Haitian Vodou: Amazing Ceremonial Photos From LIFE.com (GRAPHIC IMAGES)

Having traveled extensively in Haiti over the years, LIFE.com photographer Anthony Karen offers an inside look at Haitian Vodou, one of the world's most misunderstood religions.

For Karen, who has become known for his extensive documentation of "self-marginalizing" groups including the Ku Klux Klan, Vodou was a natural subject choice. "About 13 years ago," he told LIFE.com, "I was in a difficult, transitional point in my life. Out of nowhere, I felt Haiti calling to me. I traveled there, and saw two Vodou ceremonies in person. On the same trip, I discovered my passion for photojournalism."

To view Karen's incredible full gallery of a June 2011 Haitian Vodou ceremony, click here. (NOTE: Photos may be disturbing to some viewers)

Take a look at a selection of Karen's gallery, along with the photographer's thoughts on the ceremony, below.

All images and captions are shown courtesy of LIFE.com.

1 of 5

1 of 6

First Slide

Previous Slide

@

Of Vodou's unique appeal and power Karen tells LIFE: "It's raw, and it's primitive. The harmonious singing and rhythmic beats of the drums can be hypnotic to an open mind. I'm not like a lot of photographers, who take pictures without so much as talking to the people they document. I've shared in plates of communal offerings, danced with the priests [Hougans] and the priestesses (Mambos), and I've downed my fair share of special religious elixirs with them. I won't even get into the cleansing ritual preformed on me involving the blood of a chicken."

Forgotten In Exile

Mount Everest

Egyptians Protest Israeli Strikes On Gaza

Syria War Crimes Probe Extended

Venezuela Slums Get Military Presence

U.S. Drone Strikes In Afghanistan

Of Vodou's unique appeal and power Karen tells LIFE: "It's raw, and it's primitive. The harmonious singing and rhythmic beats of the drums can be hypnotic to an open mind. I'm not like a lot of photographers, who take pictures without so much as talking to the people they document. I've shared in plates of communal offerings, danced with the priests [Hougans] and the priestesses (Mambos), and I've downed my fair share of special religious elixirs with them. I won't even get into the cleansing ritual preformed on me involving the blood of a chicken."

comments(107)

Total comments: 107 | Post a Comment

1 of 6

Comments

[pierre F Lherisson]

07:58 PM on 07/19/2011

Africa and African in the Diaspora should get rid of the second hand religion such as Christianity and Muslim. They should go back to the Alma matter-Voodoo which is the progenitor of all religion on this planet because humanity emerged from Africa.
Arab and White will continue to disrespect Blacks as long Blacks continues to embrace those foreign cultures that arrogantly called them primitives with no history.
Get rid of the Bible and the Koran. They were tailored for the interest and glorification of the Whites and the Arabs. That is why African names and tribes are omitted on them. That is why they are vilifying the Voodoo and other aspects of the African culture. Respect has to be mutual not one way street.
The cross historically has been used for execution. Thus,the cross symbolizes a crime scene.
The doll and the needle are European inventions and have nothing to do with Africa.

[Ganapati Edu]

03:59 PM on 07/18/2011

Haiti was calling? More like you had no money and needed to find an opportunity. While one can't argue with the reality of these photos, context is crucial. Also, how do you feel about exploiting the trust these people had in you when they allowed you into the ceremony? What was your purpose for being there, and why did you feel the need to present the ceremony in such a dark and shocking way? Do you make any distinction between petwo and radha? That would be nice.

[Steamboater]

03:26 PM on 07/18/2011

Religion, whether voodoo or any other, is just a trickster's trade that seeks to control humans, not free them.

[yeah-isaidit]

09:15 AM on 07/17/2011

You remind me of the man.
What man?
The man with the power.
What power?
The power of voodoo.
Who do?
You do.

Powerful photos.

[Brother Anton]

11:21 PM on 07/16/2011

Good times. Wait, was that one man wearing a Popeye's Chicken uniform?!?!? Seriously, the label.. on the sleeve.

[Trampas Graham]

07:41 PM on 07/16/2011

Thank you for sharing this glimpse into a completely different world....your photos are poignant and yet unbiased.

[Each1Teach1]

04:15 PM on 07/16/2011

Voodou is an ancient practice that the powerful nations of the west wanted westerners to fear. It certainly has been one convenient way to justify the continued economic enslavement of the Haitian people. This punishent for fighting and killing their way out of chattel slavery is unending.

[Eupraxsopher]

12:46 PM on 07/16/2011

Funny how brutality becomes acceptable if shellacked with religion.

[Js420]

12:15 PM on 07/18/2011

and sex is wrong. Even images of a nude body is unacceptable. That is just wrong.

[tbone99]

12:20 PM on 07/16/2011

While in Chritianity priests urge eating and drinking the blood and body of of Christ while they rape children.

[KRTaylor]

10:25 AM on 07/16/2011

Excellent color coordination. And to think they're using bottled water now and those cheap knives from the tv ads! Even voodoo ceremonies progress with the times!

[Talossa]

01:58 PM on 07/17/2011

Do they have a website?

[Asmodean1]

12:09 PM on 07/18/2011

www.Voodoothatwedo.com

[DruDeadly]

12:28 AM on 07/16/2011

Sound like any other church to me. Dancing, singing, praise to a higher power for some type of spiritual relief.

[UncleJimbo]

11:34 PM on 07/15/2011

All Religion is Sympathetic Magic!......

[Andres64]

02:08 AM on 07/16/2011

It's a sectually transmitted disease.

[Toronto7]

10:09 PM on 07/17/2011

Nothing beats sagacity! Bravo... fanned and seriously faved!

[UncleJimbo]

11:32 PM on 07/15/2011

OK!......When exactly did Voodoo become Vodou?.......I was not notified of a Spelling Change!

[bhamnikwa]

04:13 AM on 07/16/2011

I didn't get the memo on that either. I thought maybe it was the name of that specific religion maybe. But I did like the knife doo on the guy in the pics. And I hope they are gonna eat whatever they kill. Kinda be a waste letting that Bambi meat rot when there are people starving in the world.

[tbone99]

12:15 PM on 07/16/2011

well they are a french speaking nation. I think voodoo is the english spelling

[novabird]

08:26 PM on 07/15/2011

It's all fun and games until the photographer comes down with a nasty case of possession by a demonic entity,.

[tbone99]

12:15 PM on 07/16/2011

Lice more probable

[cyd13cyd]

10:07 PM on 07/17/2011

become educated

[Mushu Friend]

06:38 PM on 07/15/2011

To Anthony Karen: Yes, you are definitely praying to the wrong god, if you think or believe that the true and living God would condone your participation in such idol worship, let alone protect you in it.

[BannedInBoston]

08:12 PM on 07/15/2011

And you are a victim of your own _blind prejudice....

[Josh Belcher]

08:37 PM on 07/15/2011

no, their just viewing their beliefs

[Mushu Friend]

09:09 PM on 07/15/2011

If I be blind because I say don't expect the true and living God to bless your mess, then so be it. Even in my "blindness" I can see clearer than you.

[cyd13cyd]

10:09 PM on 07/17/2011

you your self question your own Faith other wise you would not need to judge others