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UC Merced UC Merced Electronic Theses and Dissertations UC Merced UC Merced Electronic Theses and Dissertations Title CAVE VODOU IN HAITI: THE USE OF CAVES AS SACRED SPACE IN MODERN HAITIAN RITUAL Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7wk702sf Author Wilkinson, Patrick Richard Publication Date 2019 Peer reviewed|Thesis/dissertation eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California University of California, Merced Cave Vodou in Haiti: The Use of Caves as Sacred Space in Modern Haitian Ritual Dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in World Cultures by Patrick Richard Wilkinson Committee in Charge Professor Linda-Anne Rebhun, Chair Professor Mark Aldenderfer Professor Marco García-Ojeda Professor Holley Moyes © Patrick Wilkinson, 2019 All rights reserved. This Dissertation of Patrick Wilkinson is approved; it is acceptable in quality and form for publication on microfilm and electronically: ________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Mark Aldenderfer ________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Marco García-Ojeda ________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Holley Moyes ________________________________________________________________________ Dr. Linda-Anne Rebhun Chair University of California, Merced 2018 iii DEDICATION To my wife Marieka, without whom none of this would have been possible, and to the people of Haiti, who welcomed a blan with open arms and hearts. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................... VIII LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................ XII ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................ XIII CURRICULUM VITA ..................................................................................... XIV ABSTRACT ................................................................................................. XVIII FOREWORD .................................................................................................. XIX CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION .........................................................................23 Background ................................................................................................................... 23 A Brief History of Haiti ................................................................................................ 25 Slavery, Inequality, Isolation, and Debt ....................................................................... 31 CHAPTER 2: VODOU IN HAITI: SYNCRETISM AND SOCIALIZED AMBIVALENCE ...............................................................................................33 A Historiography of Haitian Vodou ............................................................................. 33 Syncretism and Socialized Ambivalence as Illustrated through Modern Vodou Pilgrimage ..................................................................................................................... 38 Saut d’Eau ................................................................................................................. 49 Plaine-du-Nord .......................................................................................................... 50 Cave Pilgrimages ...................................................................................................... 50 CHAPTER 3: METHODS AND DATA COLLECTION .........................................52 Material Culture ............................................................................................................ 53 Observation at a Distance ............................................................................................. 54 Participant Observation ................................................................................................. 54 Interviews ...................................................................................................................... 55 CHAPTER 4: THE CAVES ...............................................................................57 What is a Cave? ............................................................................................................ 57 Geology of Haiti ........................................................................................................... 57 The Northern Department ......................................................................................... 57 Artibonite Department .............................................................................................. 58 Department of the South-East ................................................................................... 58 Department of the South-West .................................................................................. 59 Overview of the Caves .................................................................................................. 59 The Caves of Fort Picolet ............................................................................................. 60 Cave N-001 ............................................................................................................... 60 Cave N-003: Gwòt Klemzine .................................................................................... 63 Cave N-004: Agwe ................................................................................................... 64 Cave N-005 ............................................................................................................... 65 Cave N-006 ............................................................................................................... 66 The Other Caves ........................................................................................................... 68 Cave N-007: Bois Caiman ........................................................................................ 68 Cave N-008: Voutamenge ......................................................................................... 69 Cave N-011: Doco and Cave N-012: Saint Francis .................................................. 72 v Cave N-014: Makanal and Cave N-015: Comier ...................................................... 75 Cave SE-001: Grotte Jeannette ................................................................................. 77 Cave SW-001: Marie-Jeanne .................................................................................... 80 CHAPTER 5: THE RITUALS ............................................................................83 Mèt Tet Ceremony ........................................................................................................ 83 Other Types of Rituals .................................................................................................. 91 CHAPTER 6: THE RITUAL ASSEMBLAGE ......................................................94 Rum ............................................................................................................................... 98 Candles ........................................................................................................................ 100 Scents .......................................................................................................................... 105 Dolls ............................................................................................................................ 106 Vèvè ............................................................................................................................ 109 Prayer sheets ............................................................................................................... 110 Stamp Money .............................................................................................................. 111 Lanterns ...................................................................................................................... 112 Clothing ...................................................................................................................... 114 Animal Offerings ........................................................................................................ 115 Other Offerings ........................................................................................................... 117 CHAPTER 7: THE PEOPLE ...........................................................................119 Toni ............................................................................................................................. 122 Nadège ........................................................................................................................ 123 Samara and Marie ....................................................................................................... 124 Maxi ............................................................................................................................ 125 Abraham ...................................................................................................................... 126 Michèle ....................................................................................................................... 126 Anide ........................................................................................................................... 127 Henri ..........................................................................................................................
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