Vodou, also spelled Voodoo, Voudou, Vodun, or French Vaudou, it’s an official religion of Haiti, together with Roman Catholicism. Vodou is a creolized religion forged by descendents of Dahomean, Kongo, Yoruba, and other African ethnic groups who had been enslaved and brought to colonial Saint-Domingue (now Haiti) and Christianized by Roman Catholic missionaries in the 16th and 17th centuries.
The word Vodou means spirit or deity in the Fon language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (Benin). European mysticism, Freemasonry, are also in the practise. With an encompassing philosophy, medicine, justice, and religion, its fundamental principle is that everything is spirit, humans are spirits who inhabit the visible world.
The unseen world is populated by lwa (spirits), mystè (mysteries), anvizib (the invisibles), zanj (angels), and the spirits of ancestors and the recently deceased. All these spirits are believed to live in a mythic land called Ginen, a cosmic Africa. (!)
The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (serve the spirits), to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour. Spirit possession also plays an important role in Afro-Haitian religion, as it does in many other world religions.
During religious rites, believers sometimes enter a trancelike state in which the devotee may eat and drink, perform stylized dances, give supernaturally inspired advice to people, or perform medical cures or special physical feats; these acts exhibit the incarnate presence of the lwa within the entranced devotee.
Vodou ritual activity is aimed at refining and restoring balance and energy in relationships between people and between people and spirits of the unseen world!
Nevertheless, Vodou has often been associated in popular culture with Satanism, Zombies and Voodoo Dolls (sic). Zombie creation has been referenced within rural Haitian culture, but is not a part of Vodou. Such manifestations fall under the auspices of the bokor or sorcerer, rather than the priest of the Loa.
The practice of sticking pins in voodoo dolls has history in folk magic. Voodoo dolls are often associated with New Orleans Voodoo and Hoodoo as well the magical devices of the poppet and the nkisi or bocio of West and Central Africa.
Let’s go to our artist:
The today’s entry is made with a little doubt, although some sources say that (mightys) Davy Jones and Janko Nilovic are the responsables behind this single, we see no indication on the stamps, unlike other releases from Ju Ju Records label. This one is a bit different (and better) from these releases and we believe that the real credit should be given to another famous arranger and composer: Roland Vincent.
Roland Vincent, is a pianist, conductor, composer, musical arranger known French, among others, for his compositions and arrangements made for Michel Delpech in the years 1960-1970. He is also a composer of musicals Athon, with texts by Jean-Pierre Lang and more than 100 films, TV movies and plays!
Here he supposed to sign under the pseudonym Reynaldo Pultek! (?)
Let’s go to our album:
‘His works have gained international recognition for their beauty, lyrical scope, and imagination. I am sure that whatever he endeavours in the music industry, he will handle his field with unusual success’ / Quincy Jones. L.A. 1981
Another obscure lo-fi rip, but take further on this exploitation afro-psych party!
¡Qué tengas buen viaje!!
R. Pultek – The Voodou Juju Drug (1969)
A The Voodou Juju Drug (Part 1)
B The Voodou Juju Drug (Part 2)
Barclay – 62226