Dance is a pivotal aspect in Caribbean culture, especially when considering the country of Haiti. In the reading,”The Sacred Music and Dance of Haitian Vodou from Temple to Stage and the Ethics of Representation” by Lois Wilcken, along with the documentary on Rara, the importance of dance is explicitly portrayed. Similar to most other cultures, dancing in Haiti is a form of entertainment, during which an individual can enjoy a great ongoing rhythm, and have a good time. However, this dancing can be an identifying factor due to the differences in the expressions and rituals, exclusively done by Haitians.
In the reading, Wilcken discusses if it is ethical to express the form of dance as it is currently expressed in mainstream media. Vodou is seen as an ancient black magic form of art that is dangerous and revolves around spirits, rhythm, and dance. Many of us know Vodou as Voodoo, which brings the image of people blowing smoke into people’s faces, dancing wildly, with an intimidating drum rhythm in the background. I believe that it isn’t ethical to misrepresent Vodou as it is today, because it is a tradition that traces back to ancient times, that has been continuing throughout the generations. However, this spiritual dance is not solely attributed to Haitians, but to many other nations that many of us do not know about. Counterintuitively, many of us know about Vodou, because of the falsified form of Voodoo that we know because of media. Actually, in many cultures, music is used to connect with spirits, and the divine energies that can not be seen through the eyes. Drums are used in many cultures and regions including Africa and Asia. A psychological study actually states that an individual enters a state of complete euphoria, during which he loses track of his present self, and almost enters another dimension, through the gateway of music. Having personally seen this is India, traditional music revolving around impeccable rhythm, can “drive a person to insanity,” but in reality it’s extreme pleasure, due to the spiritual contact it imbues. Some individuals actually start moving in frenzies, much like the Haitian dance we see when carrying out a ritual, but the interesting aspect is that, the individuals have no recollection of their state of euphoria. Some of the people get a burst of energy, and start ripping of their clothes, which is similar to Haitians dancing in minimal clothing. But, the interesting thing is that, this is all going on in public, and the individual “going crazy” is seen and admired by the surrounding audience. Now some skeptics might see this as an attempt for attention, but even young kids, who are extremely shy, have entered this level of euphoria, and psychologists have done tests during these euphoric states, to confirm the neurobiological significance behind it. In conclusion, it really isn’t ethical to misrepresent a tradition that has been in the making for centuries.
In addition, the form of Rara music is very intriguing, especially when viewing it in a psychological basis. The group identity takes over the individual identities, allowing the individuals to get their message through collectively. These messages included debunking discriminatory comments towards the Haitians, such as they are the cause of spread of Aids. However, Rara is also extremely similar to other countries, especially in India, in which numerous individuals march with music playing. However, the main instrument is the drums, and this drumming can be very spiritual. There are numerous drums along with one big drum that individuals take turn playing while marching towards a shrine or a holy place. The big drum is extraordinary because it is huge, around three to four feet , weighing about 100 or so pounds. But, normal individual come and pick this drum up, strap it on to themselves, and play it with the adrenaline pumping, eyes closed, surrounded by light, in a state of complete euphoria. This is very similar to Rara in which the individuals let loose, dance and have a good time, experiencing a state of complete joy.
