Haitian cult 4 letters crossword puzzle. He pumped blood out of people and created an army of sorcerers to keep Haiti at bay. How to be a zombie

Kenneth Grant.

IN Together with the Master of Voodoo and Gnosticism in the Cult of the Black Serpent (La Couleuvre Noire), we are immersed in a painful atmosphere in which we can follow the Magicians of French Decadence. The ghosts of Decadence are still alive in memory, and their current images from downtown Chicago are haunted by the shadows of Joseph Péladan, Stanislas Guaite, Pierre Vintras, Husmans, and the sinister Abbé Boulant, who hid under the name of Canon Docra, and with whom, according to Michel Berthier, direct astral connection. To this day, this atmosphere of nostalgia surrounding the "Monastery of the Seven Rays", which is also directed by Berthier, is full not only of strange devilish rituals performed by Gaufridi, or Guibourg, who composed gloomy spells, to which Madame Montespan, with her characteristic sinister charm, added a bouquet of disgusting charms, but and to a much greater extent - an elemental force, saturated with energy, which reaches its highest intensity in the atmosphere of Decadence. I draw attention to the monstrous shadows summoned by the New England sorcerer Howard Phillips Lovecraft, and Michel Berthier demands to establish a connection with the "Mysterious Creatures", terrible ghosts from Space, which through the efforts of Lovecraft descended to the very earth.

The Black Serpent's hideout is much more difficult to reach than Beast 666. To see the Beast, the disciples only had to swim to Cefalu, and venture to visit the Abbey of Thelema near the stormy dam tamed by the "Lion Stone". The headquarters of the Cult of the Black Serpent, although located in one of the business centers of the new world, is controlled from Liogane (Haiti), the secret power center of the dark rituals led by Michel Berthier - the Senior Adept.

It is characteristic of the Chicago form of study that the graduate student takes his first lessons by correspondence, and the complete course takes more than five years, but unlike most courses of this kind, this one offers magical knowledge much deeper than any of the other repeating "occult" brotherhoods , vaguely reminiscent of the "Monastery of the Seven Rays", which is itself an Outer Branch of the Black Serpent Cult. The monastery is part of the O.T.O.A., the Ancient Order of the Eastern Templars (Ordo Templi Orientis Antique), which incorporated the magical doctrine of Aleister Crowley into its teachings. August 15, 1973 O.T.O.A. connected himself on the inner planes with Current 93 and declared that he officially accepted the Law “Do what thou wilt.” This important event was marked by the abolition of the old rule that women should not be initiated into higher degrees.

Michel Berthier, one of the Senior Adepts of O.T.O.A., the “Monastery of the Seven Rays” and the High Priest of the Black Serpent Cult, is without a doubt a bright creative personality of modern occultism. His Course of Study begins with the following occult maxim: “What is without is within, and what is within is without,” and it is written in an unusual style reminiscent of Jidda Krishnamurti, the “moon child” of Annie Besant and Leadbeater, who was confirmation of the magical power of the Theosophical Society; he was to this Society what Crowley was to the Golden Dawn; they were, each in their own way, the only real values ​​that gave birth to these societies. But here the analogy ends, because Krishnamurti and Crowley followed the traditions of their races, and Michel Berthier, a mixed race of white and black, is the creator of a vast and original system of creative occultism.

Since this book, like the previous two, is devoted to human exploration of little-known areas of consciousness and its communication with extraterrestrial entities, Berthier's concept of the demon Choronzon is of particular interest and significance to adherents of the Black Serpent. Choronzon, as the guardian of the gate between the known universe and the unknown - between A and B - is comparable to those ideas that are shared by absolutely all cults of Darkness, one way or another using this concept. For example, Petro rituals in Vodou evoke the Loa with original rhythms that are a crossover to those that vibrate in Rada ceremonies; they hide, so to speak, in the interval or space that separates light from darkness, day from night. The formula that Austin Spare developed for the restoration of ancient atavisms involves the use of such “intermediate concepts,” and H. P. Lovecraft hints at the existence of non-human entities that live in the boundless space between the stars.

If we turn to history, Dr. John Dee (1527-1608) was the first to compile a detailed account of human communication with the inhabitants of the vast spaces between worlds. Three centuries later, Crowley summoned one of these entities from the Abyss, and it is much more likely that this encounter caused significantly more problems in his magical life than those that resulted from communication with the demons of Abramelin - as some have assumed. Berthier describes this Abyss as “an icy region of nothingness called the Meon.” For the cosmos, in terms of its infinity, longevity and remoteness, this Abyss is the analogue of the infinitely small and infinitely fleeting: the thinnest and usually imperceptible gap between thoughts that react extremely sensitively , sudden penetration into the real basis of Being. This alone is Reality, the only Reality, and this Non-Being is the noumenal source from which the world of phenomena arises.

Crowley viewed Choronzon as the personification of the monstrous forces of cosmic chaos; a contradictory entity that brings every idea it encounters to its own indescribable state of chaotic and changeable Nothing. It was typical for Crowley to view this force mainly as one that leads to confusion, dispersion, lack of control; and Sir Edward Kelly, even before Crowley, called this entity "the mighty devil Choronzon." On the other hand, Berthier considers Choronzon to be a guardian on the path between the world of being and the world of non-being, accordingly viewing it as a mathematical-magical system of active negation rather than as a positive force of destruction. This interpretation is to some extent close to that of Lovecraft, who, however, does not speak specifically about Choronzon, but reports about the inhabitants of the limitless extent between the worlds. But long before these judgments, even before Doctor Dee, Chinese adepts of Chan Buddhism learned about Choronzon as the guardian of the kingdom of non-existence, during deep meditations that confirmed that being and non-being are interdependent opposites, and as such act only within the boundaries of the consciousness of the subject , or ego. This interpretation, although it frees us from the idea of ​​some kind of moral stigma, does not in the least save us from the obvious fear that the knowledge of pure Nothingness must inevitably be understood by one whose mind is still far from cosmic consciousness. In Chan Buddhism, which is a mystical cult outside the categories of thinking, there are completely and naturally no magical constructs.

Michel Berthier developed this interpretation in such a way that it seems to fall exactly between the two previous ones, reminiscent of, but not being either of them. He developed the magical significance of the control of meon, and thus became the first to discover the connection of the Cult of Choronzon with the occult principles formulated by G.F. Lovecraft (if not based on them). Lovecraft used fiction to express concepts of reality that at the time seemed too fantastic to be communicated by any other medium. Today, Berthier need not worry when he transfers Choronzon from the realm of the fantastic to the realm of “mathematical reality,” a transition that is completely acceptable in our age, when a famous physicist 6 can say: “Consciousness is never experienced in the plural, but only in the singular.” This means that absolute nothing - not even non-existence - exists outside the mind.

The magical focus of this power, emanating from "regions of metacosmic darkness", is located in the unexplored abyss at the point known as Daath. It is sometimes also called “false Sephira”; it is the eleventh force center on the Tree of Life. Eleven is the number of the Qliphoth, the “World of Shells,” which are inhabited by the “Ghosts of Darkness”; it is a gate through which one can enter the outer space outside or behind the Tree of Life itself. Adepts of the Cult of the Black Serpent walked along this "secret path leading down behind the tree, which is important for Magical Creation." Daat, which means Knowledge, is symbolized as the Eighth Head of the Defeated Dragon, which rose when the Tree of Life collapsed. It is perhaps noteworthy that the number of Daath is 474, and if we add to it the number of Choronzon 333, the resulting number is 807, that is, that which lies between 806 (Thoth) and 808 (the Brazen Serpent). If we interpret this magically, it turns out that the formula of the Fire Serpent and the God Set (Thoth) is activated by the invocation of Choronzon. And this, in turn, opens the gate to higher cosmic influence.

Ascension along the Tree of Life can be accomplished by “climbing the planes” until consciousness merges with the Highest (i.e., with Kether). To represent this state as something material, being in Malkuth, one has to move in the opposite direction, and the Tree descended through the opposite side of the Middle Pillar. This is the equivalent of viparita karaunia, which was discussed in chapters 4 and 5 in connection with the Kaula Circle. Likewise, the Fire Serpent ascends through the spinal canal, the Middle Pillar, gathering the magical consciousness of the chakras it passes through on its ascent. The mystic keeps his consciousness in Brahmand, and the Magician brings him down again to the earth. This is the formula of Prometheus, who brought fire from heaven in a narthex or - in a hollow tube. In the same way, Tantric Adepts bring Light to manifest it in Maya - the dark world of ghostly images.

Just as the Tantrics discover the magical powers of each force center, illuminated by the ascending movement of the Fire Serpent, so the Magician takes on the divine forms corresponding to each Sephira as he ascends the planes of the Tree of Life. Divine forms are usually associated with ancient deities with animal heads. Thus, atavisms or those forces that existed before the appearance of man appear in the magician who explores in the astral world and realizes the forces and energies that the mentioned animals possess. Adherents of the Cult of the Black Snake mean by this process the Secret Rite of Lycanthropy (transformation into a werewolf), and this is one of the points associated with both Tantra and Voodoo. The Secret Rite of Lycanthropy is also the "Secret Rite of the Red Temple" of the Magic of Atlantis in its original form, the second belonging to L "Ataviqier (Atavist), which, as the name indicates, is close to the formula of the Atavistic Revival of Spare.

The Secret Passage through the realm of the Klipot behind the Tree leads to a descending path corresponding to transformation into the animal forms that represent the "divine" in the Kabbalistic system. This is a valid explanation for the werewolf and its connection to atavisms that existed before the advent of man. The Cult of the Black Snake is based on the systems of Tantra and Voodoo. Regarding Tantra, "it is a system which is based on the magician or yogi bringing himself to a state of fearlessness. There are sexual elements involved. As shown in Chapter 4, fearlessness is the hallmark of Bhairav, who achieves it by imbibing a magical elixir that bisexualizes the human body, making it self-reproducing and perfect, like the highest gods.
Tantra and Voodoo are said to be inherited from the "older Atlantean magic of the Red Temple", with elements of the work of the Atlantean magic of the "Black Temple". The work of the "Red Temple" involves the invocation of the Fire Serpent, which is the basic formula of Tantra, while the work of the "Black Temple" corresponds to "les cultes des morte", the "cult of death" (with a formula similar to the State of Death as expounded by Austin Osman Spare in his book “Cults of Zos Kia”), as well as “The Secret Rites of Werewolves”.

Two points of contact - sex magic (Tantra) and death rituals (Voodoo) - are assimilated by the Cult of the Black Serpent of Michel Berthier, who, together with his “devils and she-devils,” today develops the “secret rites of Choronozon.” The astral lycanthropy of the Black Serpent Cult includes not only knowledge of the secret passage to the Qliphoth, but also the level of desired astral projection that the "Voltigeurs" have established, thanks to which all paths on the other side of the Tree can be overcome by jumping. The Secret of the Passage of the Jumpers is included in the vever Marassas or Gemini. The "three columns" are shown in this picture, with the center (central column) as the unifying pillar.

In my work, I have to cross these three columns with the cross-shaped magic wand of Saturn, or Guede Nibho, since this suggests a model for the passage of voltigeurs, just like the passages in the secret school of Voodoo initiation." This shows us the "perfect magical diagram" of initiation Voodoo: The magical order or hierarchy behind the Tree is under the auspices of Choronzon, Lord of the Descending Path and guardian of the Pillar of Daath.The number 333 (Choronzon) is the same as the Jackal or Fox (ShGL), the secret sign of Shaitan-Aiwass, whom Crowley invoked as The Supreme Demon of Thelema (Will) Daath means "knowledge" in the sense in which the term is used in the biblical allegory of the "Fall"; knowledge which opened man's eyes to the creative nature of the solar-phallic energy within him, to his special connection with woman , which is the outer manifestation of this force (shakti).This Support (Daat) is the Entrance from that side of the Tree, and its planetary representative is considered to be Uranus, which is also the entrance in the sexual magic of Set or Shaitan, as practiced in the eleventh degree of O.T. .ABOUT.

Using the paths from the other side of the Tree and summoning Ghosts is fraught with danger because, as mentioned, the Qliphoth live on these paths, many of which are dead ends and have no way out. To fall into the trap of any of them means to yield consciousness to the most evil influence that the magician will ever encounter. Madness and death will take hold of those who get lost in them. Moreover, if there is no way out, and the force is directed towards these paths, it will inevitably hit the magician with a ricochet, like a boomerang charged with the additional energy of evil influences that have accumulated in him during the flight. Notwithstanding the constant and inevitable danger of oversimplifying these complex and strange matters, it may be supposed that while the ordinary aspect of the Tree of Life represents the Magician in his relation to present and future powers, the reverse side of the Tree symbolizes superhuman influences and those that existed before man. , and they invade his consciousness through the support of Daath. A minimum of these influences penetrates the front of the Tree, so to speak, but when the operator passes through the Gate of the Eleventh Power Center, he automatically calls upon Choronzon and is subjected to a rapid attack of atavistic forces.

The secret rites of Lycanthropy involve transforming into a wolf (or other predator) on the astral plane. Adepts of the Black Serpent Cult say that this transformation is necessary in order to periodically restore the basis of the subconscious, lost or suppressed by man's transition from the animal kingdom to the human world. Adherents of the Cult of the Black Serpent prefer the position of the New Aeon to the usual division of the Tree into two aspects - “good” and “evil”, and consider the sephirotic aspects of the front side of the Tree as “positive”, and the qliphotic aspects of the paths of the reverse side as “negative”. And the Magician is the one who has learned to evoke and control all these aspects. Moreover, the sephirotic influences are grouped into positive and negative forces, formerly known as the "Radiance of Light" and later as the "Radiance of Reflected Darkness"; just as the Qliphothic influences are known as the "Ghosts of Darkness" and the "Ghosts of Reflected Light", in the case of the Qliphoth, the primacy is given to the negative spirits, because the Qliphoth themselves are negative in relation to the Sephiroth.

It is possible that Choronzon is a corrupted form of Khozar, the dark god of magic of Atlantis, who is one of the extraterrestrial entities that dwell in the darkness beyond our universe.

Through an ingenious system of “esoteric technology,” Berthier constructed magical devices capable of receiving impulses from those areas of outer space that are located beyond Neptune. They also transmit mysterious and strange music. In addition, he uses human occult devices known as "furies" (more or less the equivalent of Crowley's Woman in Scarlet), which, by connecting with earth vibrations, are able to explore the chthonic levels of pre-larval consciousness. From a scientific point of view, in this way Berthier is able to apply a formula that restores the primitive phases of the initial consciousness. This is reminiscent of Austin Spare's Atavistic Revival formula, and it is significant that Berthier speaks of Spare as a member of the Inner (i.e. astral) Council of his magical cult.

Moreover, these instruments, mechanical and human, are also part of the kalas in their magical manifestation, as confirmed by Berthier's references to certain rhythms and drinks, which, if interpreted in the light of Kaul's tantric teachings, suggest that he uses Ophidian (Serpentine) fluctuations in their lunar, neptunian and even trans-plutonic form. Regarding these machines he remarks:
"In fact, the most recent invention for the occultist is the rediscovery of something so ancient that it reverses the evolution of the universe to something absolutely primordial. Thus, the most advanced accumulator of magical energy is actually that which was perfected on the planet Venus long before humanity emerged from the kingdom of dead nature."

This refers to Spare's conjecture about the magical laws of evolution, expressed in The Book of Pleasure:
“The Law of Evolution is the regression of the function that governs the progression of achievement, that is, the more amazing our achievements, the lower the stage of development of the function that controls them.”

One of Berthier's "newest" inventions is the Zothyriometre. It is designed to organize astral and etheric magnetic fields of energy into clear force vectors that form a complex network of force centers. By establishing intersections or crossing between two fields, special vortices are created. These vortices can be used to concentrate enormous currents of force; it acts more like an occult tube to project magical power onto any desired dimension of the astral plane. This device is based on the system of marmas and sandhis, which the tantrics compiled on the basis of the anatomy of the human body. They are embodied in the detailed yantras of the Goddesses, in particular in the Sri Yantra.

Another device that Berthier invented, the Mandalum Instrumentum, was designed to free ceremonial magic from the use of physical instruments usually associated with this performance. Mandala creates and transfers magical forces from one point to another. It can be described as an abstract temple in which the various ministers are the parts of the device. Berthier explains that it "was used by ceremonial magicians of high degrees of initiation who have outgrown group rituals but still desire, in doing their work, to have the same symmetrical structure that is possible in lodges and temples. Those familiar with the General Lodge Ritual of Nu Isis Lodge, in which each minister represented the planetary center in the concentration of forces from the transplutonic sphere of Nu Isis, will appreciate that all energy received during the ritual, but not used, can be collected and used again through the Mandalum Instrumentum.

The cult of the Black Serpent exists largely thanks to the adepts of Voodoo, and the classification of its magical devices is naturally consistent with the Voodoo system of initiation. It consists of four degrees: Lave-tete, or Initiate, Canzo, or Intimate, Houngan, or Priest, and finally, Baille-ge, or Hierophant. Various types of magical mechanisms are intended for these degrees. For the degree of Initiate, all physical devices are intended, i.e., all those that actually work on the physical plane. All astral devices are intended for the Canzo degree. Houngan are credited with mental instruments; it works with the mental faculties represented by air. For the highest degree, the Hierophant - represented by Fire or Spirit - all intuitive instruments are intended. Berthier notes that "the whole system of the physical planes of initiation has recently been revived by certain well-known American occultists who have worked primarily with physical plane instruments." The secret papers of the "Monastery of the Seven Rays" contain references to a mysterious occult instrument that the ancient Chinese knew as the Kwaw-loon. Very little is said about this instrument, but it is known that it is definitely associated with the Fire Serpent. It is made of a fourth-dimensional substance that reflects and transmits active and passive streams of radioactive energy in the astral light. In the streams of energy "that pass through the Kwaw-loon, messages are born to and from the fourth-dimensional world of astral magnetism."

If we take into account that Berthier's ultimate goal is absolute control over all magical systems - terrestrial and cosmic - it is not surprising that he has already established an extensive connection of occult influences wandering around the world with special power centers located in Ecuador, in Liogana (Haiti), Madrid, Chicago and also - after the unification of his Black Serpent Cult with the O.T.O. - in London and New York. The secret teaching of the Cult reveals seven main directions of evolution possible for every person. The "Monastery of the Seven Rays" embodies these seven degrees of development and prepares consciousness for the final stage of its evolution on this planet. But there is also a hidden or secret sense in which the directions of evolution relate to changes in consciousness that create seven different types of existence during the present and subsequent eons. According to ancient magical tradition, the seven phases or directions of evolution were originally subordinate to one of the seven stars of the Big Dipper. Their culmination, that is, the transition to the Eighth or highest stage, was symbolized by the birth from the Goddess of a male child - Set, whose power was manifested by his twin brother Horus, the Lord of the present Aeon. The Gemini formula is extremely important, as noted earlier.

The name of the ancient ancestor Odudua is formed on the basis of the vibration of such words as Od, Ado, Aud. Voodoo (Vaudou or Voodoo) contains the same magical flow. The Black Serpent Cult teaches that Voodoo was an ancient religion of Atlantis and Lemuria, and it survives only in two occult centers, one of which is Liogane (Haiti) and the other is located in the USA (Chicago). The Teachings of the Black Serpent are a presentation of the Secret Rituals that are carried out in the “Monastery of the Seven Rays”. These two centers represent the two forms of Voodoo. A primitive form is practiced in Haiti, and a more advanced form, known as Voudon Cabala, is practiced in Chicago, Illinois. Sexual magic is the basis for both centers, in which the Fire Serpent is identified with sexual radioactivity, or astral magnetism. This is located in the bodily centers, namely: at the base of the spine, on the palms, and in the sexual centers themselves. This construction is based on the ancient African tradition, which inherited the remnants of the teachings of Atlantis. Her magic reached its apotheosis in our world system during the Egyptian and Mayan civilizations. These four centers of sexual radioactivity emit the most concentrated waves of astral energy known to occult science. Alchemists of the Afro-Voodoo tradition knew about this as a radio-activitas sexualis, having four links in the bodily power centers.

In the Crowleyan Cult of Thelema, which is the basis of the O.T.O. , odic energies are released by some form of massage or magical masturbation, which, according to Berthier, "stabilizes the astral field of a person and makes his magnetic forces more harmonious and balanced." Of course, this is why people resort to masturbation in moments of anxiety; This is a natural form of relaxation that is instinctively resorted to in everyday life:
Sexual activity is an excellent form of therapy because sexual radioactivity produces the most powerful astral magnetic field.

This form of therapy can produce more than a calming or tranquilizing effect, it can be used as a form of protection against sexual vampirism, which is extremely common today due to the widespread destruction of conservative rules of human behavior. Berthier, who had extensive experience in the social sphere and everything connected with it, believes that:
More than ever before, we are becoming bait for sexual entities from dimensions of past history whose existence depends on the absorption of sexual radioactivity.

Part of the liturgy of the Spiritual Gnostic Church that he composed contains magical invocations that protect the magician from sexual vampirism during his magical work. The invocations are constructed in such a way that the verbal forms of the mantras are filled with vibrations that create an irresistible defense against such attacks. A wall of light surrounds the magician, light filled with solar-phallic power received from our Sun. The inhabitants of the Qlipot are deprived of the opportunity to take back the sexual fluid emitted at the moment of orgasm and “at a time when the negative and positive magnetic centers coincide absolutely, in fact conducting metasexual and exciting radioactivity.” At the moment of clairvoyance, this wall appears in the form of a sparkling curtain of light. According to Crowley, this practice represented reincarnation into the divine form of Harpocrates: an egg of bright blue light with flecks of gold; like a clear summer sky in the sparkling rays of the sun. Sexual vampires, seeing this shining wall of light, rush towards it and are smashed to pieces, or - if it is particularly violent - literally receive a fatal electric shock. This protective veil is so impregnable that "not even a Master can break through it." The veil lasts until the magician dispels it through an act of will. At this moment, the sexual energy accumulated within "explodes the outer atmosphere, creating blinding flashes of astral light that can destroy any dangerous entities that are hiding somewhere nearby."

If the astral curtain is not specifically dispelled, then after about seven to eight hours it will gradually begin to lose its strength and collapse. During this time, she emits a bluish-white mist, which is misunderstood to be sexual radioactivity, being mistaken for her new form. Berthier noticed subtle shades of color characteristic of each phase of sexual radiation. Its tones change in accordance with the stages of development, “at the beginning there is a blinding white light, while at the last stage, already in decline, it seems almost purple.”

Because of its short-lived nature, sexual radioactivity is difficult to analyze; therefore, it is better to study it at the moment when it is still collected from the inside of the wall of light. The motivation behind the teachings of Vodou, which is concerned primarily with the control of odic energies in the human body, is for this reason also considered together with sexual radioactivity. According to Tantra, the lunar vibrations that emanate from a woman during the process of catamenia are also extremely radioactive, and although adherents of the Black Serpent Cult do not specifically mention this, Berthier's interest in mysterious "rhythms" and "elixirs" creates the feeling that these are not alien to the Cult. aspects of the teaching. Particularly when we consider the shaktis or "furies" he gathers around him to perform his rituals. Bertier draws attention to the fact that:

"sexual radioactivity is not absolutely identical with the sexual fluid that a man ejects at the moment of orgasm. The sexual fluid is magical in the undeveloped sense, and must be irradiated with radiations of mercury and silver nitrate under conditions of absolute control, before transmitting its magical power to the one who is claiming it."

I think here he is alluding to the kalas and lunar orphidian vibrations which play a very important role in the Kaula Circle of Tantra.

Born in Chicago, Illinois in 1935.

He appears in J-K Huysmans's novel Below, which is based on the author's real-life experiences with the darker realms of the occult.

Retroversion of reason.

The highest chakra, located in the crown area.

Malkuth-Muladhara.

Median pillar, spinal column, or Sushumna-nadi.

"Magical Revival", Chapter 11.

The secret rites of the Werewolves also originate from the "black Temple" of Atlantis, and they also involve the transformation into a divine form of a male animal or into werewolves; in this case, the divine forms of Carrefour or Carfax, the god of death.

The Gemini formula is fundamental in the earliest African cults. Then it received its continuation in Egypt in the form of everything connected with Set-Horus. The sign of Gemini is mentioned in relation to the New Aeon. In "Cosmic Teaching" on page 147, Dion Fortune says: "Keeping in mind... The Sign of Gemini, the Forces designated by this Sign were influenced by Atlantis and will later in our time be influenced by the Earth."

Three pillars of the tree of life.

Michelle Berthier.

As explained in Aleister Crowley and the Secret God (Chapter 7), in the 11th degree of initiation the use of the homosexual formula is not necessary; on the contrary - it involves the use of yoni in its lunar phase, and the "other eye", ayin or yoni, known to initiates of the Serpent Cult as the "Eye of Set".

The symbol of this dark deity resembles the trident of Neptune, by the name of which Khozar is known to the uninitiated. The Chaldean letter Shin with its three flames is attributed to Set or Shaitan. The word "chozzar" means "pig". This animal was chosen by adherents of the teachings of Typhon as a symbol of Set. In the Tantric Vama Marg cult, the pig was a secret symbol because it is the only animal known to eat human excrement. See Aleister Crowley and the Secret God, chapter 6.

Another disembodied human spirit evoked by Berthier is Abat Boulant (1824-93), a French occultist whose name and activities might have remained unknown to the world if not for the attention to him by J. C. Husmans, who used Boulan as the prototype for Dr. Johansson in his novel "Below". According to The Encyclopedia of the Unexplained (Ed. Richard Cavendish, London, 1974), "Bulan believed that the path to salvation lay through sexual intercourse with archangels and other celestial beings."

Printed and published privately by Spare in 1913. Republished in 1975 with an introduction by Grant (93 Publishing, Montreal).

Nu Isis Lodge (known externally as the New Lodge of Isis) was an offshoot of the OTO, organized by Kenneth Grant in 1955 for the purposes described in Aleister Crowley and the Secret God, Chapter 10. The Lodge was active for approximately seven years. years until she completed her tasks.

That is, when a man and a woman unite their respective power centers.

That is, in its potential phase. This power is known in magical practice as Karezza (delay of orgasm - approx. transl.). See Aleister Crowley and the Secret God.

On January 12, 2010, at 16:53, the largest earthquake in the last 200 years, with a magnitude of 7.0, killed, according to various estimates, from 200 to 300 thousand people in a matter of minutes. The capital of the Republic of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, and all the surrounding villages were destroyed. The destruction is such that restoration may take a quarter of a century.

Perhaps this was the most terrible disaster caused by the rampage of the underground elements. Of course, there have been even more powerful earthquakes. The strongest in the history of instrument observations were: the Great Chilean earthquake of 1960 (magnitude from 9.3 to 9.5 points) and the Great Alaskan earthquake (its magnitude was 9.1-9.2 points). In the first case, about 6 thousand people died, in the second, the disaster claimed 131 lives.

The most severe earthquake in the history of mankind was the 1556 earthquake in Ansu and Shaanxi (China) - 830,000 people died there. However, the population of China at that time was about 200 million people, and therefore the losses were only about 0.4-0 .5% of the country's total population.

The Republic (Haiti immediately lost about 2.5-3.5% of its population. For comparison: during the 4 years of the Great Patriotic War, the Soviet Union lost about 14% of its population, or an average of 3.5% per year. Losses from natural disasters No state has suffered disasters similar to those in Haiti - anywhere and ever.

Does this tragedy have a secret background? Who is to blame for the misfortunes that befall the island? Will a country called Haiti remain on the world map? Let's try to find answers to these questions.

Magic is blamed.

American religious and political figure, famous television preacher Pat Robertson 5 years ago already shocked the world community by declaring that the devastating Hurricane Katrina was a punishment sent by God to the population of the United States for their sins.

And on January 14 of this year, when international rescue teams were just approaching Haiti, Robertson proclaimed that the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti was the result of a “contract” between the inhabitants of the island and the devil. But the Haitians are on friendly terms with him. It is not for nothing that from time immemorial they have been professing voodoo - the most terrible religion on Earth.

The founder of the Christian television company CBN, Pat Robertson, blamed the current tragedy on the short-sighted ancestors of the Haitians. Once upon a time, during the reign of Napoleon, the islanders were under the heel of the French. To get rid of foreign rule, the inhabitants of Haiti repeatedly rebelled, but the French over and over again dealt with the rebellious natives. And then “they gathered and swore to make a pact with the devil, assuring him that they would serve him if he freed them from the French. "This is a true story. And the devil said, 'Okay, so be it!'" CNN quoted Robertson as saying.

The Haitians defeated French colonists in 1804 and declared independence. “You know, the Haitians rebelled and declared themselves free. But since then they have been cursed,” the preacher is sure. Despite the curse, the island's inhabitants continued to perform their dark rituals and worship the devil. This means that their sins have increased a hundredfold during all this time. The retribution turned out to be cruel - a terrible earthquake that claimed hundreds of thousands of lives.

On January 18, the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch of Moscow and All Rus' Kirill, pronounced several theses, which the media called “amazing.” Speaking about the earthquake in Haiti, the patriarch noted that the cause of the current disasters in Haiti is, among other things, the loss of moral character of the inhabitants of this country.

According to the patriarch, the people of Haiti could have avoided great losses and more easily endured the severe consequences of the devastating earthquake if they had mobilized in time and helped each other.

“Haiti is a country of poverty and crime, hunger, drug addiction, corruption, loss of moral character of people,” with these words, according to the Fergana.ru news agency, the patriarch, called upon to be an example of Christian humility and tolerance, attacked the affected region and mercy. “Many of these troubles do not lie primarily in the area of ​​social policy, but stem from the deep state of the human spirit.”

It is enough to say one word - “voodoo”, and the darkest memories are awakened: fatal curses, dolls pierced with needles, cannibalism, infant sacrifice, zombies rising from the grave. Is all this really true?

In fact, the Voodoo religion is divided into black and white. White voodoo sorcerers - ungans (men) and mambo (women) - are not so scary. They are engaged in worldly affairs: they heal people and livestock, drive away bad luck, return unfaithful wives and husbands to the bosom of the family, cause rain or, conversely, stop it. In short, a jack of all trades.

They accomplish all these things with the help of loa - good and evil spirits that surround people on all sides, but mere mortals are not allowed to see them. But magicians not only see them, but also communicate with them during their rituals, the main one of which is the Festival of Power.

So, a long pole is stuck into the center of the dwelling. The hosts - mambo and ungan - consecrate the pole, the altar and those present. Three drummers, clearly beating each rhythm, announce the beginning of the ceremony. The sorcerers sing a song addressed to Papa Legba, the mediator between the loa and the magicians: “Dear Papa Legba, open the gate, let me pass. I want to ask you for help."

Mambo and his assistants draw a magic circle on the ground with water so that evil spirits cannot interfere with the sacrament. As soon as the witch draws a cross, circles and a human heart on the floor with flour, wild dancing begins. After the audience has warmed up, the sorcerer lets loose a rooster, whose head is immediately cut off.

A headless bird rushes among the dancers, and when its last strength leaves, the rooster is hung upside down and the belly is cut open with a ritual knife. At the same time, grace descends on people, and they fall into a trance. To a large extent, this is facilitated by abundant rum libations.

All this, despite good intentions, from the point of view of Christianity is absolutely ungodly, for it is called obsession. In voodoo, such a state is a practical goal. The Haitians themselves say this: “A Catholic goes to church to talk about God; A voodooist dances in the temple courtyard to become a god.”

Contract murder

Black voodoo sorcerers - bokors - are a completely different matter. They are capable of killing any person from the world. Bokors have extremely powerful means of influencing people in their magical arsenal.

One of them is a world-famous voodoo doll. It looks like this: they make a doll out of wax and poke it into the heart area with a needle, reciting a special spell. The unfortunate person whom the doll represents begins to get sick with terrible force and may even die. He is buried following appropriate rituals. And a few days later, at the behest of the sorcerer, they dig it up. Bokor performs a certain ritual over the deceased, and the deceased comes to life. He cannot speak and does not show any emotions, but he can carry out the sorcerer’s orders.

Another way to control the consciousness of another person is extremely simple: just moisten the soles of his shoes with a magical liquid - “conquering oil”. And from this moment the victim will become obedient to the will of the bokor.

Another sure way to deal with an unwanted person is to write his name on paper thirteen times. The sorcerer then covers the paper with a layer of special powder and burns it at midnight. From this moment on, the soul and body of the victim become obedient to the will of the bokor.
Bokor sorcerers lead secret societies, worship the devil, and carry out their terrible rituals at night and always in a cemetery. There is an opinion among the aborigines that turning people into zombies is a bokor’s revenge on someone who did not please him during his lifetime.

Unfortunately, all modern researchers are inclined to believe that voodoo black magic is not a scary fairy tale, but an absolute and bloody reality. How terrible? It is not known for certain. But even in our enlightened age, none of the researchers dare to lift the veil of secrecy...

Scary old woman

Historical documents record a story in which the main character, a black witch who got on board the ship of Count Gennes, heading to the shores of the French colonies in 1696, was able to “dry out” the heart or liver of any person.

It all started with the fact that on one of the islands, where Count Hönnes’s schooner stopped to replenish fresh water, the sailors who came ashore soon dragged a reluctant elderly black woman to the ladder. Not understanding what was going on, the count immediately demanded an explanation from the sailors.

One of them said that last year, when the schooner, as now, stopped at this island to replenish water, this same old woman only lightly touched one of the sailors who came ashore, and he immediately collapsed to the ground dead. Last time the witch managed to escape, but today she was finally caught.

Count Gönnes, naturally, did not believe the “nonsense” of the sailors and was about to order the release of the unfortunate old woman, but at that moment the black woman, who did not understand a word of the conversation that was going on next to her, contrived and forcefully kicked the count in the stomach.

Not expecting such a turn of events, Gennes grimaced in pain, and the sailors, giving the old woman heavy blows, dragged her onto the schooner. On deck, the boatswain whipped the woman several times with the end of the rope, after which he ordered her to be tied to a gun barrel and severely flogged.

The sorceress, having come to her senses after the beating, announced through the interpreter available in the crew that the boatswain’s cruelty would cost him dearly. The boatswain only laughed loudly in response and ordered the sailors to flog the old woman again. And two days later he... died in terrible agony!

The ship's doctor, having heard about the miracles of voodoo sorcerers, decided to perform an autopsy before burying the body in the ocean according to maritime custom. What he saw made his hair stand on end. During the autopsy, it turned out that the heart and liver of the deceased boatswain were dry as gunpowder!

The doctor reported everything to the captain, who, in turn, reported to the owner of the schooner, Count Gennes. After consulting, before drawing any conclusions, they decided to test the sorceress and, through an interpreter, asked her to show her “black art.”

The sorceress asked if there was any fruit or anything like that on the ship. The captain replied that there were several pumpkins. “Show them to me,” she demanded. When the pumpkins were brought, the black woman, having carefully examined each vegetable, added: “Without touching them, I promise to eat them within 24 hours.”

Count Gönnes and the captain accepted the challenge and locked the pumpkins in a box with a key. The next morning, having unlocked the lock, they, to their satisfaction, found them untouched. This premature joy, however, gave way to surprise when the captain decided to lift one of the pumpkins. It, like all the others, by the way, turned out to be empty: all that was left of the pumpkin was the dried peel, like parchment!

The captain and the count, having witnessed firsthand the incredible power of the sorceress, immediately promised to send her back to her native island if the old woman did not harm anyone else. The sorceress agreed, and the captain immediately gave the command to change the route and return to the “cursed” island...

UNKNOWN GODS OF THE NEW WORLD

Where did this strange religion - voodoo - come from? The popular belief that it originated in Africa is incorrect. Her homeland is Haiti. The island served as a kind of transit point - slaves were brought there, who were then transported to the territory of the modern United States. Some remained in Haiti and gradually mixed with the indigenous population, without, however, forgetting their rituals, which they had brought with them from West Africa. Over time, the beliefs of locals and foreigners became strongly intertwined and a new cult was formed.

When the colonialists finally crushed the population of Haiti, they decided to deal with its “moral character.” And suddenly they realized that things had gone too far. The islanders worshiped some unknown gods and performed rituals that were frightening in their incomprehensibility. Then the authorities launched a merciless witch hunt. Anyone who was found to be addicted to voodoo faced a sad fate - torture and execution. And in order to destroy the mysterious faith at the roots, they began to convert everyone to Catholicism.

Voodooists, as if in mockery, began to use the attributes of the Catholic faith in their rituals. This is how that explosive mixture called voodoo appeared.

The new religion turned out to be a profitable export product. She began to be worshiped in Jamaica and Trinidad. It also reached Cuba, only there it was transformed into a religion called Santeria: African rituals remained unchanged, and French Catholicism was replaced by Catholicism with a Spanish twist. But by and large, all religions of the Caribbean are somehow similar to each other. It cannot be any other way—after all, everyone has common roots.

But the conquest of new living spaces by voodoo did not end there. The religion gained the greatest popularity on the American continent, and especially in the state of Miami, New York and New Orleans. At the same time, everywhere voodoo gave rise to something of its own: new views, rituals. Today, she has several million adherents around the globe. But only in Haiti did the cult of voodoo develop to such an extent that it became the national religion and the calling card of the country.

Lyubov POPOVA
Mysticism of the Oracle

Perhaps no magical system in the world has such a gloomy trail behind it as Haitian voodoo. Famous dolls, possession by spirits and, of course, zombies - this is what the voodoo cult looks like in the eyes of the average European. FURFUR delved into the mysterious world of this Haitian syncretic religion to find out if all the rumors and stories about it are true.

Where did the voodoo cult come from?

European colonialists brought the first slaves from Africa to Haiti back in 1503. This date can be taken as the starting point in the formation of voodoo as a full-fledged religion. Torn from their native land and deprived of freedom, Africans had to play by imposed rules: Catholicism was implanted among slaves literally with fire and steel. It's time to break down here, but black slaves found a clever way to preserve their animistic beliefs by dressing them in Christian clothing. Despite the fact that slaves were baptized en masse, moving into the bosom of the Catholic Church, the old gods and foundations continued to hide behind this beautiful façade, being, perhaps, the only outlet for the exhausted slaves. Time passed. Catholicism and the African belief in old gods were fused into a completely new religion. A mixture of pagan cult, the Christian concept of a single god-father and a variety of scraps of African and European cultures over the centuries turned into one of the most unusual religious phenomena - the cult of voodoo.

New faith

The new cult became most widespread in the French colonies of Louisiana and Haiti. Here voodoo acquired all the attributes of any self-respecting religion - a church, foundations and its own saints. But the followers of the cult still had to hide from the colonial authorities until the Haitian Revolution broke out in 1804. After her, any attempt at missionary activity on the island ended in the death of the preacher.

Only 60 years later, the Haitians remembered that without Catholicism there would be no voodoo, and again allowed representatives of the Vatican to arrive on the island, but only with the permission of local authorities. What the pastors who arrived in Haiti saw shocked them. Catholic saints have practically lost their usual appearance, increasingly resembling the lower gods of voodooism - the loa. So, for example, the Virgin Mary turned into the patroness of the beauty of Erzulie, and Saint Peter became the conductor between the worlds, Pope Legba.

The ritual preferences of the Haitians differed little from the rituals of their African ancestors. Music, ecstatic dancing, sacrifices and magic. However, all this did not prevent the Vatican from recognizing voodoo as one of the varieties of Catholicism in 1860. The Pope officially approved possession and ritual killing of animals.

Blessed Pius IX, who occupied the pontifical throne in 1840, recognized voodoo as one of the varieties of Catholicism.

Gods and magicians

Without further ado, the Haitians divided their pantheon into two unequal parts: the highest deity (Bondieu) and all the rest (loa). The very form of verbalization of the sacred name of the supreme god is noteworthy: Bondieu is just an intricate transformation of the French bon Dieu - “good god”. Bondieu in no way influences the life of his people - he created the world and retired.

Things are more complicated with loa (from the French loi - law). These African deities and spirits, wearing the masks of Christian saints, have incredible power. The entire concept of ritual magic of the voodoo cult is based on interaction with the loa. Spirits are countless, and each of them has its own name and purpose. Loa live in their own special world - Le Guinea.

Another symbol of Voodoo is Ouroboros, or Dambala Vedo, a snake swallowing its own tail. This creature, according to the beliefs of the Haitians, stands at the origin and end of all things, he is the god of the sky and the creator of all life on earth.

The central figure of the loa is Papa Legba, a mediator between people and otherworldly entities. The caster calls him first of the loa in order to receive permission to contact all other spirits. The image of Pope Legba partly correlates with Saint Peter: both are guardians of the gates of another world. The Orthodox image of Pope Legba is an old man wearing a straw hat and holding a cane.

A little lower on the hierarchical ladder is Baron Samedi, Baron Saturday - probably the most common loa in popular culture. This is the Osiris and Anubis of the Haitian religion rolled into one. Together with his wife, Mama Bridget, Baron Samedi protects the souls of the dead, so in every new cemetery the first grave is dedicated to Baron Saturday. The burial is marked by a cross - not a Christian crucifix, but a crossroads. By the way, Baron Saturday is a nickname, because the true name of this loa cannot be pronounced. Baron Samedi looks very colorful: a black undertaker's suit, a high top hat, and a constant cigar in his mouth. According to followers of the voodoo cult, the Baron loves tobacco and strong Haitian rum more than anything else. Death itself is subordinate to the Baron, but at the same time he is responsible for sexuality and childbirth. There are no contradictions here; just remember Dambala Vedo.

Contact between the loa and the flock is carried out by priests, divided into specialties. The Houngans and Mambo are in charge of predictions, and the Bokors are responsible for black magic. Both of them use many ritual objects in their practice, the most famous of which is the volt doll.

The doll is designed to symbolize a certain person, and with the help of a special ritual, the will becomes inextricably linked with the object of the bokor’s influence. In order for the ritual to be successful, the doll must, among other things, contain blood or hair from the victim.

Francois Duvalier

Or, as he called himself, Papa Doc. Permanent dictator of Haiti until his death. Introduced himself as Baron Saturday. He introduced his personal guard - the Tonton Macoutes, glorified in folklore, who portrayed the dead faithful to the ruler. Tried to assassinate President Kennedy with a wax doll, some believe he succeeded.

Maria Laveau

The unofficial "voodoo queen" of New Orleans and the surrounding area. She became famous as one of the main founders of a whole new branch of voodoo - Louisiana. The heroine of countless legends.

How and where to do magic

Voodoo ceremonies can be held in any room, the main thing is that a mitan pillar is installed there, symbolizing the road along which spirits descend into our world. Despite the fact that voodoo rituals vary depending on which spirit the sorcerer wants to address, only one thing remains common - any relationship with loa requires compliance with certain rules. First of all, you need to draw the symbol of the summoned loa on the ground.

To the rhythmic pulsation of drums, the sorcerer dances to open the magical ceremony - Santeria. Gradually, the rest of the ceremony participants join the ecstatic action.

When a certain moment comes, the sorcerer takes a previously prepared sacrificial rooster and beheads it as an offering to the spirits. However, even this does not guarantee that the loa will deign to appear at the ceremony - it all depends on the personal magical power of the bokor, on his experience and degree of dedication.

Degrees of initiation into voodoo

Voodoo sorcerers go through several stages of improving their magical craft. The first stage is occupied by fledgling adepts, but the last - sixth - is occupied by truly formidable magicians.

1. The first stage of becoming a priest is called the “language of the spirit.” Those who have mastered it can communicate with the dead, but only with relatively fresh ones, for example, a week ago.
2. The second stage is “close gaze”. This ritual allows the bokor to influence the victim's mood for love. In this dark matter, the loa's assistant, oddly enough, is Erzulie, traditionally depicted in the guise of the immaculate Virgin Mary. In addition, the gaze ability gives the priest the ability to understand the language of snakes.
3. In the third stage of initiation, the bokor learns to use sobo, the "loud call." This ritual requires careful preparation and begins with a ten-minute song of the shaman, clutching a crushed magnetic stone in one hand and silicon dust in the other. The song ends with the name of the spirit of thunder, Sobo, which the sorcerer shouts out with force. As a result (theoretically), all of the caster's enemies become deaf for several hours. Bokor accepts the congratulations of his comrades with a satisfied look.
4. The fourth stage gives the sorcerer the opportunity to hide from the opponent under the protection of the spirits of the forest. Grans Bwa is a kind of stealth, a well-performed ritual hides the bokor from any pursuer. Like all other voodoo magic, “protection of the spirits of the forest” is not an instant spell: the shaman must wash the amulet literally from earth and sticks with his own blood for two hours, and even under ritual chants. Therefore, a priest who wants to hide must have a very significant head start.
5. An adept of the fifth stage already possesses serious powers. Anyone who has reached this level comprehends the mystery of voodoo, that is, it is quite possible to create a real voodoo doll. With its help, the magician turns into a formidable manipulator-puppeteer, capable of causing any harm to his enemies.
6. The last, sixth stage is called zombies. Those who have mastered this technique are free to raise the dead at will and turn them into slaves. The sacrament of the ritual is carefully preserved by generations of hereditary priests.

The African Republic of Togo is famous for having the largest ritual market in the world. Akodessewa Fetish offers sacred objects of all kinds to sorcerers and shamans.

How to be a zombie

The term “zombie” was brought to Haiti by African slaves at the beginning of the 18th century. The birthplace of the word is the semi-mystical kingdom of the black continent of Dahomey. In fact, the word “zombie,” the researchers found, is a distorted form of “nzambi,” which means “soul of the dead” in African Bantu.

For a long time, the ritual of raising the dead, which was also witnessed by white people, was considered one of the most inexplicable religious mysteries. This would have continued to this day if ethnobiologist Davis Wade had not come to the aid of science, who managed to conduct several dangerous experiments. A brave scientist has discovered that the “living dead” roaming Haiti never died. The secret lay in a special powder used by shamans to create zombies.

Using a special mixture containing tetrodotoxin, bokor put a person into a state of deep coma and calmly waited until the unfortunate man’s family buried the body. A day after the burial, the sorcerer came to the cemetery and dug up a freshly baked slave: oxygen starvation, multiplied by the toxic effects of the potion, led to damage to the victim’s brain - the areas responsible for memory and speech simply died, and a creature rose from the grave, able only to carry out commands sorcerer

This time we moved to the Republic of Haiti to tell the story of the Duvalier father and son, who took turns ruling the country for almost three decades.

In Haiti, known for its white beaches and sky-blue sea, where usually there is a carefree and relaxed atmosphere, events occurred that are striking in their cruelty. One of the poorest countries in the world was led by Francois Duvalier, a merciless dictator who emptied the treasury, tortured and executed more than 50 thousand people. Under him, the slave trade and the sale of children flourished. Voodoo rituals helped him keep the local population in fear. There were rumors among Haitians that he was involved in Kennedy's assassination.

“One of the most dangerous voodoo spirits was called Baron Saturday, who, according to legend, sent the souls of the dead to the kingdom of the dead, but could also turn them into zombies. The Haitians believed that this spirit dressed like a dandy: he wore a stylish black tailcoat, top hat and expensive glasses. In an effort to emulate this spirit, Haitian dictator Francois Duvalier always dressed this way. In order not to debunk the myths about Baron Saturday, he even tried to speak the same way as him - in a whisper,” says one of the biographies of the former leader of the country.

Village doctor's recipe

Duvalier was born in the capital of Haiti, Port-au-Prince, into the family of a teacher and journalist. Having trained as a doctor, he went to work in the village, then served the US military mission and interned at the University of Michigan. In 1939, the future head of state married nurse Simone Ovida: she bore him three daughters and a son, who was also to leave a bloody mark on the history of the country.

The intelligent doctor, of whom the family was so proud, suddenly gave up medicine and plunged headlong into big politics: in the country in 1946, the dark-skinned President Dumarce Estime came to power (previously such high positions were held only by mulattoes), who initially made Duvalier deputy minister of labor, and then I gave him the portfolio of the Minister of Health. Over the next ten years, the country was rocked by political upheavals, as a result of which Duvalier had to lie low. However, subsequent events did not cool his ardor.

Hiding from the new authorities, he read the treatise “The Prince” by Machiavelli and dreamed of unlimited power. Such a chance presented itself to him in 1956 after another putsch. Unexpectedly for many, he nominated himself for the presidential election. Then his opponents - the favorites of the race, teacher Daniel Fignolet and lawyer Clément Jumel - did not take Duvalier seriously, laughing at the self-confidence of the “young upstart”. However, the doctor clearly should not be written off.

He did not sit idly by, throwing all his efforts into organizing unrest. Duvalier set his supporters the task of creating a sense of panic among citizens. Fignolet became president, but did not remain in power for long - he was arrested on the 20th day of his reign. The protests were brutally suppressed and new elections were called, in which this time Francois Duvalier won.

The newly-minted leader began to diligently tighten the screws: opponents were shot and imprisoned, public organizations and parties except the presidential one were banned in the country, liberal newspapers were closed, the property of disloyal businessmen was nationalized. , constantly subject to persecution, was forced to change services. Thus, the “Our Father” prayer was addressed not to God, but personally to the leader of Haiti. However, despite this, the cult of voodoo became the main religion of Haiti.

Night of the Living Dead

Knowing that Haitians love to come up with nicknames for their presidents, Duvalier nicknamed himself Papa Doc, and subsequently appropriated the titles “indisputable leader of the revolution,” “apostle of national unity,” and “benefactor of the poor.” However, it was the nickname Papa Doc that stuck the most. He also did not forget to proclaim himself the embodiment of one of the darkest loa of the voodoo pantheon, the Lord of the Cemeteries. The country has a new national flag with colors corresponding to Voodoo symbolism.

Not having much faith in the army, Papa Doc organized his own. The main support of the new dictator was the paramilitary detachments of semi-criminal personalities - the Tonton Macoutes. They did not receive money from the budget, feeding on the robbery of the local population.

They were led by voodoo sorcerers who terrified the illiterate local residents. They wore white robes and sunglasses so that no one could see their eyes. People were skinned, drowned, burned alive, stoned to death. Haitians told each other stories about how the Tonton Macoutes could not be bribed or killed because they were “zombies who obey only Duvalier.”

Each morning Duvalier began with a meeting with the chief of the secret police, who told him about dissidents who deserved punishment. As a result, the president signed daily lists of those who needed to be arrested and sentenced to death.

Under the dictator, a whole system of prisons and concentration camps appeared, where those suspected of disloyalty were kept. The most dangerous enemies awaited a special prison under the presidential palace. The arsenal of torture that was used there could be the envy of the Middle Ages. In addition to ancient means, there were also the latest technological advances in this area. The local press regularly published photo reports of severed heads and torn bodies.

The Other Side of Heaven

Meanwhile, the country's economy was rapidly declining. Only 10 percent of the population was literate, the rest could neither read nor write. Duvalier and his family lined their pockets with millions of dollars, which they later transferred to Swiss banks. At the same time, Haitians were dying of hunger, selling their children into slavery, hoping that at least their owners would feed them.

Duvalier especially made money from blood sales. Local residents were required to donate blood, which was then sold in the USA: up to 2.5 thousand liters were transported to Washington twice a month. The money from this, however, also ended up in the dictator’s pockets. The so-called “presidential fund” became the president’s personal piggy bank, where millions of dollars were allocated. Almost everything was taxed, including matches.

Kennedy assassin

The West closely monitored what was happening in the island state. Thus, the Americans saw that what was happening in Haiti did not at all look like democracy, but they believed that although Duvalier behaved like a “son of a bitch,” he was his own son of a bitch, pro-American. Washington also decided that an established dictatorship was better than instability in Haiti, and continued to pour millions of dollars into the island state, which smoothly settled in the pockets of Duvalier and his circle.

Having crushed the coup in 1958, the dictator assumed emergency powers and, with the help of the Tonton Macoutes, unleashed mass terror. During the dictator's reign, more than 50 thousand people were executed in the country. 300 thousand people fled the country.

Three years later he dissolved parliament. During the elections, voters were offered only one candidate named Duvalier for the main post in the country. After the votes were counted, it was announced that the Haitians had “voluntarily elected him for a new term.”