Il Sacro ad Haiti Sacred in Haiti

I lately met Josué Azor in Rome at the Haiti Embassy. He’s a smart guy and very talented photographer. I’m extremely happy to introduce him to you today with a work on Vodoo in Haiti, his Country. Much has been seen and said about Haiti lately.

Josué agreed to launch a S4C group there and will gather young photographers who’ll tell stories from within their Country. After all, S4C claim is “Shoot Local, Change Global”, right?

Josué was born and lives in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. About three years ago he began developing his passion for photography. Since then he visits his country, Haiti and shares his passion with great pleasure.

(click to see the photo gallery)

In August 2010, he went to Brazil. From this trip was created his first exhibit: “Clin d’oeil: Haiti-Bresil” that took place in Haiti in January 2011.

In February 2011 he presented in Rome, the exhibit “Clin d’oeil sur Haiti.”

In November 2011, the exhibit “Le Sacré en Haiti” ( Sacred in Haiti) was presented in Port-au-Prince, Montreal and Rome.

(click to see the photo gallery)

“Sacred in Haiti” is the result of a journey and the discovery of the traditional vodoo ceremonies in Lakou Soukri and Seau d’eau, two very sacred and mystical religious sites in Haiti.

Lakou Soukri, where most of the pictures were taken, is located near the historic city of Gonaives where Haiti’s Independance was declared on January 1804. In these sites religious as well as cultural and artistic traditions from African origin are preserved. Lakou Soukri is even pre existant to Haiti’s independance. As most religions, vodoo ceremonies are caracterized by rituals: songs, dances, offerings and prayors.

Vodoo practices a holistic relationship with the elements and all living beings. The human body, in trance, in movement is portrayed in this serie of photographs as the center of communication and invocation of the sacred.

This is what Josué has meant to present in this project.

Antonio Amendola/S4C