Bokor

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A Bokor is a sorcerer for hire in the religion of vodou who is said to work with both hands, meaning that they can both practice dark magic and benevolent magic.

[edit] Description

They are featured in many Haitian tales and are often associated with the creation of zombies by the use of a deadening brew or potion usually containing non-fatal poisons. This potion makes the drinker appear to be dead and thus is often buried; days later, the bokor will return for the "corpse" and force it to do his bidding, such as manual labor. It is akin to mind control. The person is, however, fully alive but in a detached state whereby he cannot control what he says or does; at this point, when the person has been "reanimated" from the grave, or at least is moving about working for the bokor, they can be termed "zombies."

Also, bokors are said to work with zombie astrals, a spirit which is captured in a fetish and made to enhance the Bokor's power. Bokors normally work with Loa's Baron Samedi, Perto Met Kalfou Legba and simbi makaya plus in some cases they are said to work with Grand Bois the loa of the forest, the followers of the makaya lineage are normally called Bokors. Bokors are known for doing as much healing as they do harm.

Bokors are the same as "root workers" of voodoo and New Orleans voodoo. They are sometimes a priest of a vodou house but not always. Some say there are born Bokors, ones that are born with a great ashe (power). A Bokor can be, by Christian terms, good or evil. Movies and books have made the Bokor along with Vodou (voodoo), seem to be dark and evil, but are highly misunderstood. Some say a Bokor can look like any everyday person and have high morals.

[edit] See also

Clairvius Narcisse, a Haitian alleged to have been kept in a zombie-like state by a bokor

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Religions	Candomblé • Hoodoo • Kumina • Obeah • Palo • Quimbanda • Santería (Lukumí) • Spiritual Baptist • Umbanda • Vodou
Deities	Babalu Aye • Eshu • Iansan • Mami Wata • Obàtálá • Ogoun • Ọlọrun • Orunmila • Ọṣun • Shango • Yemaja
Roots	Ifá, Oriṣa (Yorùbá) • Lwa (Dahomey) • Nkisi (Kongo) • Catholicism (Portugal, Spain)