioners believe in a supreme God and spirits who link the human with the divine. The spirits are summoned by offerings that include everything from rum to roosters.
　　Though permitted by Haiti's 1987 constitution, which recognizes religious equality, many books and films have sensationalized voodoo as black magic based on animal and human sacrifices to summon zombies and evil spirits.
　　"It will take more than a government decree to undo all that malevolence," Castera said, and suggested that construction of a central voodoo temple would "turn good words into a good deed."
　　There are no reliable statistics on the number of adherents, but millions in Haiti place faith in voodoo. The religion evolved from West African beliefs and developed further among slaves in the Caribbean who adopted elements of Catholicism.
　　Voodoo is an inseparable part of Haitian art, literature, music and film. Hymns are played on the radio and voodoo ceremonies are broadcast on television along with Christian services.
　　But for centuries voodoo has been looked down upon as little more than superstition, and at times has been the victim of ferocious persecution. A campaign led by the Catholic church in the 1940s led to the destruction of temples and sacred objects.
　　In 1986, following the fall of Jean-Claude Duvalier's dictatorship, hundreds of voodoo practitioners were killed on the pretext that they had been accomplices to Duvalier's abuses.