An exotic religion, mysterious Voodoo is fervently worshipped by millions of Haitians offering solace from the chaotic political turmoil that continues to destabilise Haiti, but can the teaching of this religion help sustain peace and unify a nation of deeply divided gangs?

Haunted by the guise of the Voodoo spirit of the dead Papa Samedi, Haiti is known for its Voodoo impassioned and fiery dancing, bewitching hymns and black magic, which have epitomized the mysterious tropical island of Hispaniola and inspired writers like Madison Smartt Bell. In the popular mindset, Haitian Voodoo conjures up images of Satanism, zombies and "voodoo dolls,” which for a short time was a catalyst for tourism, adding mystery to Ian Fleming's widely successful James Bond series, the 1954 thriller "Live and Let Die." A mix of Catholicism and African spirit worship, voodoo, also spelt Vodou is a mostly unrecognised world religion that has inspired art, music, medicine and of course politics; it is often said Haiti may be 80% Catholic, and 20% Protestant but it is 100% Voodoo.

A religious society, Haiti was the first Caribbean former-slave colony to achieve independence and the first black-led republic led by revolutionary Toussaint L’Ouverture. Toussaint was fortunate to have been employed by humane slave owners who treated him more like a personal servant than a slave. While serving as a house servant and coachman, Toussaint who educated himself was honoured with promotion after promotion before he became one of the few literate black revolutionary leaders.Inspired by the ideals of the French Revolution, and supported by a network of rebel voodoo priests, former slave Toussaint L’Ouverture finally ousted the brutal rule of French royalists and plantation owners to establish the world’s first black democracy.

Against all odds at a time when the paradigm of thinking was quite against the idea of abolishing slavery, Toussaint L’Ouverture persevered in what must have seemed like a dream of obtaining freedom not only for Haitian slaves, but for all slaves. Indeed, after having invaded Santo Domingo, Toussaint L’Ouverture abolished slavery and drafted a committee to write the first constitution for the colony, which went into effect on July 7, 1801, establishing a single authority across the whole island of Hispaniola.

It was a replica of the French revolution in the Americas at a time when chattal slavery and injustice was the norm. But less known is that behind Toussaint’s ideals for demoracy and freedom was the influence of voodoo. You do not have to go very far to see the influence, as Madison Smartt Bell reveals in her book Master of the Crossroads, that even the name of the great leaders Toussaint L'Ouverture (the opening) refers to the voodoo mythological god Legba who waits at the gate and the crossroads and decides who shall pass into the after life. Many Maroon leaders in the slave revolt were themselves voodoo priests who worked in closely-knit underground networks, without any central authority, but despite this managing to unite themselves in a common cause.

Politics and Voodoo are closely inter-connected in Haiti, where according to Michel S.Laguerre in his book “Voodoo and Politics in Haiti” (1991), voodoo priests organized the first successful rebellions and were very influential, using religion “as political instrument of liberation.” Laguerre who argues that religions can be either “distructive or integrative in a society,” claims Voodoo was “integrative in the face of European Catholocism, which was seen as a White religion of their oppressive masters.” “Voodoo is a language expressive of African resistance to slavery, the will of the enslaved to maintain values of Negritude and memorization of African religious traditions,” according to Laguerre. More than a religion, voodoo maintained moral, social and political order among revolting slaves. This view can easily be applied to the 20th century as much as it can be applied to Touissaint Revolution, where in 1990, Haitians voted for a former priest, President Jean-Bertrand Astride and where modern voodooists believe the afterlife has loas (spirits) of government.

However despite abolishing slavery and leading the way to democracy in the Americas three centuries ago, Haiti's pride has been severely damaged by decades of poverty, gang violence, instability and despotism caused by the avarice of local chiefs exploiting localized divisions. Even today, long following the death of the brutal Duvalier regime and the later US inspired removal of President Astride who is said to have practiced democracy of a voodoo nature”, Haitian democracy is still haunted by heavily armed street gangs who kidnap victims for ransom and execute their rivals. These gangs who have long worked alongside politicians to run the country, take comfort in the fact that there is a disbanded army and a corrupt police force.

Rather than deal with an eruption of violence, successive presidents unable to resist consolidating their grip of power have employed the gangs against political rivals, Street gangs have long controlled the streets of Port-au-Prince, the capital city of the Western Hemisphere’s poorest nation. It is incontestably inevitable that any attempt by Haiti to return to democracy, to embrace healthy political pluralism and shun despotism is sadly one that will result in bloody encounters. Recently when a UN contingent tried to enter the local slum of Cite du Soleil, they were met with gunfire by local gangs resulting in many deaths – clearly any forceful attempt to recover Haiti inch by inch will be no push over.

A more sustainable peace and less bloody battle for stability can be achieved with voodoo. Despite the fact that voodoo is often seen in a negative light by the West, the religion is imbedded in Haitian culture, which it helps define. In a country suffering from severe poverty, political instability, and poor health care, Voodoo priests are often better respected advisors on a whole range of issues, from fertility to money to property disputes and marriage than politicians. Indeed to understand Haitians, one must talk to the voodoo priests before visiting the politicians. With such influence over the population it is conceivable and practical that the religion be used against the tide of escalating violence and in a conciliative approach at reconciling differences.