Bokor

For other uses, see Bokor (disambiguation).

A bokor (male) (Haitian Creole: bòkò) or caplata (female) is a Vodou priest or priestess for hire in Haiti who is said to serve the loa, "'with both hands', practicing for both good and evil."[1][2] Their practice includes the creation of zombies and of ouangas (talismans that house spirits).[3][4][failed verification]

The term bokor can also refer to the leader of the Makaya division of Vodou, which originated in the Congo region. It is believed that there is a grand master for all bokors that have ever lived who can be reborn in every century. During the dictatorship of Papa Doc Duvalier as (Haiti's President for life) in the 1960s, he is known of creating the army of the undead. Duvalier's second in command, Luckner Cambronne, the head of the secret police, the Tonton Macoute and a high-ranking political figure was known as the Vampire of the Caribbean for developing a reputation for enforcement and cruelty by selling Haitian blood and cadavers to the United States. He was expelled from Haiti by the dictator Baby Doc Duvalier and moved to Florida from 1972 until his death in 2006, and was replaced by Roger Lafontant as leader of the Tonton Macoutes.

  1. ^ Edmonds, Enniss B.; Gonzalez, Michelle A., eds. (2010). Caribbean Religious History: An Introduction. p. 125. ISBN 978-0814722343.
  2. ^ Hall, Michael R. (2012). Historical Dictionary of Haiti. p. 269. ISBN 978-0810875494.
  3. ^ "Zombies". Encyclopedia of Death and Dying. Retrieved 15 June 2008.
  4. ^ Chalmers, D. J. (1993). "Self-ascription without qualia: A case study". Behavioral and Brain Sciences. 16 (1): 35–36. doi:10.1017/S0140525X00028715.