that trance a totally different person. While a person is possessed, all bodily functions and gestures take the form of the Loa, which possesses the body. While the Loa possesses the body it will often smoke, drink alcohol, and eat. These are all things that it is usually not capable of doing unless in a human body. They are also known to eat or walk on fire and will show no marks on their body afterwards. The possessed person shows great strength and is known to toss things as well as people around. The possessed will have a totally different voice, facial expressions, etc.... After the possession, the person has no remembrance of what happened and therefore cannot be held responsible for what they did while being possessed. Voodoo rituals play an important role in the religion. Since practicers believe that human and Loa depend upon one another, they hold many rituals to make contact with the spirits through a very special process. Rituals can be held for many different reasons. Rituals can be held to celebrate a special event in the lives of a family or a community, in bad times for guidance from the Loa, for healing of an illness or a disability, births, weddings, and deaths. There are two different types of voodoo rituals: Rada and Petro. Both are exactly the same except for the type of Loa they are addressing and for the purpose of the ritual. All rituals are held at a hounfour or a temple. All rituals are began by the houngan asking Legba, the Loa of the gate, to open it. After the opening, water is sprinkled throughout important places in the hounfour, especially at the center where the poteau-mitin is located. It is a pole where the people communicate with the Loas and God. The drum or tambula begins to beat. A veve, or pattern of flour is made on the floor in a design of one of the Loa. The Houngan then calls the Loa by striking the veve or calling upon it with the use of magical words. Chanting begins along with prayers, on...
