
O
voodoo é a principal religião no Haiti, que resulta duma fusão entre velhas crenças tribais africanas e
alguns rituais da religião cristã católica romana.
A festa voodoo de Saut de Eau (perto de Mirebalais, a norte da capital Port-au-Prince) realiza-se todos os anos no dia 16 de Julho em honra da Virgem Maria, que se revelou numa aparição em 1847.
Milhares de fiéis haitianos vêm banhar-se nestas quedas de água de Saut de Eau para purificar as almas: eles acreditam que
ficam possuídos pelo espírito Loa (Lwa) e através deste comunicam com o deus inacessível (Bondye), que lhes proporciona sorte nas colheitas, nos negócios e no amor.
Voodoo is the main religion of Haiti. The
Voodoo Festival Saut d'Eau is celebrated every year on July 16 to coincide with the day on which in 1847 appeared a vision of the Virgin Mary. Thousands of devotees coming from all parts of Haiti are bathed in this water for purified or pra lose the Grand Master that their dreams become reality.
(...) The trance, at which time Iwa spirits enter the body of priests, is a standard pattern among participants in the festival and it is not surprising to observe that possessed people dropped by the torrent of water, eyes white and twitching. Though the epicenter is the water that gives the falls, all up around various places of worship where the faithful lit candles and pray in trees to pray for luck, money or love.






©
sergi reboredo
Saut de Eau (Haiti),
2010.