Voodoo worshipers in Haiti celebrate day of the dead festival

Hundreds of Voodoo worshipers have gathered together at the main cemetery in Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, on November 1.

According to Africa News via AP, celebrations took place to mark the annual Day of the Dead festival.

The festival was subdued due to Hurricane Melissa and ongoing violence in the

country.

Hurricane Melissa, a category five hurricane, flooded Jamaica, Cuba, and Haiti on October 29. Power cuts, flooding, homes destroyed.

Melissa’s winds reached up to the speed of 295kph, making it one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes.

Twenty-five people have died in Haiti, and eighteen are missing. The hurriccane has impacted the economy of Haiti.

Part of the Voodoo festival, they light candles and make alters with bones, food, and jugs of moonshine rum to offer the spirits of the dead, and in return, they receive protection.

A tomb in the cemetery is believed to house the remains of the guardian of the dead. Known in Haitian voodoo as Baron Samedi

Voodoo is a very well-known and practised religion in Haiti. And it formed initially in the 16th century when enslaved people blended West African religion with Catholicism.

It is also believed that African Catholics have become an essential source of the church’s power and influence in the 21st century.

The celebrations took place in the capital, as 90 per cent of the city in Haiti is under the control of armed gangs.

This extreme violence due to gangs has left thousands of civilians dead, displaced and injured.

Since 2020, Haiti’s capital, Port-au-Prince, has been the site of gang wars. And 80% of the capital is controlled by armed gangs, and is spreading across to other cities.

Dorothy Shea, the U.S. ambassador, expressed her views during a meeting of council members in July 2025. In which she stated,” As council members, our continuing, collective efforts have the power to secure a more just and peaceful future for all Haitians .”

The International Organisation for Migration also mentioned in July that the political unrest and brutality of the gang violence have led more than 1.3 million Haitians to be displaced.

With Haiti’s gang control taking over most of the country and the recent events with Hurricane Melissa, Haiti is suffering from a lack of resources to rebuild. More than 15,800 people are in shelters due to the recent hurricane.

Africa News Via AP, Maghrebi.org