Voodoo Origins

- unlike the modern, ultra-violent, and uncontrollable zombie, the original zombie myth took its roots from Haitian voodoo culture
- in the voodoo religion, there are different types of priests/priestesses that are said to contact the gods and heal the sick using potions, charms and rituals
- in voodoo, there is a belief that spirits live in objects and can take over a person's body.
- unlike a houngan (male priest) or a mambo (female priest) a bokor will use voodoo rituals to cause harm to others
- they can use rituals to create a zombie by stealing a person's soul
- zombies of this manner are usually servants or slaves
- the are mindless beings who do what their master tells them, whether it is benign, such as cleaning, farming and cooking, or malignant, such as violent acts, or destructive actions

How to Make A Zombie

- according to Haitian voodoo practices, a Zombie is made by the bokor by:
1) choosing a suitable victim
2) dosing the victim with Zombie Powder
3) voila! A zombie is created
- Zombie Powder is composed of:
1) poisonous toads
2) puffer fish (because of its paralyzing properties)
3) plants such as nettles (makes the skin itchy. The person who scratches will tear the skin, giving the zombie powder an entrance into the body)
4) human remains

For more information about the science behind zombie transformations, see this post!

How to Cure A Zombie

- it's believed that salt is the best cure for zombiism, as zombie powder is thought to work by blocking salt's ability to help muscles move, salt will reverse it
- datura or "zombie cucumber". This one is double-edged. A small amount will return mobility to the affected Zombie, but bokor's will also use it to make a zombie more tractable since its side effects cause dizziness, confusion, and forgetfulness


Zombies by Cynthia Jenson-Elliot