Has voodoo been misjudged?

While numerous African conventions and societies are under risk from current life, there is one which is more than standing its ground - voodoo.

It is an awful press universally however is an official religion in the West African nation of Benin.

In the voodoo heartland of Ouidah, the sound of drums fills the air, while men and ladies in dressed mostly in white alternate to move around a bowl of millet, a naturally butchered chicken and liquor.

These are the day's putting forth at the Temple of Pythons.

They have a group of people of around 60 individuals who have assembled from close-by towns for a yearly purifying function.

Inside the sanctuary, where more than 50 snakes are crawling around a uniquely designed pit, neighborhood aficionados present appropriate reparations in light of sins of the previous year.

Blood, snakes and power

In voodoo, the python is an image of quality - the aficionados clarify they are depending on Dagbe, the soul whose sanctuary this is, to give them the ability to change.

Furthermore, to roll out that improvement happen, blood must be spilled.

The main offering is a chicken - a portion of the blood is spread over the tiles of the sanctuary and the rest is blended into a common bowl of millet - which the enthusiasts eat as it is passed around.

Voodoo is established in the love of nature and precursors - and the conviction that the living and the dead exist one next to the other - a double world that can be gotten to through different gods.

Its adherents have faith in endeavoring to live in peace and to dependably do great - that terrible goals won't go unpunished, a comparative idea to Christians making progress toward "honorableness" and not "erring"

Unobtrusive appraisals put voodoo supporters here no less than 40% of Benin's populace. Somewhere in the range of 27% arrange themselves as Christians and 22% Muslims.

Be that as it may, master on African religions and customs Dodji Amouzouvi, a teacher of human science and human sciences, says many individuals rehearse "double religion".

"There is a well known saying here: 'Christian amid the day and voodoo during the evening'. It just implies that even the individuals who take after different religions dependably come back to voodoo somehow," he lets me know.

o delineate the closeness of the two religions, there is a Basilica inverse the Temple of Pythons in the town square.

"Right now many individuals here in Benin feel let around the foundation, there are no occupations," Mr Amouzouvi.

"Individuals are swinging to voodoo to appeal to God for better circumstances."

Be that as it may, how

did voodoo get sent out to spots, for example, New Orleans and Haiti?

At the edge of the ocean in Ouidah stands La Porte du Non-Retour "The Door of No Return" - a stone curve landmark with carvings of men and ladies in chains strolling in a parade towards a ship