September 2003

World View

Go Show, edition 1--the Haitians of Haiti

Almost all Haitians are descendents of the approximately half a million enslaved West Africans who won their freedom from France in 1804, making Haiti the world's first modern black republic.¹ When Africans of various tribes were brought to Haiti as slaves, they brought with them their beliefs in spirits who acted as intermediaries with a single God Almighty; some of these spirits were ancestors of the living, while others represented human emotions and forces of nature. Voodoo is derived from a synthesis of these African religious beliefs. In fact, the word voodoo comes from one of the languages of Benin, West Africa and means "spirit."

The religion evolved from West African beliefs and developed further among slaves in the Caribbean who adopted elements of Catholicism. Although lacking a fixed theology and an organized hierarchy, voodoo is a religion with its own rituals, ceremonies, and altars that practitioners do not find to be at odds with Roman Catholicism. In fact, many Roman Catholic symbols and prayers have blended with voodoo rituals and traditions to make for a unique and typically Haitian religion. For example, pictures of Catholic saints are painted on the walls of temples to represent the voodoo spirits.²

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. In his decree legalizing the practice of Voodoo, President Aristide said that Voodoo is "an essential part of national identity,'' and its institutions "represent a considerable portion'' of Haiti's 8.3 million people.

Another inseparable part of Haitian culture is the practice of storytelling. A rich oral tradition gives voice to the expressiveness of the Haitian people through storytelling, proverbs, riddles, songs and games. Storytelling in Haiti is a performance art. The storyteller uses a different voice for each character in the story, and may sing songs as part of the narrative.³

The Yorks are capitalizing on the Haitian storytelling tradition by "storying" through the Bible. "We are using Chronological Bible Storying to start small rural churches, because many of the people cannot read, but everyone can remember a story," Delores said. "We use hand dug community water wells, health clinics, and agriculture as tools to get to know the people, get into their communities and to start the Bible Storying. We believe that using the Chronological Storying will give the people the information they need to make a real conversion to Christ that will change lives. We believe that it is God's intention for a Biblical church, native born, that can reproduce itself, be in every community in the country of Haiti, in a distance that each family is able to walk."

In November 2003, Delores York talked with a Voodoo Hougon (leader for the Voodoo religion) from a rural area and he agreed to allow Delores to do a Bible study in his yard! "God wants to change the hearts of the Rural Haitians and bring them to Himself and to salvation." By using a generations-old technique that is revered by the Haitians, the Yorks are partnering with God to spread the gospel throughout Haiti.

1 Civan, Michele Burtoff, Féquière Vilsaint and Gepsie Morisset-Métellus. "People," The Haitians: Their History and Culture, Refugee Fact Sheet Series No.10, 1994. http://www.culturalorientation.net/haiti/
2 Ibid., "Religion."
3 Ibid., "Culture."