African/Hatian Shamanism and Zombies

[angellous_evangellous]

I have a friend from Africa who tells me that some shamans are so powerful that they can animate dead bodies - zombies can visit the living to terrify them.

I would like to review some academic journals on the matter here if I can find any.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Well I don't know how much is out there, but I'll see what I can find.

I've found quite a bit.

I can post titles first and then some notes.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

African Medicine and Magic in the Americas
Robert Voeks
Geographical Review > Vol. 83, No. 1 (Jan., 1993), pp. 66-78

Domesticating Personal Violence: Witchcraft, Courts and Confessions in Cameroon
Peter Geschiere; Cyprian Fisiy
Africa: Journal of the International African Institute > Vol. 64, No. 3 (1994), pp. 323-341

Religion and Justice in Haitian Vodoun
Erika Bourguignon
Phylon (1960-) > Vol. 46, No. 4 (4th Qtr., 1985), pp. 292-295

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I Married a Voodoo Altar
David Mayo
African Arts > Vol. 29, No. 2, Special Issue: Arts of Vodou (Spring, 1996), pp. 70-71

On the Nature of the Demonic: African Witchery Evan M. Zuesse Numen, Vol. 18, Fasc. 3. (Dec., 1971), pp. 210-239.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

On the Nature of the Demonic: African Witchery Evan M. Zuesse Numen, Vol. 18, Fasc. 3. (Dec., 1971), pp. 210-239.

This article is quite good, confirming that shamanism is practiced as a nuetral art - the shamans consider their power to be niether good nor evil. They heal and kill for money, basically.

Zombies in this article are defined not as dead animated bodies, but a person whose soul is stolen from their bodies while living (231).

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Zombification
Wade Davis
Science > New Series, Vol. 240, No. 4860 (Jun., 1988), pp. 1715-1716

In this article, Wade Davis analyzes the chemical compounds of a Hatian potion that supposedly turns living people into zombies...

He has published two books on the topic: The Serpant and the Rainbow and Passage of Darkness.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Can you post any quotes at all?

Not from the books... I don't have them. I can post quotes from the articles.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Voodoo Science by William Booth in Science, New Series, Vol. 240, No. 4850. (Apr. 15, 1988), pp. 274-277.

William Booth discusses the results and nature of Davis' research as published in his dissertation and books.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

Not sure if it matters, but in Western shamanism, at least, person whose soul has left them can be 'taken over' by another spirit- usually one that might have ill intent.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Voodoo Science
William Booth
Science > New Series, Vol. 240, No. 4850 (Apr., 1988), pp. 274-277

Booth reviews Davis's experiments and such. Not very flattering.

Davis' theory is that a zombie powder with the poison tetrodotoxin derived from a few species of Hatian fish have an effect on the human nervous system when ingested, creating a zombie. The powders that he brought back with him from Haiti, for whatever reason, were shown not to have high enough levels of tetrodotoxin to have any effect on the lab rats. He did send some powder to a friend that had a successful - unscientific - effect on rats and a monkey. Although the test was carried out by a very well respected pharmachologist, the text was not scientific because he did not really know the substance that he was using, and feels betrayed that Davis published the results in his dissertation.

Sorry - no quotes - I don't have time.

In the bibliography is "Tetrodotoxin and the Hatian Zombie" by T. Yasumaro and C.Y. Kao in Taxicon 24 no 8 (1986). This article also reviews Davis' work.

 

[Hema]

In Trinidad, there is a type of evil magic that a few people do. It's called Obeah. I don't know if Obeah and Voodoo are the same thing. However, I have heard from an old person that when Obeah is done to others, there will be payback for it in this lifetime or the next. For eg. I have heard of a spell where the eyes of a black cat have to be dug out ; but one day the person doing the spell will also have his/her eyes dug out by someone.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

Unfortunately, I can't readily find anything more on African zombies.

 

[Capt. Haddock]

He has published two books on the topic: The Serpant and the Rainbow

I saw the film...chilling.

Basically, he claims that there is some herbal concoction that slows people's vital functions down to the point where they appear to be dead. The effect wears off after a few days, but by then most of these people have been buried. When they come round, most of them die of asphyxiation in their coffins, but a few are "resurrected".

I think there's probably a scientific/chemical explanation to most of it. West African peoples have a phenomenal knowledge of herbs and plants.

Having said that, I've heard enough weird stories to make me wonder. My dad grew up in Africa and he can certainly tell a few.

 

[zombieharlot]

I was beginning to wonder why there is always a shaman sitting next to my bed when I awake in the morning.

In all seriousness, I think zombie-like behavior can come about if there is some way to manipulated the nervous system. I know that when the nervous system starts burning on a body that is being cremated, the body will move and sometimes even as much as to completely sit up.

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I was beginning to wonder why there is always a shaman sitting next to my bed when I awake in the morning.

Naw- shamans just like sitting up with the dead!

 

[zombieharlot]

Naw- shamans just like sitting up with the dead!

At least I'm in good company.

 

[YmirGF]

I'd believe all this when the said shamans can do this under laboratory conditions, with a team of non-believing scientists attending. My bet is that it wouldn't work. From my pov, it is only possible when the observer subscribes to the belief that these thing are possible to begin with. In that respect they dovetail the "talents" of the shaman with their own imagination and allow themselves to perceive something where non-believers would see nothing at all.

 

[angellous_evangellous]

I'd believe all this when the said shamans can do this under laboratory conditions, with a team of non-believing scientists attending.

Usually a shaman does not require belief to utilize their services - belief or nonbelief have no affect.

 

[Shadow Wolf]

I recently watched a thing on National Geographic channel about that.
From what they said, it was some powdery formula composed on different things that the victim would ingest. The person would die, and in some cases even be issued a death certificate, then the shaman would resurect them.+

 

[YmirGF]

Usually a shaman does not require belief to utilize their services - belief or nonbelief have no affect.

I simply do not believe that is correct. Trust me A_E, there is no shaman on the planet who can "utilize their services" on me. It is not a part of my reality and therefore would likely backfire on the shaman themself. In fact, I dare them to try.
(They might want to have their cell's keyed with 911, so all they have to do is hit "Send".)