a1599: Islamic influences in Haitian Vodun

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Hans-Wolfgang Ackermann <ackermann@mcb.ulaval.ca>

I came upon the site "Islamic Influences in Haitian Vodun" and want to post a
reply to the note of Mr. Bebe Pierre Louis (March 12, 2001). I sent him a
reply to the indicated web address, but it does not seem be active. Anyway,
my reply was in French and this would be inaccessible to most of your
readers.

I have set up a loa database (in preparation of a book) and am busy with
translating loa names. Mr. Pierre Louis expresses the opinion that the
term "Moussay" is derived from the name of the historic Malinke ruler,
Kankan Mousa.

In my opinion, this resemblance is purely coincidental. 'Moussay' is a name
of a tribe of the Cameroon-Chad area. Such coincidences are quite frequent.
For example, I found 'Sala Masala' which sounded very Arabic. Alas, a more
likely origin is the Kikongo word, 'Sala basala', 'they will work'.

Here is an extract from the database. The complete name is Mondong Moussaļ.

Mondong Moussaļ
1. Names:	Mondong (Mondongue, Moudong) Moussaļ;  Moussaļ; Moussai Mondong
Etymology
Moussey, Musey	Ethnic group, closely related to the Massa, same area as
		Moundang 				211-vol. 13
Musay, Moussay	Chad. Ethnic group related to the Massa of Cameroon
		and Chad. Massa = of Nilotic origin	276
2. Variants:	Massa-i	Ra
		Moussai	R
		-moussaļ	Mf
		Mousaille	Ca
		moussailli	Ka
		moussaye	Ka
		Moussaiyil   Ka		A.s.o.

It is not clear if 'Moussaļ' is a single loa or a group. Character and
behavior are the
same as that of Mondong or Moudong. Both loa eat dogs and have absolutely
nothing
heroic or majestetic, thus no relationships with Kankan Musa. Ca, Ka, Mf,
R, and Ra
are references.  Ref. 276 is
Olson, James S. 1996.
The Peoples of Africa. An Ethnohistoric Dictionary.
Greenwood Press, Westport, CN.

I have found precious few words of true Arabic origin in Haitian Vodun, namely
Alafia, Alfor, Aloufa, Imamou, Seyid (perhaps also Lala), and the frist names
Assila and Zahila.

Yours sincerely,









Dr. Hans-W. Ackermann, MD
Professor

Department of Medical Biology
Faculty of Medicine
Laval University
Quebec, Qc
Canada  G1K 7P4

Tel.:        (4l8) 656-2131, ext. 2558
Fax:         (4l8) 656-7666
Internet:   ackermann@mcb.ulaval.ca