Essay on Haitian Stereotypes

In today’s society, people use stereotypes as a way to theorize specific groups through their ideas, religions, race, gender, or even appearance. Stereotypes can be extremely cruel and unfair. Throughout the years the meaning of the word has changed. In the Etymology Dictionary, the word “stereotype” means “method of printing from a plate’ [originating] from [the French language] stéréotype.” In 1922 the word changed to its accurate and well-known definition, “a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing” (Oxford Dictionary). In her TED Talk, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie refers to the word “stereotype” as a “single story.” She goes on to explain how stereotypes have a hold on someone's life “[p]ower is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person.” Stereotypes primarily make people know how a group of people are and act without truly understanding anything and knowing why it exists. These assumptions are carried down within every generation and augmented day by day. The word stereotype may be a small word, but it has a big impact on society. The results of stereotyping are hidden. People have no remorse over what they say about certain people or groups, and society reinforces stereotypes throughout the media, consequently prompting others to believe that they are right. People do not recognize the influence stereotypes have on each other, an individual may discuss that certain stereotypes are offensive and untrue, while another individual may argue that because stereotypes are somewhat true, they don’t exist. Although there are a bunch of ridiculous stereotypes about Haitians, the most common one is “all Haitians do voodoo.” Africans brought this traditional religious practice with them when they were enslaved and brought to Haiti in the 18th century, and during and after the United States Marine Corps occupied Haiti in the early 20th century, Haiti became the setting for books and movies, which often portrayed Voodoo as sinister, cruel and bloody, which creates unnecessary fear about Haitian people.

Many believe that the history of voodoo started in 1500 AD in Haiti, but the Haitian word 'Voodoo' originates from the African Fon and Ewe Language, spoken today in Benin. The religion started about 15,000 B.C. in the Egyptian pyramids by black Egyptian slaves called 'Yoruba'. The Yoruba people were later freed; however, they did not forget what they saw. “The [two things slaveholders could not take away from slaves were culture and religion]. These were the only things that supported them [... and made it easier to deal with ‘the hardships of the world’]. By falling into a possession trance, [the slaves felt] secure and free.” (La Menfo Vye Zo Komande) Around that time the Yoruba people traveled out of Egypt using the Nile and Niger routes, which crossed over into Benin. Under the leadership of the Yoruba king Oduduwa, voodoo began to spread through all of his lands. In 1492 AD Columbus founded the island of Hispaniola (Haiti is on the western side of the island), and King Charles V ordered the deportation of 15,000 blacks from Africa to the island. Some were the slaves of Yoruba and soon they began to merge cultures and religions and laid the foundation for today's voodoo.

When people type the word “Voodoo” in their search bar the common definition that pops up is “A black religious cult practiced in the Caribbean and the southern U.S, combining elements of Roman Catholic ritual with traditional African magical and religious rites, and characterized by sorcery and spirit possession.” (Oxford Dictionary) Although the common definition sounds harsh, in the past the word voodoo had multiple meanings and wasn’t always defined as something bad. “In the language of the people of African Fon people, the word “voodoo” means “spirit” or “deity.” (La Menfo Vye Zo Komande) There are many members of this religion, and In Haiti, it is called Voodoo, while in Brazil is called Santeria, which means “holy faith” and “delight.” During the Haitian Revolution, voodoo helped slaves win a war against their colonial masters to gain freedom. When the remaining colonists fled to New Orleans, voodoo began to grow. It was not as powerful as the one in Haiti, because it was suppressed. In the 19th century, voodoo began to evolve in New Orleans. “Dances in Congo Square [...] or at the private residences of 'Voodoo Queens,' such as Marie Laveau, attracted [prurient attention] in the press and left a [strong] legacy of Voodoo tales of often [skeptical] authenticity.” (Alasdair Pettinger) The voodoo religion has become so popular that “70% of the [Haiti’s] national population [...practices voodoo] and is today the religion of choice for a smaller majority of the nation's urban population.” (Terry Rey)

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The constant issue about voodoo is analyzed through its uses in tourist culture, movies, TV shows, news outlets, and books. The number one country that was impacted by this was Haiti. Haiti became the setting for books and movies which often depicted Voodoo as sinister, cruel, and bloody. Because of the impact of the media, allowed people to create their stereotypes about Haitians. The movie White Zombie (1932) characterized Voodoo priests as evildoers who turned innocent people into zombies. For decades, several Hollywood productions have profited from stereotypes about Voodoo. While it's obvious to any historian that these films are extremely incorrect, for others, the difference between historical facts and Hollywood lies and misrepresentations is not that obvious. “Particular [... 'horror movies, in which voodoo’s connections with violence'] against whites and hypersexuality are [misused, causing...] terror and arousal.” (Adam McGee) When movie directors perform this act, it causes people to psychologically fear all Haitians and assume something that they aren't. Due to its advertisement in the media, voodoo became very popular. “The cult of Vodou became the commercial hallmark of Haiti.” (La Menfo Vye Zo Komande) Movies like Live and Let Die (1973) from the James Bond series, The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988), and Child’s Play (1988), negatively displays Voodoo, by featuring zombies, possession and Voodoo dolls, which has very little to do with the religion. Currently, television shows such as True Blood and Bones have some Voodoo featured in their series. “Voodoo is not [interpreted] as a spiritual practice but is instead depicted as an [act of evil]. Nor do such media productions emphasize the many similarities that Voodoo shares with Christianity or its roots in Catholicism.” (Felix Germain) The media ignores the fact that Voodoo is also a religion just like Christianity and slowly evolved from the Catholic religion. Instead, it connects voodoo with the devil, which reinforces the negative stereotypes about Haitians.

My first encounter with the stereotype “all Haitians do voodoo” started in middle school and continues today. When I first came to America at nine years old, I had a strong Creole accent, and usually when people have a strong accent people assume that they’re from a different country and barely speak English. In my case, that was completely true. Whenever people would ask me “Oh, where are you from?” I would normally respond proudly and say “I’m from Haiti,” not knowing what the follow-up question would be. The next question was almost always “Do you do voodoo?” or “Do you know how to do voodoo?” When I get asked that question, I feel awkward not because of the question itself, but because the person already had a fit expectation about people who are from Haiti. In the end, I would tell them “no” and go about my day, but the number one thing that has impacted my life because of this stereotype is my birthday. I know it sounds weird for a stereotype to affect someone’s life, but I am one of the victims. I was born on November 1st, which is a religious holiday called “All Saints Day,” defined as “a Christian festival in honor of all the saints in heaven held on 1 November.” (Oxford Dictionary) I am thankful for the U.S. definition because in my country the holiday is very much different. Whenever I would make new friends who were also Haitian, once they found out about my birthday they would be shocked and feel sorry for me. In Haiti, the whole month of November is a voodoo holiday but especially November 1st and 2nd. During those days Vodouists went to cemeteries with food, coffee, and peppered alcohol, to pray, light candles, put fresh flowers on graves, and then dance all night in vodou rites. People who don’t understand voodoo tease me about being born on “the Devil’s birthday,” but I know that voodoo is a religion, and I respect people who practice it even though I don’t choose it for myself. Although the stereotype affects me, I don’t let a label define who I am. As Adichie said, “All of these stories make me who I am. But to insist on only these negative stories is to flatten my experience and to overlook the many other stories that formed me.” Without the labels, I wouldn’t be who I am today.

Stereotypes cause people to feel lonely and even sometimes depressed. Instead of focusing on all the mistakes each person makes, people should start paying more attention to how unique each person is. Stereotypes are harmful to their environment, and their social life because they limit what people know about each other. People should keep stereotypes out of the picture to avoid becoming victims themselves. People need to stop judging others before getting to know them. The thing people don’t understand about the “all Haitians do voodoo” stereotype is that voodoo is mainly practiced in the countryside of Haiti and most urban people don’t even know what voodoo is. Haitians will continue to suffer from a bad reputation as long as voodoo remains an outlet for the expression of others’ racist anxieties and stereotypes.