In Haiti, citizens are known for their avid spirituality. Those who do not have a deep understanding of their religion would call it a pact with the Devil. People who do not have a deep understanding of their religion use it against them. They use it as a means to explain the reason for the earthquake that hit the island in 2009, as the reason why the accident occurred. “God's punishment” for their “evil practices.” But people haven't done the research or don't fully understand the religion and its practices to make such claims. Voodoo, or Voudou, can be defined as several spiritual beliefs and practices drawn from African slaves during the 1800s. Voodoo most often takes the form of animism and syncretism. Animism is the belief that everything in nature has a soul or spirit, while syncretism is a mix of animism with other faiths such as Christianity. And there is a story behind religion. On a night in 1791, in a place called Bois Caiman, a group of slaves met and vowed to hunt their masters and were led by a Voodoo priest. The story goes that someone sacrificed a pig and the group drank its blood and then a week later the rebellion began. During the ceremony, the island's most eminent leaders made a pact with Satan and dedicated the land to him for 200 years in exchange for victory. During the French Revolution, the fall of France, and thereafter, the island's founding fathers created several versions of their constitution and did not include any language about Satan or Voodoo. In 1807, Haiti established religious freedom, however, it made Roman Catholicism its official religion. The constitution states that, including Voodoo, no other religion may be practiced in public. In Haiti, there are the......middle of paper......, who encourage weddings and baptisms and perform them for free. And this religion opposed voodoo, leading some Haitians to convert to Protestantism as a way to ward off familiar spirits they believed did not protect them. No matter what religion, Roman Catholic, Protestant or Voodoo, the people of Haiti are steadfast in their faith. their respective faith. Their faith keeps hopes alive and, in some cases, their families are protected. Religion is crucial among these people who live in the worst conditions on a daily basis. Their faith keeps them grounded, hopeful for better days. Works Cited Diamond, Stephen A. “Haitians Still in Hell: Evil, Voodoo, and Spirituality” January 20, 2010 http://www.aidforhaiti.org/learn-more/about- haiti/religione-in-haiti Maldonado, Michelle Gonzalez “Biblical Disaster: Understanding Religion in Haiti” January 13, 2010