How Africans Were Forbidden From Practicing Their Ancestral Tradition and Christianity Was Enforced

The French colonial authorities and the Catholic Church actively sought to suppress these practices and enforce Christianity, specifically Roman Catholicism.

 ▪ Forced Christianization: The French colonial government and the Catholic Church believed it was their mission to “save the souls” of the enslaved Africans through baptism and conversion to Catholicism. The 1685 Code Noir, a decree regulating the treatment of slaves, mandated that all slaves be baptized and instructed in the Catholic faith.

 ▪ Suppression of Vodou: Vodou was seen by the French colonists as a “savage” and “repulsive” practice. They actively tried to suppress it because it was a powerful force for unity, community, and resistance among the enslaved population. The secretive nature of Vodou rituals, which often involved congregational dancing, drumming, and chanting at night, provided a space for slaves to meet, organize, and plan for rebellion. The famous Bois Caïman ceremony, which is often seen as the spark of the Haitian Revolution, was a Vodou ceremony that brought together leaders of the slave uprising.

 ▪ Survival through Syncretism: Despite the intense repression, Vodou did not disappear. Instead, it survived and evolved through a process of syncretism.

Enslaved Africans blended their traditional religious beliefs from various West and Central African groups (such as Fon, Kongo, and Yoruba) with elements of Catholicism. This allowed them to secretly continue their practices, often by associating their own spirits and deities (lwa) with Catholic saints.

This adaptation was a method of survival and resistance.
In summary, the French colonial regime and the Catholic Church systematically tried to forbid the practice of Vodou and enforce Christianity on enslaved Haitians. However, this suppression ultimately failed, and Vodou not only survived in secret but also played a crucial role in uniting the enslaved population and igniting the revolution that led to Haiti’s independence.