Kings & Queens of Vodou 2019 to Present
Figure 1. The Houngan (Vodou Priest) Blas “Bleo” Sánchez, photographed during the Gagá procession in 2019. Photo by Rafael Gómez. ©Rafael Gómez.
This project seeks to recast the perception of Vodú (Vodou) priests and priestesses in the Dominican Republic. Historically, the portrayal of Vodou practices in the country has been tied to a negative perception of the practice. Whether in the eyes of the state or civil society, Vodou priests and priestesses have been cast as evil forces running counter to what are supposed to be Dominican “values.”
But the perception of Vodou priests and priestesses is changing. The advent of mobile technology and social media platforms has given these women and men a level of agency, visibility, and access to mass audiences previously unheard of.
Figure 2. The Houngan Blas “Bleo” Sánchez, surrounded by his security team during the Gagá procession in 2019. Photo by Rafael Gómez. ©All Rights Reserved.
For this project, I set out to photographs different Vodou priests and priestesses throughout the country in all their elements. The goal is to bring attention to different forms of representation that would honor the validity and richness of their practice. To learn more about this project, you can reach me by email here.
