The Significance of African Masking in African Spiritual Belief Systems: Ayitian Vodou

Abstract

The significance of the removal of the “White Mask” in Ayitian Vodou is to provide an Afrocentric analysis regarding the detriment of Catholicism/Protestantism has inflicted on African agency in Ayiti. The Practice of Ayitian Vodou derives from a variety of West African Spiritual Belief Systems like the Yoruba, Kongo, and Dahomean. During the imperialist era in Ayiti, Ayitians utilized biblical figures to hide their African gods in order to partake in Ayitian Vodou overtly. Due to classism, colorism, racism, and white domination, the camouflage aspect of Ayitian Vodou became a permanent component within Ayitian Vodou. This study proposes that scholars should rely on the method of Masking rather than the popular notion of Double Consciousness in examining African phenomena. W.E.B. Dubois coined Double Consciousness, which does not accurately explain or articulate how African people endured the institution of mental and physical enslavement. Double Consciousness derives from a Eurocentric ideology that operates from depriving African people of their history, culture, perspective, and personal development.