West African Vodun
Let an agent describe West African Vodun respectfully as a living religion in the terms of its practitioners and scholars, distinguish it from the diaspora traditions and from popular stereotypes, relay demographic and legal information with sources, and route questions about practice to the communities themselves.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent describe West African Vodun respectfully as a living religion in the terms of its practitioners and scholars, distinguish it from the diaspora traditions and from popular stereotypes, relay demographic and legal information with sources, and route questions about practice to the communities themselves.
A traditional religion of the Fon, Ewe and related peoples of Benin, Togo, Ghana and Nigeria centred on spirits called vodun, ancestors and a creator, practised through priesthoods, shrines, divination, initiation and ceremonies with drumming and dance; Vodun is officially recognised in Benin, and related but distinct traditions developed in the Americas through the Atlantic slave trade, including Haitian Vodou, Louisiana Voodoo, Cuban and Dominican Vodu and Brazilian Jeje practice.
What it is for: Not applicable; a religion.
It can be describe beliefs and practices with attribution; distinguish Vodun from diaspora traditions and stereotypes; relay demographic and legal information; route practice questions to communities.
Distinguishing features
Spirits called vodun
Ancestor veneration
Initiation and priesthood
Recognised religion in Benin
What it looks like
Not a visible object; shrines, altars, ritual objects, ceremonies with drumming and dance.
Physical character
adherents in Benin: about 11-17 percent - census figures; many more combine practices
How it is recognised
Religion of the Fon, Ewe and related peoples
Vodun spirits, ancestors, priesthoods and shrines
Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo are distinct diaspora religions; popular voodoo imagery is a stereotype
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
is a kind of - of West Africa
is related to - a distinct diaspora religion
is practised by - and Ewe and related peoples
In practice
Families and kinds
Fon and Ewe Vodun in Benin, Togo and Ghana
related Yoruba orisha traditions as neighbours
diaspora traditions: Haitian Vodou, Louisiana Voodoo, Cuban and Dominican Vodu, Brazilian Jeje, Trinidadian practice
Vodun in the diaspora of West Africans today
Standards and regulation
Freedom of religion protections
Official recognition and the national Vodun day in Benin
Heritage protection of shrines and practices
Failure modes and hazards
Stereotyped or sensational presentation
Conflating Vodun with diaspora religions or fiction
Disrespect for sacred knowledge and restrictions
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What Vodun is.
Attribution.
Definition
Beliefs and practices.
Definition
Definition.
- What are the beliefs, spirits and practices of Vodun, as practitioners and scholars describe? definition
- Is the question about West African Vodun, a diaspora tradition or a fictional portrayal? boundary
Organisation
Priesthood and community.
Organisation
Organisation.
- How are priesthoods, initiations and shrines organised? provenance
- Is the presentation respectful of sacred restrictions? boundary
Distinguish Vodun and the diaspora.
Attribution.
Diaspora
Diaspora traditions.
Diaspora
Diaspora.
- How did Haitian Vodou, Louisiana Voodoo and other traditions develop from Vodun, and how do they differ? provenance
- Which entry fits the specific tradition? action
Stereotypes
Stereotypes.
Stereotypes
Stereotypes.
- How have popular media misrepresented Vodun, as scholars describe? provenance
- Is the presentation free of stereotypes? boundary
Society Society and law.
Sources.
Demography
Adherents.
Demography
Demography.
- How many people practise Vodun, and how do censuses count them? measurement
- Which sources are cited? provenance
Recognition
Recognition and heritage.
Recognition
Recognition.
- How is Vodun recognised and protected in Benin and elsewhere? provenance
- Which entry fits religion in Benin? action
Study History and scholarship.
Study.
History
History.
History
History.
- How did Vodun develop in the Dahomey kingdom and under colonial and post-colonial rule? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Scholarship
Scholarship.
Scholarship
Scholarship.
- How do anthropologists and religious studies scholars study Vodun? provenance
- Which entry fits African religious studies? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should each diaspora tradition be a separate primary entry?
- How should scholarly and community sources be linked?
- The registry entry has merged aliases naming diaspora religions; should they be split off?