Benin priests battle bird flu with Voodoo

[Guest guest]

Benin priests battle bird flu with Voodoo

Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:56pm EST By Elijah

COTONOU (Reuters) - Sacrificing chickens in a spray of blood, Benin's

traditional priests celebrated Voodoo Day on Thursday and declared

their ancient religion would protect them from risk of infection by

the deadly H5N1 bird flu virus.

The small West African state, home of the Voodoo rituals carried by

slaves to the Americas, last month announced at least two cases of

bird flu in poultry which tests in Europe confirmed were of the deadly

H5N1 strain that can be fatal to humans.

After Benin lifted a previous ban on the practice of Voodoo, it was

declared an official religion in the former French colony in the

mid-1990s and January 10 is celebrated as National Voodoo Day, a

public holiday ranking with Christmas and the Muslim Eid.

Benin health experts have warned the country's Voodoo priests their

practice of sacrificing chickens -- sometimes by tearing out the

birds' throats with teeth or drinking their blood -- creates a major

risk of contamination from sick birds.

" It's not a question of religion ... the unprotected manipulation of

poultry is dangerous, " n Toessi, director of health promotion at

the Health Ministry, told Reuters.

Voodoo practitioners, spurning the protective suits, gloves and masks

recommended for handling suspect birds, declared their faith would

shield them from infection during ceremonies in which sacrificed

chickens' blood is sprayed over the faithful and the ground to

" purify " them and gain favor from the gods.

" If you buy a chicken to sacrifice it to your God, he will not let you

buy an infected bird, " said Dah Aligbonon, a Voodoo priest from

Abomey, the former capital of the ancient African kingdom of Dahomey.

H5N1 bird flu has killed more than 200 people around the world, mainly

in Asia, since 2003 and over the last two years a string of West

African states, including Benin's immediate neighbors, have reported

outbreaks of the disease.

" We don't fear infection from bird flu ... because there is a divine

power that accompanies our sacrifice, " Aligbonon added.

" BEWARE, BEWARE "

Voodoo " convents " across Benin held ceremonies on Thursday accompanied

by dancing and drumming. Dancing devotees sometimes go into a trance

to communicate with their deities.

Such celebrations draw thousands of tourists each year to Benin,

especially to the coastal city of Ouidah, from which hundreds of

thousands of African slaves were shipped by European traders in past

centuries to the Americas and the Caribbean.

The so-called Gulf of Guinea " Slave Coast " gained a fearsome

reputation for disease, death and cruelty among European ship

captains, who coined the warning ditty: " Beware, beware the Bight of

the Benin, for few come out though many go in! " .

The captive slaves shipped in chains across the Atlantic took their

traditional beliefs with them to their new homes in the tropical

plantations of Brazil and the Caribbean islands.

Voodoo has a strong popular presence in Haiti and similar

African-origin rituals are celebrated in Cuba under the name of

" Santeria " and in Brazil as " Candomble " .

Descendants of slaves who returned to Benin use the National Voodoo

Day to remember victims of the slave trade.

" The Voodoo festival is an occasion to make sacrifices to remember our

ancestors who were sold to unknown buyers and who today contribute to

the development of the Americas, " said Emile Ologoudou, another Voodoo

dignitary.

Since the H5N1 bird flu outbreak was announced last month in Benin,

authorities have slaughtered hundreds of suspect birds and banned the

import of poultry from neighbors.

Street stalls in Cotonou selling roast chicken, a prized local staple,

also report a big drop in sales.

http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1088475320080110?feedTyp

[Guest guest]

I'm all for the religious aspect, but I think they might consider using another animal for their sacrifices. Perhaps they use chickens because they're so plentiful and don't cost a lot. I do indeed hope their gods protect them from harm.Lee <jackalope_lepus@...> wrote: Benin priests battle bird flu with VoodooThu Jan 10, 2008 1:56pm EST By ElijahCOTONOU (Reuters) - Sacrificing chickens in a spray of blood, Benin'straditional priests celebrated Voodoo Day on Thursday and declaredtheir ancient religion would

protect them from risk of infection bythe deadly H5N1 bird flu virus.The small West African state, home of the Voodoo rituals carried byslaves to the Americas, last month announced at least two cases ofbird flu in poultry which tests in Europe confirmed were of the deadlyH5N1 strain that can be fatal to humans.After Benin lifted a previous ban on the practice of Voodoo, it wasdeclared an official religion in the former French colony in themid-1990s and January 10 is celebrated as National Voodoo Day, apublic holiday ranking with Christmas and the Muslim Eid.Benin health experts have warned the country's Voodoo priests theirpractice of sacrificing chickens -- sometimes by tearing out thebirds' throats with teeth or drinking their blood -- creates a majorrisk of contamination from sick birds."It's not a question of religion ... the unprotected manipulation ofpoultry is dangerous," n Toessi,

director of health promotion atthe Health Ministry, told Reuters.Voodoo practitioners, spurning the protective suits, gloves and masksrecommended for handling suspect birds, declared their faith wouldshield them from infection during ceremonies in which sacrificedchickens' blood is sprayed over the faithful and the ground to"purify" them and gain favor from the gods."If you buy a chicken to sacrifice it to your God, he will not let youbuy an infected bird," said Dah Aligbonon, a Voodoo priest fromAbomey, the former capital of the ancient African kingdom of Dahomey.H5N1 bird flu has killed more than 200 people around the world, mainlyin Asia, since 2003 and over the last two years a string of WestAfrican states, including Benin's immediate neighbors, have reportedoutbreaks of the disease."We don't fear infection from bird flu ... because there is a divinepower that accompanies our sacrifice,"

Aligbonon added."BEWARE, BEWARE"Voodoo "convents" across Benin held ceremonies on Thursday accompaniedby dancing and drumming. Dancing devotees sometimes go into a tranceto communicate with their deities.Such celebrations draw thousands of tourists each year to Benin,especially to the coastal city of Ouidah, from which hundreds ofthousands of African slaves were shipped by European traders in pastcenturies to the Americas and the Caribbean.The so-called Gulf of Guinea "Slave Coast" gained a fearsomereputation for disease, death and cruelty among European shipcaptains, who coined the warning ditty: "Beware, beware the Bight ofthe Benin, for few come out though many go in!".The captive slaves shipped in chains across the Atlantic took theirtraditional beliefs with them to their new homes in the tropicalplantations of Brazil and the Caribbean islands.Voodoo has a strong popular presence in

Haiti and similarAfrican-origin rituals are celebrated in Cuba under the name of"Santeria" and in Brazil as "Candomble".Descendants of slaves who returned to Benin use the National VoodooDay to remember victims of the slave trade."The Voodoo festival is an occasion to make sacrifices to remember ourancestors who were sold to unknown buyers and who today contribute tothe development of the Americas," said Emile Ologoudou, another Voodoodignitary.Since the H5N1 bird flu outbreak was announced last month in Benin,authorities have slaughtered hundreds of suspect birds and banned theimport of poultry from neighbors.Street stalls in Cotonou selling roast chicken, a prized local staple,also report a big drop in sales.http://www.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idUSL1088475320080110?feedTyp . Do one thing every day that scares you. Eleanor Roosevelt

[Guest guest]

I cannot say that I have seen a news story about such priests using

anything but birds, but it might be that they could switch. This is

certainly a public health problem.

>

> I'm all for the religious aspect, but I think they might consider

using another animal for their sacrifices. Perhaps they use chickens

because they're so plentiful and don't cost a lot. I do indeed hope

their gods protect them from harm.