A Haitian aphorism holds that the nation is 80 (or 70 or 90) percent Catholic -- and 100 percent Voodoo.

Henri Astier of the BBC has produced a feature on the role of Haiti's traditional religion, an amalgam of West African and Roman Catholic beliefs, in the aftermath of disaster.

A month before Haiti's devastating earthquake, prominent musician Theodore "Lolo" Beaubrun and a few friends were summoned by spirits who tried to warn them about the impending cataclysm.

"They told us to pray for Haiti because many people would die," says Mr Beaubrun - the frontman of the group Boukman Eksperyans.

"I thought it was about politics. I didn't know it was going to be an earthquake."

The spirits may have failed to make themselves understood, but according to Mr Beaubrun -- whose music and outlook are steeped in voodoo culture - they are standing by the Haitian people in their hour of need.

"We are extremely traumatised," he says.

"We have seen death. But the spirits entered the minds of people to advise and help them heal. They speak to us. It's like therapy."

Posted by Matthew Hay Brown at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Culture, International, Voodoo