The widely held image of Voodoo in the Western world is one of wax dolls with pins sticking out of them and black magic. Voodoo is, in fact, one of the world’s most ancient religions. Voodoo arrived in the West during the slave trading days. The basis of the religion came from Africa, but the Voodoo we now know was structured in Haiti. A variety of different ethnic groups amalgamated their religions and formed the Voodoo that is known today.

Voodoo is a West African word meaning 'spirit'; the original word was vodun. The basic ethos of the religion is that everything in the universe is connected. Nothing happens by chance in this world, and there are no accidents. Everything that you do to one person you are doing to yourself, because you are that person.

Voodoo ceremonies contain prayers, dancing and rituals. They also include animal sacrifices. The figure of the snake plays a major part in the rituals, and the high priest or priestess will embody the serpent’s power. Spirits of wealth, nature and happiness possess the bodies of believers at the ceremony.

Dancing and music are also major elements of the Voodoo ceremony. In the West, the dancing has often been portrayed as sexual, but that is not its main purpose. Dancing is a way to connect with spirits and the spirit world.

Voodoo is an important part of family life in any community that practices it. The high priest has a great deal of influence and gives spiritual advice when it is asked for. He or she is also seen as a healer and practices with herbs and medicines. The knowledge that the high priestess has gained will have been passed along through prior generations.

Practitioners of Voodoo also use spells. For the main part, these are spells used to evoke good, not harm. There are healing spells, love spells and spells to celebrate joy. The image of black magic and harmful spells was mainly founded by Europeans who had a distrust of anything African.

Voodoo is practised as a religion in a number of countries around the world. In Brazil, it is called Candomble, and in the Caribbean, it is called Obeah. In 2003, the government of Haiti sanctioned Voodoo as an official religion. Believers can now be baptized and married within the religion.

It has taken centuries for this official action to happen. Believers say it will take more than an official show of faith to make up for the persecution that followers of Voodoo have had to contend with. There are millions of people in Haiti alone who have faith in the religion.