American Voudou: Journey Into a Hidden World (52 page)

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Authors: Rod Davis

Tags: #Body; Mind & Spirit, #General, #Religion, #Ethnic & Tribal, #Social Science, #Ethnic Studies, #African American Studies, #test

BOOK: American Voudou: Journey Into a Hidden World
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Page 335
ing from twenty-five to the extreme of senility were gathered on a clearing beneath a gigantic cypress.
... A bedquilt was laid upon the ground, and upon this the crone, who appeared to be the Queen, took her seat. She was dresssed in a loose-fitting calico gown of gaudy pattern, with a red madras handkerchief arranged on her head. Her face was expressionless and her eyes gazed vacantly into the black shadows of the swamp.
.... The fire was heaped up ready for lighting, the packages were laid open, and then the party stood inactive as if waiting for something to happen. Suddenly a commotion was heard in the bushes, and presently the form of a huge negro, clad in a breechcloth strung with alligator teeth, with a necklace of bones round his neck and shells in his ears, burst upon the scene. He looked round him with fierce command, muttered some cabalistic words and then proceeded rapidly from one package to another, throwing them open. From one package he produced a tripod, which he placed over the fire, and to which he hung a cauldron. In this one of the other negroes poured a bucket of water from the canal, and then the King struck a match and lit the fire.
HIDEOUS ORGIES
A circle of animal skulls and bones were then placed round the fire, and the King lifted a bottle to his mouth and took a long pull. The effect of the liquor seemed to be powerful and immediate, for in the light of the fire which was now blazing brightly the King reached for the soap box, and

 

Page 336
with one wrench of his muscular hands broke off the lid and produced a black cat, which for one moment he held clawing, scratching and mewing and then with a fierce twist broke its neck. Literally tearing the cat's head from its body, he sucked the blood from the mangled trunk and then threw both head and body quivering into the now boiling cauldron.
This seemed to be the signal for a species of go-as-you-please orgie, for the moment the body of the cat sunk to the bottom of the cauldron the entire party laid aside their reserve and began jumping this way and that, getting up steam for the grand dance round the fire. One got hold of a drum, another of the bell, and several others of what appeared to be the skeleton heads of oxen. Upon all of these the voodoos began beating at once, stopping every now and then to rush to one of the baskets and take long drafts from the bottles.
The old crone sat placidly in her place until some thoughtful member of the band passed her a bottle, when a number of good "swigs" seemed to put life into her and she presently leaped to her feet and joined the now thoroughly demoralized crew round the fire.
Moment by moment the enthusiasm of the voodoos increased. Here and there they danced with grotesque and obscene gestures, stooping and bending, dancing away from the fire, but always returning....
The only intermission to the song and the dancing was when one or the other of the dancers would suddenly dart out of the circle to heap more

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