Deeply rooted in Haiti's culture and held sacred by millions, Haitian Vodou is a joyous and profound ancestral practice descended from the Vodu priesthood of West Africa. This little-understood belief system is among the truest religions of the Americas--yet its essence has remained a mystery to outsiders. Written by a practitioner of the highest initiatory rank, Haitian Vodou is the only book that offers a respectful, first-hand overview of the centuriesold indigenous tradition. From Haiti's culture and history to the sacred beliefs, ceremonies, rituals, and practices grounded in ancestral communion, readers will get a rare look inside Haitian Vodou. Also explored: its relationship to other African diasporic traditions in the West; common misconceptions; Vodou magic and initiations; how millions survived slavery, betrayal, and revolution; and the twentyone nations of the Lwa, the spirits of Haitian Vodou.