13th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest People
Voudou Cleansing

This is a photograph of a young "worshiper" at the 2014 Saut-d'Eau voudou festival (Haiti). It was taken at the waterfalls, which is the center point of the festival. The three-day festival is attended by believers of Haiti's most celebrated patron saint, Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Voudou in Haiti is much less about "black magic" and more about cleansing and purifying the body to ward off disease and sickness. Little or no access to healthcare in Haiti sustains these traditions.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 08.2015
Date Uploaded: 05.2015
Photo Location: Mirebalais Arrondissement, Haiti
Copyright: © David Taggart
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