*Video* Voodoo Blessing

Cultural Delight

Two months ago, I was visiting the largest fetish market in the world while in Lomé, the capital of Togo.

In the voodoo religion and culture, a fetish represents a desire. A voodoo doll is a common fetish, but a fetish can take the form of a carved object, a stone, a piece of clothing, a plant, or even an animal.

As a conduit to the spiritual world, a fetish needs to be consecrated through ritual or prayer. Once activated, it is believed to possess supernatural powers.

Here’s a peek at a voodoo priest consecrating my fetish.

Voodoo originated in West Africa and is a culture founded on animist beliefs and worship of our natural world. Many people in northern Nigeria, Benin, and Togo continue to practice the religion today. Large voodoo enclaves also exist in Haiti and Cuba.

While voodoo ceremonies are known for their use of fetishes, sacrificing animals, and spiritual traces to speak with the ancestors, they are not inherently evil or “black magic.” Instead, voodoo is a spiritual practice to invoke blessings, protection, or healing.

Here’s my fetish, a stone talisman that travels with me. Every few days, I whisper an incantation given to me by the priest and place a few drops of lavender oil on the stone.

The cost of my voodoo rock and blessing was about 14,000 West African CFA francs or $25.

I figure if my stone brings me good luck and fortune, then it was money well spent. And if it doesn’t, at least it brought good luck and prosperity to the voodoo priest. 🦋

Have you participated in any cultural ceremonies during your travels? Do you believe in their power? Would you pay $25 for a rock if it might bring you luck?

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Christened “Wander Woman” by National Geographic, Erin Michelson is a professional speaker and author of the Nomad Life™ series of travel books and guides, including the #1-ranked “Explore the World with Nomads.”