Voodoo, big social problem in Haiti, according to Cardinal Chibly Langlois

The battle for the sole of Haiti has begun once again. In an article written in theguardian.com, newly nominated Haitian Cardinal Chibly Langlois, said that "Voodoo won't save Haiti. Traditional faith offers no real solutions for the poor and is a big social problem".

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Cardinal Chibly Langlois attributed Haiti's political problems to its belief system. "If a person is well educated and has the financial means, they will go to a doctor rather than a Houngan when they are sick. The same is true for conflicts between the population; someone would go to Court to get justice instead of going to the voodoo priest to get revenge.

Cardinal Chibly Langlois went further to say that Haitians are ashamed to say they practice Voodoo and that is the reason why voodoo ceremonies are conducted night-time.

I don't know whether or not the Cardinal is right or wrong; however, one thing I am certain of is that he just dived into one of the biggest controversies in Haiti history, Religious war, with both of his feet.

The first Haitian Cardinal to be nominated by Vatican has re-candled the argument that has been with us since the slaves of Saint-Domingue were brought from Africa.

I just hope our dear Haitian Cardinal, Chibly Langlois, knows exactly what he is getting himself into with such a statement.

It is estimated that close to 80% of Haitian population is Roman Catholic; roughly half the population also practices voodoo.

Where do you stand on this one?. let's breaks the statements of the Cardinal to the simplest form and present them to you as a binary issue:

Voodoo won't save Haiti, says the Cardinal. Does that mean that we should abolish all Voodoo practices anywhere in Haiti?

Does he believe that Catholicism and Vatican will save Haiti?

Cardinal Langlois attributed Haiti's political problems to its belief system. Does he mean that if everyone was christian or practices Catholicism, that they would become less selfish, less corrupted?

He also said that people would go to court for justice instead of going to the voodoo priest to get revenge. Does he mean that suddenly our court system would be trusted, that justice in Haiti could no longer be sold to those with deep pocket or are well connected?

He also said that Haitians are ashamed to say they practice Voodoo and that explains why voodoo ceremonies are conducted at night. Did our beloved Cardinal use history as a guide? Does he know how the slaves in Saint Domingue managed to survive the brutality that were inflicted upon them on a daily basis by their European masters with the complicity of the Catholic religion and Vatican?

Kreyol Pale, Kreyol Kompran

Mezanmi, problem pap janm fini nan payi sa.

Cadinal Chibly Langlois di yon bagay ki mande a reflechi oui. Kadinal la di se Voodoo ki koze anplil problem an Ayiti. Li di si nou pate kwè nan voodoo, le no malad nou ta ale lakay doctè o lye ke lakay Houngan. Le no jin yon problem ak yon moun, nou ta ale nan Leta pou nou jwen jistis olye ke kay Boko pou revang.

Mezanmi, mwin pase ke Kadinal la bay Voodoo pote anpil chay oui. eske se Voodoo ki fe Ayisyen Rahisab, egoist? Eske se vodou ki fè depi ou gin gro kontak an Ayiti, ou gin anpil lajan, ou kapab achte jistic?

Yon lot bagay Cadinal la di: Ayisyen si telman ront pou yo pratike voodoo, se sa ki fè ke Voodoo ceremony fet nan mitan lannuit. Eske Kadinal la te konnin ke di tan lesklavaj, esklav you pate kapab pratike Voodoo? Yo so ti an Afril ak koutim you. Blan-an van yo, mare yo tankou krab, transpote yo, fè yo travay pou anyin. Et yo di ke sa ke Met ou an ape sevi-a se li ki bon

Blan sa yo te pran ni kouraj yo ak travay foce, et ake led Vatikan ki tape konveti tout moun, nam yo tou

Reply to this article  (12)

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All Comments (12)

J Alexis says...

woooo bon nagya ou di se te legliz katolik ak islamik ki met moun say o tet

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J Alexis says...

Here's the flipside "If a person is well educated and has the financial means, they will go to a doctor rather than a Houngan when they are sick" but at the end they do what resort to their fairh the only difference is the vodou(poor or rich not even important) resorts to his faith when all else fails they go to the doctor ...

whereas the catholic (rich or poor) resorts to the doctor then their faith and one owuld be a hypocrit if they don't notice the similarities vodou have lwa whereas the christians have holy spirit ...

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Simon Castor says...

Je ne vois pas le diable daons ce qu'il a dit .Mes freres, montrez mi le faux!Cet homme a du

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Jules Casseus says...

Vodou se a kilti pep Ayisyen an, wi se yon eleman nan kilti ya men sa pa vle Si se kilti pep la

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Jules Casseus says...

Sa Kadinal la di se vre ! Bravo Kadinal

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Jules Casseus says...

The Cardinal is on the right track.

One should not forget the role that Voodoo plays in Haitian history and life from the colonial time to now. However one should applaud the Cardinal for his stern standing against the final goal of Voodoo.

In my understanding every university student in Haiti should have a class in Haitian anthropology to better understand Voodoo and the Haitian

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Jules Casseus says...

Cardinal Chilby is right on target.

I will be back with

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Louis Andre Gaudin says...

SONJE LEGLIZ KATOLIK TE RETE BOUCH FEMEN LE HITLE TAP BONBADE LEROP, NAN PEYI LAKAY LEKOL KI CHE SE KATOLIK, LOPITAL PI CHE SE KATOLIK, INSTRIKSYON KRTYENN LAKAY DEPI SOU GEFRARD JOUK JODI YA NOU GEN 80% FRE NOU PA KONN LI,
AMERIK DI SI MAJORITE SE KATOLIK GADE YO TOUT POV
MEZAMI ANOU BY MANJE A SANT PLIS EDIKASYON POU YON AYITI MYO
KATOLIK
KAPE

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Louis Andre Gaudin says...

TANDE BYEN MEZAMI SE PA VOODO KI TE TOUYE JEZIKRIS, NI LAGE BOMM SOU HIRICIMA, NI METE ESCLAVAJ NAN LA MERIK,
EPI TOU KONIN BYEN LEGLIZ KATOLI SE YON FOS OKIPASYON NAN MANTALITE LOMM. AZIATIK PA KRETEN SE SATAN YO YE POUI SA, SISPAN BLOFE PEP LA
MON PE CHANTE TI LIBERAW KI TEM

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Derson Jolteus says...

The cardinal has a lack of common sense and intellectualism.

Kadinal la ap voye monte san li pa ale fouye nan listwa pou li wè kijan zanzèt nou yo te rive pran lindepandans.

Si Kadinal la al fè yon kout je nan listwa, kote ke lap wè ke vodou a te reyini zanzèt nou yo pou yo lite kont yon koz ki tap fèt yo mal. Vodou pa vle di mal. Li se kilti pèp ayisyen an. Se sa yo rele "Sorcellerie" a ke yo vi n rantre nan vodou a ki vi n fè ou wè vodou a nan yon lot sans. Cardinal la petèt manke bon sans ak kalite intelektyel pou li distinge vodou a ak sorselry.

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