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46ALTERNATIVETHERAPIESsepoct2011VOL.17NO.5HaitianVodouasaHealthCareSystemillnessandtreatmentoutcomes.25Identiedanddocumentedwithempiricaldatathesefunc-tionsandcontentclearlysuggestthatHaitianvodouisahealthcaresystem.Imeanrstthatitx19sorganizedcoherentandsociallyandculturallyembeddedinagivensociety.Seconditismadeupofapractitionersrecognizedashealersandconsultedassuchbtreatmentsiteswherepractitionersmeetwiththesicktreatthemandsuggestwaysofdealingwiththeirproblemsandcpracticestechniquesprotocolsandspecializedknowledgethatarelearnedandsharedbyhealersandareusedtofosterhealthtreatdiseaseandpreventillness.Thirdvodouofferstheoriesonillnessasahealthcaresystemdoes.Fourthitplanstherapeuticpreventiveandcare-givingpracticesinkeepingwiththosetheo-ries.Andnallyitsuggestsbehaviorforpreventingillness.Thex0Vodoux0Practitionerx0asx0TherapistByemphasizingthecircumstancesthatleadsomeHaitianstobecomevodoupractitionersIunderstoodthattheyfirstbecometherapistsandonlylaterleadersinareligiouscult.Manyfelttheywerechosenorforcedbycircumstancestobecomevodoupractitionersinconjunctionwithaneventinwhichtheywerechosenelectedorcalledbylwa.Inmostcasestheeventinvolvedendinganexperiencewithillness.Mostoftenitwasthechosenpersonwhofellillandhadtoseektreatment.Theillnesswasinterpretedastheactionofalwawhowasaskingthesickpersontomakeacommitmenttobeitsservant.ThiswasthecaseofJosephineapractitionerwhofellillattheageof12andwastoldbyalwawhoregularlypossessedhergrandmotherthatshehadbeenchosen.AfterJosephinehadbeendressedinablackrobeofferingshadbeenpreparedandshehadbeenpossessedbythelwainquestionshewashealed.WhenshelaterconvertedtoPentecostalismshebecamesickagain.Althoughthecongre-gationprayedforhershetoreherclothesoffinpublicyelledandshoutedobscenitiesinchurch.Shewastakenawaytoherhomewhereshewasdeliveredfromherillnessfollowingadream.Inthedreamtwooldmenaskedhertobuildahouseofworshipforthem.Theyrubbedherbodywithsalivaandgaveheraremedy.Athirdpersonwhoappearedintheformofanoxgaveherfood.Whensheawokeshewashealedtotheastonish-mentofthosewatchingoverher.Sheansweredthecallofthelwawhothentoldherhowshewastohonorthemandtoenterintorelationshipwiththem.Theprocessofbecomingapractitioneriscomplexlledwithhesitationsperpetualnegotiationsandsmalleventsthatmostoftenareinterpretedonlyinretrospect.Julioanounganisagoodexampleofthisprocess.AttheageoffteenJuliowassickandwastakentoprayergroups.Hesufferedfromasexuallytransmitteddiseaseandafever.Onedayduringprayeranoldmanwithawhitebeardcametohiminadream.Heledhimtoamangotreeandtoaspringtolightacandleandcallalwa.WhenheawokeJuliorememberedthedetailsofthepracticeandhowtoappealtothelwa.Assoonashetoldhisdreamtosomeotherpeoplehewasimmediatelypossessedandmadeadivination.Hisrelativesaskedhimtostopsuchactivitiesandtogotochurchtoprayforhealing.Hedidsountilthedayalwatookpossessionofhimonhiswaytochurchandledhimtohisfamilylands.Hisdiseaseworsenedoverthecourseofayeartothepointthathewasuri-natingbloodandhadtoreturntohospital.Thetreatmenthow-everwasineffective.Thenawomanappearedtohiminadreamlaidherhandsonhimandgavehiminjections.Shetoldhimthatshewascuringhimandaskedhimtoleavethechurch.Hegraduallygotbetter.Atthesametimeavodoupractitioneraskedhimtobecomeherassistant.Ashewasassistingherhewaspossessedandlaterbecameavodoupractitionercertainofhisintimateconnectionstolwa.ThusJuliohadtobedistancedfromcertainreligiousactivi-tiesandexhaustedofthemedical-religiousresourcesthatweremorallyacceptableforaChristianconvertbeforehecouldanswerthecalloflwathatcouldhealhim.Healsoneededthecombinationofrevelationsandunexpectedencounterstoguidehimalongthepaththathewasdestinedtofollow.InthisstoryJuliowasnotresponsibleforthechoicetobecomeavodouprac-titionerratheritwasthelwax0whotookpossessionofhimshowedthemselvesandtooknoaccountofthereligiouscom-mitmentsoftheirfutureservant.Inotherwordsthepoweroflwaismuchstrongerthanthechoicesambitionsandinterestsofindividuals.Quitesimplytheycannotberesisted.Aswecanseethelifetrajectoriesofmanyvodoupractitio-nershaveledthemthroughillnessandhealingtotheircalling.Practitionersstatethattheyneverdecidetoembracevodouprac-ticesandthattheyarealwaysinuencedindeedcompelledbyoutsideforcestodoso.Illnessisthereforeaveryimportanteventontheirpathtovodouandhealingisalwaystheresultofanacceptanceofvodouevenifpractitionerssaythattheytriedtostayawayfromit.Healingdependsonaproximitytovodouandanofcialcommitmenttothelwa.Theinvolvementofthesickinoperationsundertakenontheirbehalfisanabsolutelynecessaryconditionasitimmersestheindividualinacomplexmechanismofactions.Thispersonalexperienceiswhatmakesapractitioneratherapist.Itgiveshimorhertheabilitytodealwithmattersofillnesssinceitisthroughhealingthatpractitionersgainknowl-edgeandcommittothelwa.Inotherwordspractitionerscannowdoforotherswhattheysucceededindoingforthemselvesbyshowingtheirskillsashealerscapableoftreatingatypeofsicknessandbyputtingtheirpowersattheserviceofthecom-munitythatrecognizestheminthisroleandgoestothemforthatreason.Practitionersthereforeappearrstastherapistsandlatercapitalizeontheirmagico-religiousknowledgethroughacontractaprivilegedrelationshipandexchangeswithlwa.IunderstandnowwhyConwaysaidin1978thatx1cThemostimportantaspectofVodounonewhichunderliesevenitsfamil-ialaspectistheexplanationandtreatmentofillnessx1d4andcitedMurraytoassertthatThex0hounganx0hasx0hadx0manyx0facesx0inx0Haitianx0history.x0Butx0ofx0thesex0manyx0facesx0thex0hounganx0ofx0.x0.x0.Kinanbwax0isx0x1erstx0andx0foremostx0ax0healerx0andx0thex0majorx0manifestx0functionx0ofx0thex0entirex0vodoux0cultx0inx0thex0researchx0regionx0isx0thex0preventionx0diagnosisx0andx0healingx0ofx0illness.x0Ifx0