The dark history of zombies - Christopher M. Moreman

Summary

The script explores the origins of zombies, tracing back to African traditions and the vodou religion of Haiti, where zombis were victims of sorcery, enslaved even in death. The narrative shifts with the US occupation of Haiti, as Western pop culture reimagined zombies as flesh-eating monsters, erasing their original significance and transforming victims into threats. This evolution reflects societal anxieties, with zombies serving as a metaphor for various social issues.

Takeaways

• 🧟 The concept of zombies has roots in Equatorial and Central Africa, with the word 'zombie' possibly deriving from various African languages.
• 📚 The term 'zombie' is associated with spiritual beliefs where a spirit can inhabit a corpse or object, reflecting African cultural traditions.
• 🚢 During the colonial era, African religious beliefs mixed with Catholicism in the Caribbean, leading to the development of vodou and its concept of zombification.
• 🏰 In vodou, a 'bokor' or sorcerer could capture a soul or corpse, turning it into a zombi, symbolizing the horrors of enslavement faced by Haitians.
• 🌟 Haitian culture views zombis as victims deserving sympathy, highlighting the tragic nature of their existence as eternally enslaved beings.
• 🎭 The Western portrayal of zombies began with the 1932 film 'White Zombie,' which introduced the concept to a broader audience but misaligned with Haitian beliefs.
• 🎬 American pop culture later transformed zombies into flesh-eating monsters, diverging from their original cultural significance as victims of enslavement.
• 🧟‍♂️ The 1968 film 'Night of the Living Dead' further popularized zombies as mindless, slow-moving creatures, cementing their image as monsters.
• 🧠 By 1985, zombies in pop culture developed a taste for brains, adding a new dimension to their monstrous characteristics.
• 🌐 The concept of zombies has been used by artists to comment on contemporary social issues, reflecting societal anxieties and concerns.

Q & A

What is the origin of the word 'zombie'?

The exact etymological origins of 'zombie' are unknown, but it may have roots in the Mitsogho word 'ndzumbi' for corpse, the Kikongo word 'nzambi' referring to a supreme being or deity, or 'zumbi' in Angolan and Congolese languages, which refers to an object inhabited by a spirit or someone returned from the dead.

How did the concept of zombies relate to African cultural beliefs?

In African cultures, particularly in Kongo tradition, it's believed that a person's spirit can be housed in a physical object after death, which might bring protection and good luck. Similar beliefs about the soul's fate after death are found in various parts of Africa.

How did the African religious beliefs mix with Catholic traditions in the Caribbean?

Between 1517 and 1804, enslaved African people's religious beliefs mixed with the Catholic traditions of colonial authorities in the Caribbean, leading to the development of the religion known as 'vodou'.

What is the vodou belief regarding a person's soul and how does it relate to zombies?

According to some vodou beliefs, a person's soul can be captured and stored, becoming a body-less 'zombi'. Alternatively, a sorcerer called a 'bokor' can capture a corpse that isn't properly attended to after death, turning it into a soulless zombi to perform their bidding.

How were historical zombies used and what did they symbolize?

Historically, zombies were said to be put to work as laborers, needing neither food nor rest, thereby enriching their captor's fortune. Zombification symbolized the horrors of enslavement, representing a form of enslavement from which even death could not free one.

How is the perception of zombies in Haitian culture different from their portrayal in Western pop culture?

In Haitian culture, zombis are commonly seen as victims deserving of sympathy and care, whereas in Western pop culture, they are often portrayed as monsters with an insatiable craving for flesh.

What impact did the US occupation of Haiti in 1915 have on the portrayal of zombies?

The US occupation of Haiti in 1915 led to the propagation of many racist beliefs about Black Haitian people, including false accounts of devil worship and human sacrifice. Zombie stories captured the American imagination during this time, leading to a transformation of the zombie concept through the lens of Western pop culture.

In what year did zombies debut on the big screen and what was the film's name?

Zombies debuted on the big screen in 1932 in a film called 'White Zombie'.

How did the portrayal of zombies change after the film 'Night of the Living Dead'?

After 'Night of the Living Dead', zombies became linked to an insatiable craving for flesh, with a particular taste for brains added later in 1985's 'The Return of the Living Dead'. They were no longer controlled by a sorcerer but were portrayed as monsters.

How have artists used zombies in their work over the decades?

Artists have used zombies to shine a light on social ills and anxieties of their time, such as consumer culture and the global lack of disaster preparedness.

What significant change did American pop culture bring to the original significance of zombies?

American pop culture initially erased the origins of zombies, transforming the victim into the monster and cannibalizing its original significance.

Outlines

00:00

🧐 Origins of the Zombie Myth

The concept of animated corpses, or zombies, has deep roots in Equatorial and Central Africa, with linguistic ties to words like 'ndzumbi' and 'nzambi', which refer to spirits or deities. These beliefs involve the idea that a person's spirit can be captured or reside in a physical object after death, possibly providing protection or luck. The blending of African religious beliefs with Catholicism during the colonial era in the Caribbean led to the development of 'vodou', where a 'zombi' could be a soulless body under the control of a sorcerer, symbolizing the horrors of enslavement and eternal subjugation. In Haitian culture, zombis are seen as victims deserving sympathy.

Keywords

💡Zombie

A zombie, as depicted in the video, is a reanimated corpse or a soulless body under the control of a sorcerer or supernatural force. It is central to the video's theme as it traces the concept's origins from African folklore to its modern representation in pop culture. The video discusses how the term 'zombie' has evolved from its African roots to symbolize the horrors of enslavement in Haitian culture, where zombis were seen as victims rather than monsters.

💡Etymological origins

Etymological origins refer to the historical development of a word's form and meaning. In the context of the video, it discusses the uncertain origins of the word 'zombie,' suggesting it may have derived from various African languages such as 'ndzumbi' from the Mitsogho people or 'nzambi' from Kikongo, which relate to corpses, deities, or spirits. This exploration is crucial to understanding the cultural depth and transformation of the zombie concept.

💡Vodou

Vodou is a religion that developed in the Caribbean, particularly in Haiti, as a mix of African religious beliefs and Catholic traditions brought by colonial authorities. The video explains that vodou beliefs include the concept of a person's soul being captured and stored, or a corpse being turned into a zombi by a sorcerer called a 'bokor.' This religious context is key to understanding the cultural significance of zombies in Haiti.

💡Bokor

A bokor is a sorcerer in Haitian vodou tradition who is believed to have the power to capture corpses and turn them into zombis. The video uses the bokor to illustrate the transformation of a corpse into a zombie, highlighting the darker aspects of enslavement and control. The bokor's role is central to the narrative of zombification in Haitian culture.

💡Enslavement

Enslavement is the state of being made a slave, often involving forced labor and a lack of personal freedom. The video connects the concept of zombis in Haiti to the historical context of African people being enslaved and taken to the Caribbean. It suggests that the idea of zombification symbolized the horrors of enslavement, where individuals were deprived of freedom even in death.

💡Zombification

Zombification, as discussed in the video, refers to the process of turning a person into a zombie, either by capturing their soul or by reanimating their corpse. It is portrayed as a form of eternal subjugation, where the individual is trapped and used for labor, reflecting the video's theme of the lasting impact of enslavement on Haitian culture.

💡Haitian culture

Haitian culture is a blend of African, French, and Spanish influences, particularly evident in its language, religion, and arts. The video emphasizes how Haitian culture has shaped the understanding of zombies as victims rather than monsters, highlighting the sympathy and care that zombis receive within this cultural context.

💡Western pop culture

Western pop culture, as mentioned in the video, refers to the cultural artifacts and trends originating from Western societies, particularly the United States. The video discusses how the portrayal of zombies in Western pop culture, starting with the 1932 film 'White Zombie,' transformed the concept from its Haitian roots, turning victims into monsters and often erasing the original cultural significance.

💡Night of the Living Dead

'Night of the Living Dead' is a 1968 film that had a profound influence on the zombie genre. The video points out that while the film's director did not intend for the living dead to be zombies, audiences identified them as such, leading to a shift in the portrayal of zombies as flesh-eating monsters without the control of a sorcerer.

💡Contagious phenomenon

A contagious phenomenon, in the context of the video, refers to the idea that zombification can spread from one individual to another, like a disease. This concept is exemplified in films like '28 Days Later,' where zombification becomes a viral outbreak, changing the narrative from individual reanimation to a widespread epidemic.

💡Social ills and anxieties

Social ills and anxieties refer to the problems and concerns that affect society at large. The video suggests that artists have used the zombie motif to reflect and comment on various societal issues, such as consumer culture and disaster preparedness, making zombies a metaphor for broader cultural anxieties.

Highlights

Zombies have a distinct lineage traced back to Equatorial and Central Africa.

The word 'zombie' has several possible etymological origins, including 'ndzumbi' and 'nzambi'.

In certain African languages, 'zumbi' refers to an object or person inhabited by a spirit.

Kongo tradition believes that spirits can be housed in physical objects for protection and good luck.

Enslavement of African people by France and Spain led to the mixing of African and Catholic traditions, forming 'vodou'.

Vodou beliefs include the capture and storage of a person's soul, creating a 'zombi'.

Bokor, a sorcerer in vodou, could turn corpses into soulless zombis for labor.

Zombification in Haiti represented the horrors of enslavement and eternal subjugation.

In Haitian culture, zombis are seen as victims deserving sympathy and care.

The US occupation of Haiti in 1915 led to the Western pop culture transformation of zombies.

Zombies debuted in the 1932 film 'White Zombie', with a focus on the victimized white woman.

American films often depicted zombies with loose references to Haitian culture.

The 1968 film 'Night of the Living Dead' introduced zombies as flesh-eating monsters.

Zombies in pop culture evolved to have an insatiable craving for flesh, particularly brains.

Zombification became a contagious phenomenon in films like '28 Days Later'.

Artists worldwide use zombies to highlight social ills and anxieties of their time.

American pop culture initially erased the original significance of zombies, transforming victims into monsters.

Transcripts

Animated corpses appear in stories all over the world

throughout recorded history.

But zombies have a distinct lineage—

one that traces back to Equatorial and Central Africa.

The first clue is in the word “zombie” itself.

Its exact etymological origins are unknown,

but there are several candidates.

The Mitsogho people of Gabon, for example, use the word “ndzumbi” for corpse.

The Kikongo word “nzambi” refers variously to the supreme being,

an ancestor with superhuman abilities, or another deity.

And, in certain languages spoken in Angola and the Congo,

“zumbi” refers to an object inhabited by a spirit,

or someone returned from the dead.

There are also similarities in certain cultural beliefs.

For example, in Kongo tradition, it’s thought that once someone dies,

their spirit can be housed in a physical object

which might bring protection and good luck.

Similar beliefs about what might happen to someone’s soul

after death are held in various parts of Africa.

Between 1517 and 1804,

France and Spain enslaved hundreds of thousands of African people,

taking them to the Caribbean island

that now contains Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

There, the religious beliefs of enslaved African people

mixed with the Catholic traditions of colonial authorities

and a religion known as “vodou” developed.

According to some vodou beliefs, a person’s soul can be captured and stored,

becoming a body-less “zombi.”

Alternatively, if a body isn’t properly attended to soon after death,

a sorcerer called a “bokor” can capture a corpse

and turn it into a soulless zombi that will perform their bidding.

Historically, these zombis were said to be put to work as laborers

who needed neither food nor rest and would enrich their captor’s fortune.

In other words, zombification seemed to represent the horrors of enslavement

that many Haitian people experienced.

It was the worst possible fate:

a form of enslavement that not even death could free you from.

The zombi was deprived of an afterlife and trapped in eternal subjugation.

Because of this, in Haitian culture,

zombis are commonly seen as victims deserving of sympathy and care.

The zombie underwent a transformation after the US occupation

of Haiti began in 1915—

this time, through the lens of Western pop culture.

During the occupation, US citizens propagated many racist beliefs

about Black Haitian people.

Among false accounts of devil worship and human sacrifice,

zombie stories captured the American imagination.

And in 1932, zombies debuted on the big screen

in a film called “White Zombie.”

Set in Haiti, the film’s protagonist must rescue his fiancée

from an evil vodou master who runs a sugar mill using zombi labor.

Notably, the film's main object of sympathy isn't the enslaved workforce,

but the victimized white woman.

Over the following decades, zombies appeared in many American films,

usually with loose references to Haitian culture,

though some veered off to involve aliens and Nazis.

Then came the wildly influential 1968 film “Night of the Living Dead,”

in which a group of strangers tries to survive an onslaught

of slow-moving, flesh-eating monsters.

The film’s director remarked that he never envisioned his living dead as zombies.

Instead, it was the audience who recognized them as such.

But from then on, zombies became linked to an insatiable craving for flesh—

with a particular taste for brains added in 1985′s “The Return of the Living Dead.”

In these and many subsequent films, no sorcerer controls the zombies;

they’re the monsters.

And in many iterations, later fueled by 2002′s “28 Days Later,”

zombification became a contagious phenomenon.

For decades now, artists around the world have used zombies

to shine a light on the social ills and anxieties of their moment—

from consumer culture to the global lack of disaster preparedness.

But, in effect, American pop culture also initially erased the zombies origins—

cannibalizing its original significance

and transforming the victim into the monster.