My First Experience with the Voodoo Culture: A Musical Take

Recently, I have had my first self-explored encounter with Voodoo. Since it is something so foreign to me, I decided to approach it from an area I know fairly well—music. In the school library, I came across an old record entitled Haiti Folk Voodoo Songs, featuring performances by Annette Auguste (Sò Anne). I have listened to the songs in their original Creole and, although I was unable to find translation for them, I was able to analyze the music and compare it to the music I am familiar with.


Again, I was not able to understand the words of the five songs on the album. Therefore, I realize that I am missing a big portion of understanding. I cannot say that I did not enjoy listening to the music. I felt that all of the songs had a feeling of energy and playfulness. They were very simple in that there were few types of instruments being used that I could make out and the only type of accompaniment was percussion. The dominant sounds came from the various drums used and the triangle. In at least one of the songs a heavy gong sounded a few times. I also heard rattles, something that sounded like a cowbell, and a whistle. The beat of the drums was always lively and fast, something one would dance and move around to. The triangle kept a sense of pitch, although the predominant source of pitch came from the voices.

All five of the songs were responsorial, in which Sò Anne would sing a phrase or two and a chorus of people, singing the same melodic line, would respond. The sounds of the chorus were more natural than the sounds of a chorus one might here on Wheaton College campus, for example. Along with the lack of harmony, there was a lack of “togetherness.” What I mean by “togetherness” is the feeling that an entire chorus may seem like one voice singing. One singer should not stand apart from the rest, unless s/he is singing a solo. In the recordings I listened to, it was easy to hear the many different voices because they did not begin or end phrases together and I could even hear some voices shouting as opposed to singing. This lack of formality portrays a sense of comfort and simplicity, allowing the people engaging in the music to put their energy into what they are singing and to whom they are singing as opposed to how they are singing. In Juxtaposition to religious music of Europe and the United States, I think the formality of Euro-American sacred music has become more about show than meaning. The simplicity and informality of the Haitian Voodoo songs that I listened to seemed to provide a more natural environment where the music comes from the heart instead of just the diaphragm. I do not intend to say, however that there is not feeling or meaning in Euro-American music, as I am a big fan of it myself. However, I do believe that the informality of the Haitian Voodoo music allows everyone to take part in singing, whether or not they are musically inclined. Overall, I did enjoy listening to the Haitian Voodoo Songs, despite not having an English translation.