Vodou: A Sacred Theatre--The African Heritage in Haiti

This books focuses on the relationship between Vodou and theatre, a subject on which very limited research has been done. The objective is to demonstrate that Vodou, like some other rituals, encompasses theatrical and dramatic elements, which give it the character of a sacred theatre. Theatrical and dramatic elements are analyzed basically according to Aristotelian criteria. The research reveals that Vodou contains eight major theatrical elements: impersonation, mise-en-scene, audience, chorus, music, dance, scenery, costume, and four dramatic elements: plot, character, thought, diction. These theatrical and dramatic elements make Vodou a potential model for a secular indigenous theatre in Haiti.

The book provides a solid framework to fit Vodou as starting from Africa progressing to the island setup in Saint-Domingue where an economy based on slavery was intertwined with a maroon based social setting.