I'm starting off our tour today of the Museum of History with two temporary exhibits that were going on. This first one was ending in late February. It dealt with voodoo, or vodou, as it's also called, that peculiar mix of African religion and Catholicism particularly centered in Haiti. There were relics spread throughout this area, religious artifacts and ritual items, along with explanations of the development of the belief system. I found myself feeling rather uneasy walking through this exhibit area. Maybe it was the presence of the skulls.
More from this exhibit tomorrow.
I certainly would have felt uneasy in the presence of skulls, William! This is a fascinating exhibit, and I especially love the last photo.
ReplyDeleteA long time ago, when the world was flat, I had a job as a dental assistant. I was in the back room cleaning and sorting boxes and came across one with a skull. Turned out it was real. From some tribe somewhere. Still with teeth.
ReplyDeleteI still remember that day, when I asked the doctor and he confirmed it was real. I said, "This is a real life dead skull."
And it was.
I went to an exbhibition about voodoo a few years back in Brittany, it was fascinating and gave me the shivers...
ReplyDeleteSort of creepy... but I can't wait for more!
ReplyDeleteCreepy is definitely the word. I can't wait to see if the exhibit includes GHW Bush's economics.
ReplyDeleteNice to see all the sculptures!
ReplyDeleteI didn't even know that voodoo had Catholicism mixed into it. The exhibit might creep me out, too, but I'd still find it absolutely fascinating!
ReplyDeleteYou remind me of the babe
ReplyDeleteWhat babe? babe with the power
What power? power of voodoo
Who do? you do
Do what? remind me of the babe
Linda: thank you.
ReplyDeleteWhisk: that would creep me out!
Ciel: I had it once touring a former jail that is now museum space. I felt like I was being watched.
Halcyon: more to come!
Stuart: unfortunately not!
Weekend: thank you.
Hilda: it is quite peculiar that way.
Revrunner: either that is a lyric or a Laurel and Hardy bit.
That's quite a collection. I don't know a lot about Voodoo, but when I was teaching school in South Florida, we had a number of kids from Haiti. In one geography class, a young lady decided she didn't like me (I made her sit still and stop talking) so she brought a voodoo doll to class, all stuck with pins, to scare me. It didn't work.
ReplyDeleteFascinating!
ReplyDeleteI'd find it very interesting
ReplyDeletei understand the uneasiness. :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, it would spook me a little too. Interesting though. MB
ReplyDeleteDefinitely scary, but absolutely fascinating. It is a very interesting subject also without believing that it is something a lot of people believe in.
ReplyDeleteMuch of history is violent. Violence is something that the winners write about or try to hide, but it is there. Fascinating.
ReplyDeletePretty scary looking stuff!
ReplyDelete(ツ) from Cottage Country Ontario , ON, Canada!
@Lowell: I've got an idiot ex-brother-in-law I used to think of using a voodoo doll on
ReplyDelete@Luis: and creepy!
@Mo: museums have that effect on me. I can be quite happy in them.
@Tex: it does tend to be the exception rather than the rule, fortunately!
@MB: thank you!
@VP: it's a belief system I don't understand, but it has a lot of history.
@Mari: that's quite true.
@Jennifer: I find it odd that I've never felt the same way around mummies, which I'm completely comfortable with.
That artifact in the top photo alone would make me feel a bit uneasy.
ReplyDeleteI would have felt uneasy too!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like something a little different. Scary :).
ReplyDeletewhat an interesting exhibit...i find voodoo fascinating!
ReplyDeleteI'd be feeling a bit uneasy in there!
ReplyDeleteThat's so neat. I find voodoo very interesting. Of all the museums I've been too, I can't say I've ever seen an exhibit like that.
ReplyDeleteYes, this is a little creepy. I didn't know that Catholicism was mixed in, too. All I know about it is that there's malevolent intent. I wonder: is there anything positive mixed in, too?
ReplyDelete@Sharon: wait til you see tomorrow.
ReplyDelete@Linda: it's seeming to be the common reaction.
@Lauren: well, after tomorrow we get into something much more pleasant.
@Tanya: I find myself thinking of Live Or Let Die.
@RedPat: I did keep looking over my shoulder!
@Krisztina: this was an unusual exhibit!
@Kay: there are positives to it, but we just tend to get it associated with a lot of negatives.
I think it is very interesting! I always love going in the voodoo shops when I visit the French Quarter in New Orleans. Looking forward to seeing more from this exhibit!
ReplyDeleteThat's a fascinating, but creepy exhibition. Specially the first shot is great.
ReplyDeleteNorth Americans tend to see skulls and death as being creepy. Not all cultures see this the same way, that's for sure. Me? I'm very North American. ;)
ReplyDeleteVoodoo is creepy!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I don't much like voodoo or skulls!
ReplyDeleteI think that you needed a companion to give you courage. Fascinating stuff!
ReplyDeleteA voodoo exhibition. You do find unusual things to cover.
ReplyDeleteBrave of you to go through all these! :)
ReplyDelete@Lois: admittedly to me the belief system feels too dark.
ReplyDelete@Jan: it was quite creepy.
@EG: that is a good point.
@Norma: and yet fascinating.
@Cheryl: it was an odd exhibit.
@Kate: I got through fine.
@Jack: I do!
@Zannnie: thanks!