Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Haitian Vodou'

This item is only available in print in the UCF Libraries. If this is your Honors Thesis, you can help us make it available online for use by researchers around the world by following the instructions on the distribution consent form at http://library.ucf.edu/Systems/DigitalInitiatives/DigitalCollections/InternetDistributionConsentAgreementForm.pdf You may also contact the project coordinator, Kerri Bottorff, at kerri.bottorff@ucf.edu for more information.<br>Bachelors<br>Arts and Sciences<br>Political Science

This thesis analyses the manner in which gender and sexuality are explored within the context of Vodou and Santería in a number of Haitian and Cuban novels and plays. Focusing on the body as the nodal point between the physical and spiritual planes, it examines women’s negotiation of religious, social and political life in Haiti and Cuba as participants in these marginalised religious communities. The narratives these works of fiction comprise indicate the complex nature of such experiences and recognise the active participation of women in Caribbean society, challenging the way in which they have often been limited in, or omitted from, official discourse. By drawing on African-derived religious traditions in the Caribbean, these texts are inscribed within a worldview in which the physical and the spiritual, the living and the dead coexist, and one that allows divisions within and between concepts such as gender, sexuality, womanhood, space and nation to be transcended. In so doing, these authors write alternative and arguably more complete accounts of lived experience in Haiti and Cuba that serve as a source of knowledge regarding the complexities of daily life and provide a means through which the voice of the marginalised can be heard.

Hundreds of thousands of Haitian agricultural laborers arrived in Cuba to cut cane as the Cuban sugar industry was expanding between the 1910s and the 1930s, and many settled permanently on the island. Historically, Haitian laborers occupied the lowest strata in Cuban society. Until relatively recently, the maintenance of Haitian traditions in Cuba was associated with rural isolation and poverty. Today however, the continuation of Haitian customs is no longer associated with isolation, but exactly the opposite. Cuba's Haitian communities are increasingly linked with cultural institutes, heritage festivals, music promoters, and the tourism industry. In Cuba's socialist economy, "folklore" is a valuable resource that demonstrates the unity of a multi-racial and multi-ethnic nation and attracts tourists. Music, dance, and rituals associated with Vodú have been re-imagined for the public stage. The "folkloric imaginary" creates new careers and opportunities for people of Haitian descent in Cuba. Haitiano-cubanos themselves have found innovative ways to transform the once abject into the now exotic, and are currently gaining a public presence in Cuba through folkloric performance.<br>African and African American Studies

This thesis is the first major investigation into the representations of Vodou within the cultural productions of Britain and America. It also opens up opportunities for further research to be undertaken in the representations of Vodou, Haiti and the culture and religions of other Caribbean countries. This thesis explores the representations of 'Voodoo,' the widely accepted and recognised term for the re-imagined religion, in Britain and America since 1850. The history of the Caribbean and Haiti is examined before considering the influence that the religion of Haitian Vodou has had on cultural production. Through a historical perspective the thesis will consider the evolution of Vodou during the horrors of slavery. The historiographic representations form the basis of the productions and are explored to contextualise Vodou in the British and American imagination. All genres of literature are examined, from the first mention of Vodou in the eighteenth century through to the present day. This is followed by an examination of the cultural reproductions of Vodou in film, animation, theatre and television to explore the diversity of the representations. The wider societal influences are considered throughout this work to contextualise the productions of 'Voodoo'. This thesis argues that the cultural reproductions of Vodou since 1850 have not changed greatly, despite various efforts to redress the misrepresentations, they remain rooted in colonialism. It will argue that many of the cultural productions are reliant on previous representations. They do not in the majority introduce authenticity, instead opting for the more sensational approach. Many of the representations will be shown to be derogatory to the religion, culture and people of Haiti and the diaspora. This is despite Vodou as a religion having survived, gained strength and continuing to thrive in the twenty-first century.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-29T14:27:26Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jean Anel Joseph.pdf: 1830488 bytes, checksum: 69dd94dfa8ad792d6729a90c8f0ee413 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-02-25<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior<br>The mission received from Jesus Christ (cf. Mt 29, 19-20) has been accepted by the universal church, and is effective in the activity and outreach of each particular church. Therefore, we understand that a church becomes particular when it can take local cultural elements and incorporate them in the enculturation of the Gospel in this local reality. Indeed, the mission of making Jesus Christ known to the ends of the earth experiences many challenges regarding the languages, mentalities, political environments and cultures. It is in the process the enculturation, that Jesus Christ may be incarnated in a mission to liberate and to save the humanity. However, the process of evangelization is not always free of evangelizers cultures conceptions and, almost always the native people s cultures were fought, ignored, or repressed. This research studies the Haitian reality in the cultural shock between the process of Christian evangelization and voodoo. We try to contextualize both voices of the local church as their own writings on the international scene and also the vast theological thought of that time. We show also the work of the black leaders to insure recognition of the black culture, defending it against all prejudices, charges of fetishism, witchcraft and other issues combated the black culture where the voodoo is a form of expression. After analyzing the way the local church related to voodoo and the inspiration of the second Vatican Council, we search for pointing out possible alternatives that can lead a harmony between the two religions that are currently under the law, with the same degree of importance. We do not ignore the presence of other religions, but we place our focus on studying the pastoral elements that may make for a possible way to overcome the current challenges. This is demanded in the new plural context Haitian reality, especially since the legal recognition of Voodoo as a Religion and the arrival of new religions with the UN mission in Haiti since 2004. The conclusion underlines the hypothesis that A return to preconciliar practices can only hinder the activity of the local church if it wants to be in tune with the universal mission of the church and especially if it intends to respond to the appeal of the Continental Magisterial, and more specifically to the Aparecida Conference that calls for a pastoral conversion as required in response to the signs of the times<br>A missão recebida de Jesus Cristo (cf. Mt 29, 19-20) é assumida pela Igreja Universal e é efetiva na atividade de cada Igreja local. No entanto, entendemos que uma Igreja se torna particular quando chega à maturidade de assumir elementos culturais locais e se empenha na inculturação do Evangelho nesta determinada realidade. Com efeito, a missão de fazer conhecer Jesus Cristo até os confins da terra enfrentou desafios de línguas, mentalidades e culturas. É a partir do processo da inculturação que podemos verdadeiramente propor um Jesus Cristo encarnado com a missão de libertar e salvar o gênero humano. Mas, nem sempre, o processo da Evangelização está livre de concepções culturais dos seus evangelizadores e, na maioria das vezes, as culturas dos povos nativos foram combatidas ou ignoradas. Esta pesquisa estuda a realidade haitiana no choque cultural entre o processo da evangelização cristã e o Vodu. Tentamos contextualizar tanto o discurso da Igreja local como os seus próprios escritos no cenário internacional e também o vasto pensamento teológico daquela época. Expomos também o trabalho dos negros pelo reconhecimento da cultura negra, defendendo-a contra todo o preconceito de cultura atrasada, de juiz de valor de fetichismo, bruxaria e tantos outros títulos que foram empenhados para combater a cultura negra onde, o Vodu, é uma forma de expressão. Depois de analisar o modo com que a Igreja local desempenhava a sua atividade missionária em relação ao Vodu e à luz do Vaticano II, procuramos apontar possíveis saídas de posicionamentos que podem levar a uma convivência entre as duas religiões que atualmente se encontram, perante a lei, sob o mesmo grau de importância, mas teologica e soteriologicamente, procuramos afirmar a superioridade de Jesus Cristo. Nós não ignoramos a presença das outras religiões, mas nós colocamos nosso foco em estudar e apresentar elementos pastorais para uma possível superação dos desafios atuais, neste novo contexto plural que pinta a realidade haitiana, com o reconhecimento jurídico do Vodu como Religião e a chegada de novas confissões religiosas com a missão da ONU presente no Haiti desde 2004. Enfim, salientamos a hipótese de que a volta às práticas pré-conciliares só podem prejudicar a atividade da Igreja local se ela quiser estar em sintonia com a missão universal da Igreja e, principalmente, se ela pretende responder ao apelo do Magistério Continental e mais especificamente a Aparecida que clama por uma conversão pastoral como resposta adaptada aos sinais dos tempos atuais

En choisissant ce sujet, je voulais comprendre: la valeur que les femmes, les hommes, les adultes, les enfants, qui pratiquent le vodou, attribuent aux loa; la projection de leurs croyances dans la vie quotidienne afin de degager le statut reel de cette religion dans la societe haitienne. Le vodouisant participe a un double reseau relationnel. A travers le reseau collectif, il integre les cadres sociaux qui lui transmettent, grace a la relation osmotique entre la famille et la societe vodou, la connaissance necessaire pour se realiser comme une "personne adulte". Le reseau interpersonnel lui permet de parfaire sa formation, de vivre des epreuves rituelles, de partager avec d'autres, de multiples experiences dans lesquelles les mythes et les rites orientent leur vie sociale, pour devenir une individualite collective, un adulte effectif. En haiti, donc, meme au niveau individuel, le vodou est une religion d'integration sociale, un mouvement d'identification culturelle, un cadre d'epanouissement personnel. En tant que vestige historique, il s'identifie a la tradition qui impregne l'etre humain et sert de reference aux activites dites fondamentales dans ce contexte<br>By choosing this subject, i wanted to understand : the value which men and women, adults and children, who practise voodo, attribute to the loa; the projection of their beliefs into everyday life in order to ascertain the true status of this religion in haitian society. A voodoo adept belongs to a double relational network. Through the collective network, he identifies with the social framework which transmits to him, as a result of the osmotic relationship between family life and the voodoo society, the necessary knowledge for him to develop into an "adult person". The interpersonal network of relations will enable him to perfect his education, to experience ritual tests, to share with others innumerable experiences in which the myths and rites guide their social life, in order to become a collective individuality, an effective adult. In haiti therefore, even on an individual level, voodo is a religion of social integration, a movement of cultural identification and a framework for personal development. Taken as a historical vestige,it may be identified with the tradition which penetrates the human being and serves as a reference in activities said to be fundamental in this context

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-25T19:20:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Jean Gardy Jean Pier.pdf: 3968514 bytes, checksum: c6e3116b8c4a9f77ce305ea777ee5dd0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-06-17<br>Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior<br>The Constitution of 1987 proclaims religious liberty in Haiti and acknowledges Voodoo as a religion. However, Voodoo s legal status was changed only with a decree by President Jean-Bertrand Aristide in April 4th, 2003, which recognized Voodoo as cultural heritage of the Haitian nation This work presents a vision of Haitian Voodoo in the light of these two recent accomplishments of the Haitian people. What has changed since then and which perspectives are now available to the pioneer state in the American fights for independence and for the abolishment of slavery? In order to answer to those questions and the others, we have proposed this reserearch, having organized our work in three chapters. The first one describes the history of Haiti, from the time the country was inhabited by the Taïno Amerindians to the Spanish and French colonization periods and other more relevant events. Then we proceed to describing Voodoo, bearing in mind its origin and historical and sociological evolution. In the second chapter, we reflect on the relation between State, the Catholic Church and Voodoo after Independence. The relation with Voodoo was always tense and controversial, varying from unconditional acceptance to orderly repulse and from tolerance to intransigence. In 1860, the Catholic Church signed a concordat with the Haitian State and, thereafter, organised several campaigns against Voodoo. In the third chapter, we reflect on the rehabilitation of Voodoo by a sector of the country s intellectual elite, with a highlighted contribution of the Indigenist School during American occupation. The main representatives of that movement were Jean Price-Mars, physician and anthropologist, and Jacques Roumain, a novel writer and François Duvalier. They contributed to the renaissance of Voodoo as a religion, with numerous publications and pieces of research. With II Vatican Council, however, The Catholic Church has become more understanding and tolerant regarding Voodoo, to a point in which it has come to try to understand the latter from within. The revaluation of Voodoo helped it to leave clandestineness and helped Haitians to reencounter the values which united them in the past and which can unite them again around a project of national reconstruction<br>A Constituição de 1987 proclama a liberdade religiosa no Haiti e reconhece o Vodu como religião. No entanto, o estatuto jurídico do Vodu só muda com a publicação do decreto de 4 de abril de 2003 pelo presidente Jean-Bertrand Aristide, que o reconhece juridicamente e como patrimônio cultural da nação haitiana. Este trabalho apresenta uma visão sobre o Vodu haitiano à luz dessas duas recentes conquistas do povo haitiano. O que mudou desde então e quais perspectivas se abrem a esse Estado pioneiro nas lutas americanas pela Independência e pela abolição do sistema escravista? Para responder a essas indagações e outras, propusemos esta pesquisa organizando o trabalho em três capítulos: O primeiro traça a história do Haiti, desde o período em que era habitado pelos povos Tainos, passando pela colonização espanhola e francesa, pela independência e por outros acontecimentos mais importantes, para depois definir o Vodu levando em conta sua origem e sua evolução histórica e sociológica. No segundo capítulo, refletimos sobre a relação entre a Igreja Católica, o Estado e o Vodu após a Independência. A relação com o Vodu foi sempre tensa e polêmica, variando da acolhida incondicional ao repulso sistemático, ou ainda da tolerância à intransigência. Em 1860, a Igreja Católica assinou uma Concordata com o Estado e após a Concordata, organizou várias campanhas contra o Vodu. No terceiro capítulo, refletiremos sobre a reabilitação do Vodu por um setor da elite intelectual do país, especialmente por meio da Escola Indigenista, durante a ocupação americana. Os principais representantes deste movimento foram Jean Price-Mars, médico e antropólogo, o romancista Jacques Roumain,e François Duvalier que através de numerosas pesquisas e publicações ajudaram no renascimento do Vodu como religião. Com o Concílio Vaticano II, a Igreja Católica mostrou-se mais compreensiva e tolerante frente ao Vodu, a ponto de procurar compreendê-lo a partir de dentro. A revalorização do Vodu o ajudou a sair da clandestinidade e ajudou também os haitianos a reencontrarem os valores que os uniram no passado e que os podem unir outra vez em torno de um projeto de reconstrução nacional

En uppsats om vodouns inblandning under slavupproret i kolonin Saint-Domingue under slutet av 1700-talet till början av 1800-talet. Uppsatsen försöker bevisa vodouns påverkan på ett lyckat slavuppror där andra slavuppror misslyckats.

This study argues that as far as Haitian immigrants in Miami are concerned, issues of identity and health are interconnected. This stems from a Haitian understanding that sees health as the totality of wellbeing—material and spiritual. These two concerns merged in the creation of Halouba Hounfo, a ritual space in Little Haiti, where Haitian immigrants meet to produce and perform identity through Vodou ritual practices and meet their health needs at the same time. Using ethnography, the study traces the origins of Halouba, identifies the actors involved in its creation and the ritual practices performed there. It also analyzes how the rituals facilitate the integration of the group and produce health for them at the same time. As Haitians migrate to America, Vodou is becoming more relevant in their lives, even for American born Haitians because of the pressing need to respond to questions of identity and health.

The purpose of this thesis was to examine the choice patterns that lead to conversion from Catholicism to Protestantism and the role of Vodou after conversion. This study highlights disappointment with the church as the leading cause of conversion in Haiti. Other causes significant to the study were examined. In illness and healing lie the controversies of religious conversion in Haiti. The only way to cure Satanic Illness is by resorting to magic. However, conversion to Protestantism means rejection of Vodou and all of its practice. A secondary purpose is to determine the role of Vodou after conversion. A total of 100 participants between the ages of 18 to 44 were included in this study. Seven percent (7%) converted for economic reasons, 43% selected disappointment with the church, 17% community/environment encounter, 13% sickness/near death experience, 2% economic and disappointment, 7% community/environment encounter and disappointment with the church, 9% disappointment sickness and near death experience, 1% economic and sickness near death experience, 1% economic and community/environment encounter. Findings suggest that Vodou is deeply rooted in Haitian identity, though all Haitians may not practice Vodou; but there are characteristics in the Haitian society that suggest that Haitians are Vodouisant. For the conversion process to be successful in Haiti it has to deeply acknowledged Vodou, the religion practiced by the masses in Haiti.

Cette thèse de doctorat porte sur une forme contemporaine du vodou haïtien telle qu'elle est pratiquée dans la diaspora et plus particulièrement à Montréal. J'ai choisi de focaliser mon étude sur l'une de ses formes présentes en Haïti, appelée vodou asogwe. Ma thèse concerne ainsi l'étude d'une religion diasporique et transnationale dans le contexte de la globalisation. Les données empiriques de ma recherche amènent au constat que la pratique du vodou asogwe à Montréal repose autant sur des adaptations à son nouveau contexte que sur une continuité de sa logique profonde. J'ai élaboré ma méthodologie de manière à pouvoir saisir dans la mesure du possible le sens de la pratique de l'intérieur, en pratiquant régulièrement avec mes interlocuteurs. J'ai mené mes recherches de doctorat pendant deux ans au sein d'une famille spirituelle, tout en prenant également en compte le lignage religieux plus large dans lequel celle-ci s'inscrit. Cela m'a également amené à observer la ritualité et à faire des entretiens dans plusieurs lieux répartis entre Montréal et Haïti, connectés par ce lignage religieux transnational.L'analyse que je mène articule l'étude des religions transnationales à l'approche théorique de l'anthropologie ontologique. La démonstration vise alors à analyser la manière dont l'adaptation du vodou asogwe diasporique à la globalisation permet à celui-ci de se perpétuer tout en étant inséré dans la modernité mais en reposant toujours sur une ontologie distincte. Pour déployer cette analyse, la thèse est organisée autour de l'étude de la dynamique entre adaptations et continuités dans la pratique du vodou asogwe qui se manifeste notamment dans son inscription spatiale et ses processus de territorialisation<br>This Ph.D. thesis deals with a contemporary form of Haitian vodou practiced in the diaspora and especially in Montreal. I chosen to focus my study on one of its version existing in Haiti, called vodou asogwe. Thereby my thesis analyzes a diasporic and transnational religion in the context of globalization. Empiric data of my research expose that the practice of vodou asogwe in Montreal lies as on adaptations to this new context than a continuity of its deep logic.I designed my methodology to grasp the meaning of the religious practice from the inside, regularly practicing with my interlocutors. I led my Ph.D. fieldwork during two years into a spiritual family, while taking into account the wider religious lineage in which it is embedded. This drove me to observe the rituality and to conduct interviews in several locations spread between Montreal and Haiti, all of them connected by this transnational religious lineage.The analysis I develop combines the study of transnational religions to the theoretical lens of ontological anthropology. The demonstration aims to analyze the way in which adaptation of diasporic vodou asogwe to globalization allows it to perpetuate itself while being inside a modern context but still lying on a specific ontology. In order to unfold this analysis the thesis is structured by the study of the dynamic between adaptations and continuities in the practice of vodou which appears in particular in its spatial insertion and its territorialization process

My dissertation titled "Mambos, Priestesses, and Goddesses: Spiritual Healing Through Vodou in Black Women's Narratives of Haiti and New Orleans" reclaims the practice of Vodou as an integral African spiritual tradition through fiction by black women writers. I discuss how the examination of Vodou necessitates the revision of colonial history, serves as an impetus for reevaluating the literary representation of the black female migrant subject, and gives voice to communities silenced by systemic oppression. I parallel novels by contemporary women writers such as Erna Brodber, Jewell Parker Rhodes and Edwidge Danticat with Zora Neale Hurston's ethnographic research in the early twentieth century in order to examine how Vodou is utilized as a literary trope that challenges racist, stereotypical representations of African spirituality in American popular culture. It is also an examination of the shared socio-cultural history between Haiti and New Orleans that coincides with political and environmental changes. Although Vodou has been disparaged as primitive magic, my work demonstrates its profound social, cultural, and political significance; and its important transformations from a nineteenth-century practice to a twenty-first century strategy of survival.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-08-20T13:46:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Joseph_Handerson_Dissertacao.pdf: 1320494 bytes, checksum: b6faa6138a9edd5957767f033361255e (MD5) Previous issue date: 2010-03-02<br>Cette étude a pour thème central l`identité culturelle africaine et de la religion en Haïti et au Brésil. On a intéressé a rapprocher ces deux champs d`analyse, les similitudes et les différences possibles sur l`identité culturelle africaine en Haïti et au Brésil, en particulier dans les aspects religieux, afin d`explorer les questions sur le Vaudou et le Candomblé. Pour y parvenir, l`une des premières taches de la recherche était de mettre en contexte l`histoire des deux pays à comprendre que le Brésil et Haiti sont deux nations formées et guidées par une fondation solide d`origine africaine, venant de son passé colonial, encore aujourd`hui, affectant profondément les bases culturelles de ces deux nations. Le second était, d`examiner l`identité culturelle africaine a partir des catégories suivante: tels que l`identité, la culture, la race, la nation et la religion. A partir de l`analyse sur les travaux actuels de recherche sur les phénomènes religieux Vaudou et Candomblé, en Haïti et au Brésil, on a remarqué qu`ils étaient divers les processus historiques par lesquelles les deux États nacionaux on passés. On a remarqué, que au Brésil, les auteurs qui écrivent sur la culture nationale, l`histoire du pays, le cadre politique, pas forcément les mêmes auteurs qui écrivent sur le Candomblé. Les historiens, les sociologues et les anthropologues de la religion au Brésil, peuvent faire référence au pays sans mencioner le Candomblé. Au contraire, en Haïti, ces deux corpus sont fusiones: Il semble impossible de faire reference au Haïti sans mencioner le Vaudou, La litérature sur la societé haitienne a établit la connexion entre l`histoire et la culture nationale. Les résultats de la recherche montrent, le Vaudou represente la religion d`Haïti, en servant d`instrument de sa politique, et au Brésil, nation grande du point de vue géografique, avec uma variété de cultures, le Candomblé fait partie de l`identité culturelle brésilienne, mais à une échelle moins que le Vaudou en Haïti. On arrive, ainsi à la conclusion que le Candomblé est une religion d`État et le Vaudou de la nation. Cela se justifie pour le rôle du Vaudou durant la libération des anciens esclaves et l`indépendance d`Haïti, actuellement dans la politique interne du pays, être supérieure à l`espace du candomblé au Brésil. Comme on a indiqué, le Vaudou est un élément irréductible dans la construction du pays d`Haïti.<br>Este estudo tem, como temática central, a identidade cultural afro e a religião no Haiti e no Brasil. Interessa aproximar esses dois campos analíticos para delinear possíveis semelhanças e diferenças da identidade cultural afro no Haiti e no Brasil, particularmente nos aspectos religiosos, com o objetivo de explorar questões sobre Vodu e Candomblé. Para alcançar tal meta, uma das primeiras tarefas da investigação foi contextualizar a história dos dois países para compreender que o Brasil e o Haiti são nações formadas e orientadas por um forte fundamento de matriz africana, oriundo de seu passado colonial, até hoje afetando profundamente as bases culturais dessas nações. A segunda foi examinar a identidade cultural afro a partir de categorias explicativas como identidade, cultura, raça, nação e religião. Desde a análise do estado atual dos estudos sobre os fenômenos religiosos Vodu e Candomblé no Haiti e no Brasil, percebeu-se terem sido diversos os processos históricos pelos quais passaram os dois Estados nacionais. Observou-se, no Brasil, tanto os autores que escreveram sobre a cultura nacional, a história do país, o quadro político, quanto os referentes a essa temática não necessariamente serem os mesmos que tratam do Candomblé. Historiadores, sociólogos e antropólogos da religião, no Brasil, podem falar do país sem mencionar o Candomblé. Ao contrário, no Haiti esses dois corpora se fundem: parece ser impossível falar do Haiti sem fazer referência ao Vodu: a literatura sobre a sociedade haitiana faz essa ligação entre a história e a cultura nacional. Os resultados da pesquisa evidenciam, o Vodu a representar a religião do país, servindo de instrumento da sua política, e, no Brasil, nação grande em termos geográficos, com variedade de culturas, o Candomblé ser parte da identidade cultural brasileira, mas em menor escala do que o Vodu no Haiti. Chega-se, assim, à conclusão de o Candomblé ser religião de estado e o Vodu, da nação. Isso se justifica, porque o papel desempenhado pelo Vodu durante a libertação dos ex-escravos e a independência do Haiti, e atualmente na política interna do país, ser maior do que o espaço do Candomblé no Brasil. Conforme apontado, o Vodu é um elemento irredutível na construção do país haitiano.

archives@tulane.edu<br>Serviteurs at the Crossroads addresses the fundamental paradox of Haitian Vodou studies: can Vodou be viewed through a Western academic lens? The thesis focuses on the historiographical debate surrounding the role of Haitian Vodou in the Haitian Revolution, and the ways it illustrates the pervasive disconnect between the worldview of Haitian Vodou and the worldview of Western Scholarship.<br>1<br>Michal (Holly) Devon

This dissertation explores the ways that Haitian Vodouisants are actively (re)working Vodou into a diasporic and transnational faith that can speak to localization of both homeland and new land. Immigrant communities are pushed and pulled between homogenizing frames of American religiosity and internal debates and dialogs that may fracture them in new, unique ways. The free market of religions in a disestablishment context such as America gives faith communities the ability to claim equal positioning but also opens doors to religious shoppers and converts. Vodouisants draw upon heritage identities, localization, and networks to make claims of belonging and power. Haitian- ness and blackness are identities of belonging that white initiates cannot claim despite redrawing moral geographies. Initiates are made into inwardly facing communities through the educational as if of ritual, creating possibilities for non-Haitians to belong at least marginally. Redrawing these moral geographies provides a way to construct diasporic faith communities disconnected from the sacred spaces of the homeland. However, redrawing boundaries also means building bridges to diasporic realities and localizations. For Vodouisants in Boston, this means plugging into the progressive narratives of feminism and LGBTQ equality using particular presentations of Vodou mythology and practice. Presentations at universities and work with academics help legitimize not only Vodou but also this diasporic focus. Legitimization in local Boston contexts may aid in claims-making towards belonging to larger American forms of religion, but it also creates problems with homeland identities. Creative accommodations of practice, identity, and narrative building may allow Vodouisants the ability to claim belonging in larger religiosities but at the same time threaten reputations and Haiti focused claims-making of traditionalism. This case study provides insight into what will be a longer and broader process of Vodou developing as an American religion.

My goal is to study the nature of the Marvelous in René Depestre's Hadriana dans tous mes rêves. I want to demonstrate that René Depestre, in his novel, combines a number of surrealist or neo-surrealist premises that have influenced him as a Haitian writer. This goes beyond differences that can be discerned between the "Surrealist marvelous" endorsed by André Breton and the surrealists, and Alejo Capentier's "marvelous real"later proposed by Jacques Stephen Alexis as "marvelous realism" Depestre adapts Haitian natives' perceptions deep-rooted in their historical and social, cultural and religious past and ever-existing political and economical struggle. Taking into account both the surrealist perspective and the Haitian context, I shall address the complexity of the concept of the Marvelous and discuss Depestre's use of "zombification"as a form of metamorphosis, which preserves the mystical nature of Vodou as a religion that syncretizes the Roman Catholic ritual of exorcism of the Christian West and the animist and magical practices inherited from Africa. Scholars have explored the Marvelous and marvelous realism in Depestre's works as a whole, but not in Hadriana dans tous mes rêves specifically. The exclusive nature of this study will show that Depestre draws from Haiti's complex cultural ethos as well as from surrealism'es key principles, to create a hybrid Marvelous typical of Haiti and Depestre'es aesthetic as a writer.<br>text

U.S. American literary and creative artists perform the work of developing a discursive response to two critical moments in Haitian history: the Revolution (1791-1804) and the U.S. Marine Occupation (1915 to 1934), inspiring imaginations and imaginary concepts. Revolutionary images of Toussaint Louverture proliferated beyond the boundaries of Haiti illuminating the complicity of colonial powers in maintaining notions of a particularized racial discourse. Frank J. Webb, a free black Philadelphian, engages a scathing critique of Thomas Carlyle’s sage prose “On the Negro Question” (1849) through the fictional depiction of a painted image of Louverture in Webb’s novel The Garies and their Friends (1857). Travel writing and ethnographies of the Occupation provide platforms for new forms of artistic production involving Vodou. Following James Weldon Johnson’s critique of U.S. policy (1920), others members of the Harlem Renaissance provide a counter narrative that reengages particular U.S. readers with Haiti’s problematic Revolution through the visual and literary lens of the Occupation experience. The pseudo journalism of William Seabrook's The Magic Island (1929) serves as the poto mitan (center point) around which other creative works produced after the Occupation appear. Katherine Dunham, Zora Neale Hurston, and Maya Deren followed in Seabrook’s wake. Literature, performances, and film, as well as complementary ethnographic records for each follow from Dunham (Dances of Haiti, 1983), Hurston (Tell My Horse, 1938), and Deren (Divine Horsemen, 1953). The artistic production of these significant cultural producers may better represent their experience of fieldwork in Haiti following the Occupation. Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God (1937), Dunham’s exposure of Haitian dances across the world stage, and Deren’s experimental films better capture the reciprocal effect of the ethnographic process on each in their continued presentation to contemporary audiences. Literature directly related to their production appears later in Ishmael Reed’s Mumbo Jumbo (1972), Arthur Flowers’s Another Good Loving Blues (1993), Edwidge Danticat’s Breath, Eyes, Memory (1994), and Nalo Hopkinson’s The Salt Roads (2005). These productive literatures and art forms actively engage in creating the transnational ideal of diaspora as we understand it today. All dance delicately with spirit.