Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors: Power of the Dead

1
Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors Power of the Dead

• Voodoo Vampires
• Ch8 Lehman Myers

2
Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors Power of the Dead

• Religions universal belief of life after death
• Universal belief in immortality across cultures
• Degree of interaction of living vs. dead varies
  among cultures
• Human basic need to believe in ghosts worship
  ancestors
• Two attitudes about the dead
• Left the society
• Fear their return
• Ancestor as ghosts
• Power of the dead
• Remain active in society
• A concern for ancestors by the living

3
Ghosts, Souls, and Ancestors

• Why do people believe in these?
• Duality good vs. evil
• Explanation for misfortune
• Fear (social function) social control
• Folklore
• Media
• Authority/power

4
Zombies

• Voodoo (Vodoun) from Haiti
• Religious practice with priests and ceremonies.
• High reliance on secret societies
• Zombies are undead people animated dead by a
  Voodoo priest to become slaves.
• Ethno biologist Wade Davis investigated the drug
• Main ingredient was tetrodotoxin
• Causes paralysis
• Voodoo priest returns to dig up the body
• The terrified person obeys the priest without
  argument

5
Voodoo by McCarthy Brown

• 80 to 90 of people in Haiti- traditional
  religious system
• Voodoo- African based with Catholic influences
• 3 categories lemo, lemiste, lemarasa
• Languages
• Loosely organized priesthood
• Goal
• Urban vs. rural

6
Voodoo by McCarthy Brown

• African Influence
• Roman Catholic Influence
• Voodoo Spirits
• View of the person
• The Dead
• Ceremonies
• Voodoo Magic

7
The Real Vampire by Barber

• Real vs. Media Portrayal
• Scientific explanations for vampire conditions
• Myths
• Conclusion