Voodoo on Hispaniola: Language choice and spirit possession (mounted speech)
Atlantic studies June 13, 2025 DOI: 10.1080/14788810.2025.2517004 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Voodoo practitioners on Hispaniola |
| Keywords | Linguistics |
| Key findings | Argues that the metalinguistic controversy over which languages spirits speak during Voodoo possession on Hispaniola stems from deeper disagreements about the relationship between spirits and humans and about the status of elements practitioners do not consider African heritage, and that understanding it requires framing the Atlantic as a transcontinental, intersectional life-world. |
Abstract
ABSTRACT This article discusses language choice during Voodoo spirit possession practised on Hispaniola. “Mounted” by a spirit, people adopt the respective gestures, mimics, etc., and the linguistic repertoire, which can differ from that of the unmounted person’s. The linguistic aspects of such happenings are controversial due to diverging views on religious authenticity and legitimacy. Whilst some argue spirits can speak any language – this being a miracle – others state that a spirit-specific repertoire signals authenticity. I explore the historical roots of this controversy and its contemporary sociolinguistic implications, drawing from anthropological, observational data, and practitioners’ commentaries, collected from print and social media, as well as interviews. The metalinguistic debate results from more subtle issues: divergent views on the relation between spirits and humans; and different evaluations of those elements in Voodoo, which practitioners do not consider African heritage. Understanding this phenomenon requires comprehending the Atlantic as a transcontinental, intersectional life-world.