Voodoo Intersection: Poverty, Crime and Disease in Haiti

by Yonie Richard

Most Haiti's poisons are made of leaves and dead reptiles skins mixed with chemicals sarin and amatoxins.They destroy the kidneys and liver before any antidote medication can take effect. Vomiting starts immediately and death occur quickly after. Voodoo has become a religion of secrecy. The beauty of voodoo has vanished. Voodoo ceremonies call for the eating of human flesh and the drinking of human blood especially the infants.

88 pages, Paperback

First published December 28, 2011

Reviews

[Elizabeth Ehlen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Voodoo Intersection explores the cultural relevance of the voodoo religion in Haiti, and places the poverty, crime and government corruption squarely upon it. Author Yoni Richard, a Haitian immigrant to the US, pulls no punches when describing the devolution of voodoo (what she calls inbred voodoo) and how it permeates the culture, usually to the culture’s detriment. It is a very quick read, and explains the basic tenets of voodoo and how they impact the Haitian daily life. It is a very blunt explanation, and very helpful to those who don’t know much about it. It is not a pleasant or politically correct tale, but accurate from what I know of history, and obviously poignant and meaningful to Richard, as it is the life she led and fled.

What I find interesting is the juxtaposition of the Haitian democratic revolution - did you know that Haiti is the world’s longest-running modern democracy? - to the US democratic revolution. Even though Haiti was first, the US’ is hugely more successful. Richard attributes that to voodoo, as the Haitian revolution was a voodoo inspired and directed enterprise, where the US was based on Christian principles. Hundreds of years later the US is thriving while Haiti is one of the world’s poorest countries with the highest crime rate. Richard makes her point eloquently and succinctly, and is obviously passionate about helping her people, even from abroad.

[Britt · Rating 2 out of 5]

Voodoo Intersection: Poverty, Crime and Disease in Haiti by Yonie Richard is a quite an eye opening piece. It tells how the practice of Voodoo has become a direct cause of Haiti's current status. I would have liked Richard to delve a little deeper into the history of Voodoo when it was used for good, because he clearly states it was not all bad. A little more how and when it transitioned to dark voodoo with evil intentions, I believe would have taken this piece to the next level. On the up side, Richard does provide a wealth of background knowledge and terminology used in Voodoo; from the voodoo priests to how it is practiced in other countries. This piece mostly focuses on Haiti's practice of the religion Voodoo, but it does expand on how it interacts with other countries in Africa. Overall it was a eyeopening read, but I wished there was just a little more meat on the bones; so to speak.