Photojournalist Anthony Karen explored the drama, beauty, and intensity of Vodou, which he now considers to be one of the most organic and natural forms of spirituality:

Anthony Karen said he felt compelled to travel to the Caribbean country after a documentary piqued his interest in its dark and mysterious rituals. But once there, he discovered there are many misconceptions about the religion he now considers one of the most organic and natural forms of spirituality.

The New York-based photojournalist said Vodou – known to most as voodoo after Hollywood coined the term in the 1920s – is feared because of ignorance. ‘It’s unfortunate that it’s chastised as much as it is,’ he said. ‘As with any religion, there is a dark side to Vodou, when channeled through a Bokor (a sorcerer of sorts) but this is not common practice, and in fact it’s extremely rare and often looked down upon by many Vodouisants themselves.’

According to Karen, many Haitians turned away from the religion following the earthquake in 2010 as they blamed the practice for the seemingly relentless natural disasters affecting the island. But he said they are now finding their way back to the ancient faith. ‘Today, things have somewhat calmed and many are returning to Vodou for comfort, strength and self-empowerment, in asking for the help and assistance of their ancestors.’

For more on Karen, see previous post Shedding Light on Voodoo Rituals in Haiti (an essay on photography)

For full article, see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2499453/Anthony-Karen-Vodou-Inside-rituals-Haitis-Vodou-faith-Mesmerizing-photos-animals-sacrificed-worshipers-overcome-spirits-ceremonies-intriguing-Caribbean-religion.html

For the artist’s page, see http://www.anthonykaren.com/