Slaves Cannibals and Infected Hyper-Whites_ the Race and Religi

7/28/2019 Slaves Cannibals and Infected Hyper-Whites_ the Race and Religi

1/31

Wesleyan University

WesScholar

Division II Faculty Publications Social Sciences

1-1-2012

Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: TeRace and Religion of Zombies

Elizabeth McAlisterWesleyan University, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: hp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs

Part of theAmerican Film Studies Commons,American Popular Culture Commons, Film andMedia Studies Commons, Race, Ethnicity and post-Colonial Studies Commons, ReligionCommons, and the Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons

Tis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Social Sciences at WesScholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Division II Faculty

Publications by an authorized administrator of WesScholar. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected].

Recommended CitationMcAlister, Elizabeth, "Slaves, Cannibals, and Infected Hyper-Whites: Te Race and Religion of Zombies" (2012).Division II FacultyPublications. Paper 115.hp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/115
http://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/440?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/443?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/563?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/563?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/566?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/538?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/538?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/323?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPagesmailto:[email protected],%[email protected]://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/115?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPagesmailto:[email protected],%[email protected]://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/115?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/323?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/538?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/538?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/566?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/563?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/563?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/443?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://network.bepress.com/hgg/discipline/440?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPageshttp://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/?utm_source=wesscholar.wesleyan.edu%2Fdiv2facpubs%2F115&utm_medium=PDF&utm_campaign=PDFCoverPages


2/31

457

Article

Savs, cannbas, andind Hyp-Whs:th ra and rgono Zombs

ezabh MAs

Wesleyan University

AbstrAct

The frst decade o the new millennium saw renewed interest in popular

culture eaturing zombies. This essay shows that a comparative analysis

o nightmares can be a productive method or analyzing salient themes

in the imaginative products and practices o cultures in close contact. It

is argued that zombies, as the frst modern monster, are embedded in a

set o deeply symbolic structures that are a matter o religious thought.

The author draws rom her ethnographic work in Haiti to argue that the

zonbi is at once part o the mystical arts that developed there since the

colonial period, and comprises a orm o mythmaking that represents, re-

sponds to, and mystifes the ear o slavery, collusion with it, and rebellionagainst it. In turn, some elements o the Haitian zonbi fgure can be ound

in patterns that haunt recent American zombie flms. Zombies in these

flms are read as fgures in a parable about whiteness and death-dealing

consumption. This essay suggests that the messianic mood surrounding

the presidential candidacy o Barack Obama was consistent with a pat-

tern in zombie flms since the 1960s where many zombie-killing heroes

are fgured as black American males. Zombies are used in both ethno-

graphic and flm contexts to think through the conditions o embodiment,the boundaries between lie and death, repression and reedom, and the

Anhopologial Quael, Vol. 85, No. 2, p. 457486, IssN 0003-5491. 2012 he Iniue o

Ehnogaphi reeah (IFEr) a pa o he Geoge Wahingon Univei. All igh eeved.


3/31

slave, cannial, and Ineed Hpe-Whie: the rae and religion o Zomie

458

racialized ways in which humans consume other humans. [Kewod:

Haii, Vodou, zomie, annial, baak Oama, ae, magial nego]

coo Obama and Zomb Mcan

Ae haking hand wih baak Oama a he onluion o he la Us

peidenial deae, John Mcain aed o head he wong wa o he

age eoe ealizing hi miake and eveing oue. A he ell in ep

ehind hi opponen, he aknowledged hi eo wih an exavagan

ull-od gimae. Hi goeque poe wa ozen phoogaphe and

inanl uploaded ono he Inene wih he apion Zomie Mcain.Ohe zomie-hemed apion o he image polieaed, inluding one

on PoliialHumo.om ha ead: Oama: ool enough o ju ignoe

zomie (ee Figue 1).1

the a ha Mcain lumine gued him a a zomie in ona-

diinion o baak Oama unfappale ool efe he widepead

ainaion wih zomie in Us media and ulueonide he een

ue o he ook Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2009) o he ud-

den uen o he emzombie bank. I alo indexe make in Us popu-

la ulue o aial whiene and lakne. A roe Fai thompon

(1973:41) poin ou in hi lai ea, An Aehei o he cool, he

onep o ool in man Aian-deived ulue i a meapho o he

aehei and moal value o emaining ompoed unde peue, and i

ulimael a make o anendenal alane.2 the juxapoiion o hi

ool lak peidenial andidaelihe and poiedwih a umling

and aggeing whie zomie andidae i emlemai, I will ugge, oa wide om o mhmaking aou ae uenl a wok in Us ulue.3

thi ea how ha a ompaaive anali o nighmae

(Wilon 1951:313) an e a poduive mehod o analzing alien

heme in he imaginaive podu and paie o ulue in loe

ona. I pai ehnogaphi inepeaion o wok on he zoni in

Haiian eligiou hough and a wih a eligiou udie eading o ke

ilm aou zomie made in he Us.4 I un a inge along eveal on-

epual and om Haiian eligiou a ha emain o haun zomieepeenaion in Us popula ulue. Like he Haiian zoni, he Us

ilm zomie mu e undeood a eing emedded in a e o deepl

moli uue ha ae a mae o eligiou hough. In oh on-

ex, zomie naaive and iual ineogae he ounda eween


4/31


5/31


460

A ve dieen kind o zomie populae Us lm and eleviion: a ghoul

who lume aound ing o ea people. Geoge romeo Living Dead

lm exempli hi onep o he zomie in he popula imaginaion. theidea ee, o oue, o dead people who ae ill alive, and diven o

kill and annialize he living. thee mone made an appeaane in

Mihael Jakon mah hi mui video thille, and now a in he

moe een I am Legend,28 Days Later, and ohe. In hi deade

o he new millennium, he walking dead and hei annialii appeie

eem o e evewhee. We hea a lo lael aou zomie ank

ank whoe de ae geae han hei aewhih dain ailou

mone om he govenmen u don ailiae moe lending in un.5Zomie how up in pop ong and ae ok haae in omi ook

and gaphi novel. the appea in video game uh a he Resident

Evileie and in he Resident Evilmovie pin-o. sine 2000, aou

100 movie and oe o video game have eaued undead, annial

zomie. Zomie-like eaue alledinerimake an appeaane in he

ixh ook o he Harry Pottereie. Zomie have even eaned a peial

plae in he aadem: he philoophe David chalme (1996), in ode o

elaoae vaiou ehial queion, ha poied he philoophial zom-

ie, o p-zomie, a human od wihou onioune ha ehave like

a human wih onioune.6

Mel book on, Max book, woe he eellingZombie Survival

Guide (2003),a ongue-in-heek manual o uviving a widepead zom-

ie aak, and he pak leue hall when he peak aou he impending

zomie apoalpe. Epeiall iniguing ae he zomie walk in man

Us iie, whee odina people de up like zomie om all walk olieonuion woke, doo, nunand lume hough he pak

and ee. Zomie fah mo move hough downown pae, having

ead ule o pla on he inene. In 2007, a zomie fah mo invaded

a san Fanio Apple soe o age an anionumei peomane

piee whee zomie peended o ea he ompue on dipla. Pride

and Prejudice and Zombies (2009)he Jane Auen novel mahed up

wih a zomie plolineoaed o he op o numeou eelle li.

the 2010 eleviion eie The Walking Dead, on he ale hannel AMci e in a zomie po-apoalpe and won a Golden Gloe Awad o

e dama. Zomie ae all aound u. Ameian have ough o lie

o deah, i ou peea polieaion o mone who ae doing a ai

amoun o ulual wok.


6/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

461

Wha i we highligh hi a aou zomie: he zomie i he one ok

hoo haae ha doe no have a genealog in Euopean adiion o

muh peene in Gohi ion, a do he gho, vampie, weewol, andFankenein (Elli 2000). rahe, he zomie oiginae in Ao-Haiian eli-

giou hough and paie, and i aeale (in pa) o olonial-ea Kongo

eligion om cenal Aia. Deleuze and Guaai (1983:335) ae ha

he onl moden mh i he mh o zomie and hi i quie ue in an

nume o wa. the zomie ame ino eing (a i wee) in he planaion

oie o olonial sain Domingue, and I will ague hee ha i gue, i

o, i mholog ae a one pa o he mial a ha have devel-

oped ine ha ime,andompie a om o mhmaking ha ee hemiaion o lave and ongoing poliial epeion. tha i, he zom-

ie epeen, epond o, and mie ea o lave, olluion wih i,

and eellion again i. the zomie wa on (o o peak) in wha Mihael

tauig (1987) em he olonial pae o deah and i inexiale om

he ulue o eo o he planaion. thi moden mone i a omplex

and polvalen Ohe ha poin u o a and hough podued ou o he

nighmaih ape o modeni. In paiula, hi mone ee and

epond o he nexu o apialim, ae, and eligion.

thee ae man kind o zomie, and man level, i ou will, o he

epeenaion and meaning o zomie. Woking om he gohi, en-

aionalized avel wie aoun o lak We Indian upeiion,

eal Hollwood podued eveal zomie lm, uh a White Zombie

(1932) and I Walked With a Zombie (1943). A a onellaion o miunde-

ood and dioed elemen in eal Hollwood lm, hee caiean

zomie epeenaion migh e deied a a poound example owha toni Moion all Ameian Aianim, ha i, he denoaive

and onnoaive lakne ha Aian people have ome o igni, a

well a he enie ange o view, aumpion, eading, and mieading

ha aompan Euoeni leaning aou hee people. A a ope, lile

eain ha een aahed o i ue (1993:6-7). the lm invaial

a lak oee (o quak oee) ploing o onque o and on-

ol ove whie women, and lakne i unmiakal linked wih pimiive

menae, upeiion, and he diaolial.conempoa Ameian zomie lm have diveged quie a i om

hei caiean eginning. Mo zomie now ae gued a aiall

whie, and mo o he lm ha poa hem ae e in he Us. A an

Ameian hoo lm gene haae, he zomie ha ome o make eain


7/31


462

aemen aou whiteness in Ameia. ye hi inveion o inide-ou-

ne o ealie aial aoiaion alo peen a mea-ommena on

he ame uje a do Haiian zoni: he ineeion o apialim andonumpion, lave and annialim, odil exe and ae. Whehe

in Haiian eligiou paie, a, and ulual mholog, o in Us lm,

he zomie eve o index he exeive exeme o apialim, he ove-

lap o apialim and annialim, and he inepla eween apialim

and ae in he hio o he Ameia (ee alo shelle 2003).

capung, ensavng, Fdng, and Dssng Zonbs n HaI aidenall ough wo zoni in Haii. M zoni ae no he walking

dead u ahe he ommon, eveda pii o he eenl dead, zoni

aal. the pii wee apued om a emee in a mial iual and

hen onained in an emp um ole. I did no do he apuing and on-

aining; hi ea wa ahieved a man named s. Jean, who made hi

living (in he ae o honiall high unemplomen) a abk, o oee,

in a neighohood nea he emee in downown Po-au-Pine.7 I had

gone o ineview he k, and when I omplimened a oloull deo-

aed ole ha a on hi ala, he aked i I would like o have one like i.

In ageeing, I go muh moe han a deoaed ole. M enoune wih

he oee uned ino omehing a moe omplex han he omiion

o wha I ook o e an a oje. When I euned o pik up he ole,

s. Jean peomed a omplex iual ha inued human lie ino he ole

and anomed he onaine ino a living gave, houing a human-pii

hid eni.the eene o he zoni pii lie emanae om haved i o one

om wo human kull. the zoni in he ole an no popel e unde-

ood a oul, u ahe a agmen o human oul, o pii. In Ao-

Haiian eligiou hough, pa o he pii goe immediael o God ae

deah, while anohe pa linge nea he gave o a ime. I i hi poion

o he pii ha an e apued and made o wok; le a, a om o

aw pii lie. the k peomed a ponaneou iual, whih egan

when he popped a aee ape ino a plae. Ou oundape wa aee oie eemon o whih he aid he elonged.

He pu hee kull having ino he ole, along wih he ahe om

a uned Ameian dolla and a vaie o he, peume, alohol, and

powde. roe Fai thompon pelled ou he logi o hi o o


8/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

463

ham in hi wok onminkisi(onaine o pii) om he Kongo ulue,

whih ae uel one o he ulual oue o he zoni:

...he nkii i elieved o live wih an inne lie o i own. the ai o

ha lie wa a apued oul...the owne o he ham ould die

he pii in he oje o aomplih miall eain hing o

him, eihe o enhane hi luk o o hapen hi uine ene.

thi miale wa ahieved hough wo ai lae o mediine

wihin he ham, spirit-embedding medicine (eah, oen om a

gave ie, o emee eah i onideed a one wih he pii o

he dead) and spirit-admonishing objects (eed, law, miniaueknive, one, al, and o oh). (thompon e al. 1981:37)8

In m ole, he pii-emedding mediine inlude emee eah,

u alo moe o he poin, he kull having. A ome peviou ime,

s. Jean had mo likel pepaed he kull in a o o pii-exaing

iual, eaing hem wih ah o dew, ain, and unhine. the kull had

een given ood (whih he ao miall, a pii in he inviile

wold geneall do), and had een apized wih new, iual name. thei

name would have een pi phae uh a je mengage (Im -

ing) o al chache (Go look). Eah kull would have een haged wih

a pei engh, jo, o polem o ea. Peumal, hee kull wee

aivaed wih he aili o enhane luk, wealh, and healh.

spii-admonihing mediine inu he zoni in he wok ha

he ae eing ommanded o do on m ehal. Ingenioul, hi eh-

nolog o good luk zoni-making involve deing he zoni in heve inuion and wok dieion he make inend hem o pe-

om. the mio aound he ene o he ole, ae i ee o ee-

ing and will ideni an oe oming a me wih malevolen inen (ee

Figue 2). the io lahed open unde he olenek ae like am

oed in el-deene. the dolla ill in he ole inu he zoni

pii o aa wealh. the he ae o he zoni o heal me o ik-

ne and dieae, while he peume ae o make me aaive and

deiale. s. Jean eaed o hem a magnei oe eld plaingwo induial magne a a kind o olla on he nek o he ole. thi

oje i now wiling wih polai, inenion, and lie (MAlie 1995). I

i wha sephan Palmi ha alled a lie om oniued hough iual

aion (Palmi 2006:861).


9/31


464

thi zoni ole eue he

Ween onologial diinion

eween people and hing, andeween lie and deah, a i i a

hid o human and pii, living

and dead, individual and genei.

In Ao-ceole hough, pii an

inhai oh naual and human-

made hing, and wha i moe,

hi oe an e manipulaed and

ued, oen o healing and poe-ion, omeime o aggeion o

aak. When I lae ineviewed

he k, I leaned aou he deep

moal amigui o he zoni aal.

s. Jean old me ha he zoni

wee apped in he ole unil he

ime when, a wih eve peon,

hei pii would go on o God. the

k inued me o ak he zon-

i o anhing I waned, eaue,

apued and iuall anomed, he wee woking o him, and now,

a i uonaed, o me.

I ealized ha I wa eeivel in he poiion o a piiual lave-own-

e. beide eing dimaed and upe, I ound i puzzling ha people

would paie he enlavemen o hi aw pii lie onideing hahei aneo ueed exeme uali duing olonial lave in Haii,

whee he lie expean o an enlaved peon on a planaion wa onl

even ea. Plane ed and inauguaed he moden em o Alani

apialim hough dehumanizaion, avaion, and oue; hee wee

he ouine wa o exaing poduion value o und he oenel

luaive uga ade.

bu, hen again, he living take charge o hei hio when he mi-

meiall peom mae-lave elaionhip wih pii o he dead.the poduion o piiual (and odil) zoni how u how goup

ememe hio and ena i onequene in emodied iual a.

the lave ade and olonial lavewhoe modus operandus wa

o a living human a ommodiieae quie lieall enoded and

Fgu 2: A bo onanng sps o

h dad.

PHOtOcOUrtEsyOFtHEFOWLErMUsEUMAtUcLA


10/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

465

eenaed in this living oje. Ju a lave depended on apuing,

onaining, and oing he lao o houand o people, o doe hi

om o mial wok eena he ame poe in loal em. I i, atauig amoul pu i, hio a oe (tauig 1987:366).

Unde lave, Ao-caiean wee endeed nonhuman eing

legall anpoed ino ommodiie. Now, he enlaved dead hold a

respected place wihin he eligion. In wha migh eem ouneinuiive,

rand Mao (2007:400) eenl agued ha in Ao-Lain eligion,

Inead o eing he oppoie o he deied peonal o oial ae,

he image and mimei o lave eome highl fexile inumen

o legall ee people apiaion o hemelve and o hei lovedone. He noe ha in hee eligion, he lave i oen onideed he

mo eaiou piiual ao. the elaionhip eween pii woke

and he dead i inheenl unequal and exploiaive, e i i nuaned in

ainaing wa ha give he pii o he dead ome agen. Uuall

he dealing eween people and he zoni ae ju haeonomi

aai, augh up in a em evolving aound mone, wok, apiivi,

pedaion, and oeion.

I did eed he zoni a iual meal o unaled ie and ean, eeling

omewha heepih he enie while. bu I wa deemined o opeae in

a ehial a manne a I ould owad hi ole, whih i make unde-

ood o e a living hing. Who wa I no o ake ae o m oligaion o

he zoni? I wa hauned a ommen made he hola Luminia

buneki Fu-Kiau a a oneene. When ou pu ou ham and e-

ihe in ou mueum, he aid, ou ae inaeaing ou aneo.

I did no wan o ge in oule in an wa, eihe o he living o he dead.I had een piv o a ae o oe involving a malevolen zoni. I

wahed while Papa Mond, an expe heale in pii wok, diagnoed

a eenage who had aken ik and wa aing ange. Ae exenive

onulaion and divinaion, Papa Mond inomed he o mohe ha

omeone wih ad inenion had voye zonbi (en a zoni) again

he een, and had old he o miall o a ee oie. the een

had een apued miall in he uneen wold, and hi lie oe wa

eing eaen. In a amil dama o ikne and healing, one againhe anaion o lave wee a pla. thi diagnoi eenaed he

apue, ale, and exploiaion o he lie o a peon, hee in he uneen

wold o eveda Haiian lie.


11/31


466

the ueand he een wa ued, a lea in he emi-puli neigho-

hood naaiveinvolved a omplex poe o iual eeing, negoiaing,

and uing ak: an unaveling and undoing o he piiual enlavemen.the dieo o hi healing eemon wa Papa Gede Loa, himel a

pii o a ome olonial laveonideed he e woke among he

piiwho ame o poe he pie Mond o mo o he poeed-

ing. the een wa iuall uied, ling down (up o hi nek) eneah

a ligh lae o eah in a moli gave, and he zoni wa iked and

oed o emain in he gave when he o wa lied ou. the zoni wa

quikl oveed up wih eah, hen ound and ied o he po wih a ok

and a ope. thee Haiian pii woke one again peomed ome ohe aion amoul ued again he Aian enlavediking, apu-

ing, inding, and haklingu hi ime he iual ao wee he pe-

en-da deenden o lave, enaing he ommodiaion and a

in human hough he iual voaula mo alien o hei hio, in

wha conneon alled he apai o epodue a eain peomane

(1989:22 a ied in shaw 2002:6).

the o wa eed o he zoni, u he ill needed o e ough

ak om he ee oie. sine i wa unlea who (a i oen i)

en hi mioune, he uial edeeming deal had o e made wih

bawon samdi, he pii-in-hie o he eenl dead and he ulimae

auhoi ove he emee. We wee going o u he o ak om he

emee, eoe he emee wallowed him up. We wen, quie lae a

nigh now, o an ineeion o wo oad whee diplomai piiual

poool neeiaed ha he amil make a pamen o Me Kalou, he

pii o he ooad. Si kalou pa bay, simitye pa pran, goe hi im-poan piniple: I he ooad won give (wa), he emee won

ake (aep). When we go o he emee, Papa Mond e up hop

nex o he om o bawon. An elaoae eie o iual exhange en-

ued. Mond genl ipped he o lohe om hi od unil he woe

onl hi undehing, and hen laid he o on op o he om. to he

aompanimen o pae and pae-ong, Mond wep he o wih

a oom o emove an emaining negaivi. He eneaed bawon o u

ak hi o om hoe who waned o eal him, and ood pleadingwih wo am ouehed while he e o he mall goup ang ehind

him. Fi he poke o he afied o, u eall o u, o he dead, and

o he evil-doe. Now ou ae known he emee. Now ou ae like

one o he dead. How an ou kill a dead man,mon cher? the an do


12/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

467

nohing o ou. Nex he addeed bawon: you ae he one wih powe

ove deah. You ae he onl one who an kill him, aid Mond. I ell hi

o o ou, and ou alone ae uing him. I i ou who will deemine heda he will die. Papa Mond knel down and hew down a mall pak-

age wapped in own pape, held ogehe wih pin. He del poued

um ove he whole hing and li a mah. A hung lue fame enguled

he lohe, he own pape, and he peiou ou hunded and welve

dolla ha wee inide.

Wih hi monea aie, bawon wa paid, and he o wa ough.

Mond ood he o aop he om, and deed him in lean whie

lohe. He old he o he would no longe e unde he infuene oohe human o pii who wihed o ham himonl bawon owned

him. tha nigh in he emee, he een o wa lieall, and wih Haiian

uen, old o a moal and poweul guadian, in ode o eape eing

owned a malevolen and exploiaive one.

In hi ae, elling a peon wa an a o edempion, a a om

and e alo an eho ohe Alani lave ade. One anno help u

noie he vaiou poound wa ha lae o hioial even and on-

diion ae ememeed and mimeiall enaed hough iual, om he

lave ade o he uen paonage em o poliiall poweul ig

men and hei moe vulneale ollowe. thi eligiou logi alo ea

a paallel o he chiian noion ha Jeu pa he de o in o he

elieve, whoe oul i ough and paid o hough he lood o he u-

ixion. In oh ae, a upenaual eni an u he pii (o oul) o

a human, and eome ha peon mediao wih he uneen wold and

he aelie.some Vodoui undeand Jeu a he zoni. thi mh hold

ha Jeu om wa guaded wo Haiian oldie, who unupuloul

ole he pawod God gave when He eueed Jeu. the oldie

ole he pawod, old i, and he olen ee i now pa o he ee

o oee. I we examine he o aeull, we ee ha he ue o

people (Jeu) i viimized people eelling again him. the odina

olkhe oldieae ealing om God, who ae all e he em o

all negoiaion. In hi o, he oee aknowledge hi oppoiion o(roman caholi) chiiani, whih, in i aliaion wih landowning elie,

ha no alwa eved he inee o eveda Haiian. ye inoa a e-

ing made a zoni i a eiing om o viimizaion, hi o alo mpa-

hize wih Jeu. In hi eauiul ionwok ulpue Gaiel bien-Aim


13/31


468

(ee Figue 3), u and hammeed

om a eled oil dum, Jeu wih

hi own o hon i eing akendown om he o wih a hain

aound hi nek. A he ohe end

i he oee onolling him (ee

alo bown 1995).

Like he olonial lave, o he

oppeed woke, zoni alo po-

e he poenial o ou-and-ou

eellion. thee ae plen o oieo people who ak hee ough

pii o wealh, land, o poliial

pomoion, and who anno povide

he ood demanded in eun. then

he zoni ae aid o ie up o a-

ak hei owne, onuming their

lie oe a pamen. Eaing hem

hough magi, he zoni eome

moe and moe poweul a i mae wae awa hough ikne. s.

Jean himel wa aid o have een eaen in hi manne, onumed

hi own enlaved zoni, uned annial in epone o s. Jean voaiou

geed. Pehap, ha poe i wha i deied in hi mual, pained on

he ineio wall o a Vodou emple (ee Figue 4). Hee, a oee (indiaed

a uh hi ed hi and he whip in hi hand, a ool ued o hea

up iual and aivae piiual eneg) i aaked hunded o kelealgue while aing a om.

tauig (1987), he comao (1999), and ohe have wien aou

he wa uh oe naaive ae povoked , and ae a endeing

o, he ai mehanim o apiali poduion, ha i, he eaion

o value o ome hough appopiaing and onuming he enegie o

ohe. Haiian pii-woke have edeied hi ape o apialim

in eligiou iual. seen hi wa, zoni-making i an example o a non-

ween om o hough ha diagnoe, heoize, and epond mimei-all o he long hio o violenl onumpive and dehumanizing api-

alim in he Ameia om he olonial peiod unil he peen.9 Zoni

an e undeood a a eligiou, philoophial, and aii epone o

Fgu 3: Untitledby Gab Bn-Am

(on and w, a 1990).

PHOtOcOUrtEsyOFtHEFIGGEArtMUsEUM

,DAVENPOrt,IA


14/31


15/31


470

emee, open he om, and give he viim daua plan, a halluino-

gen, and miall epaae ou pa o he pii om he od.10

In hi enaio, mial ehnolog muh like ha applied o he zoniaal epaae he pii om he od, exep ha he epaaion ake

plae eoe ahe han ae he od deah. the od hen i le, vi-

ile, a a eligiou and oial ope. In he nal phae o punihmen,

hi odwhih we migh edeie a a aumaized, ound, oiall

igmaized, enoelled, and poil ain-damaged peoni aid o

e aked o a lao amp um uga planaion, wih he ee oie

olleing a pouemen ee. bu eoe eing diappeaed, he ound

viim i oed o pa hi amil home and all ou o omeone heknow, Se mwen-menm! (I me!).

In hi mual on he wall o a Vodou emple, a oee ue a whip o

dive a houded gue whoe hand ae ound ehind he ak wih a

lengh o ope held he oee (ee Figue 5). the ole unde he

oee am ignal ha he viim pii ha een apued inide. I

i iking ha he poe o apuing lave and leading hem, ound

and whipped, o e old o lao i epeened in eligiou em. Hee

he momen o punihmen--zomiaion houghou Haiian hi-

o epliae and epodue he uial anomaive momen in he

live o We and cenal Aian and he lave in he olonie, whee

Aian wee eized, kidnapped, ound, whipped, old, and oed o

lao. Inoa a hi om o mhmaking (and, i i aid, aual paie)

eena hi pimal momen, he zoni phenomenon in Haii an e aid

PHOtObyELIZAbEtHM

ALIst

Er

Fgu 5: Mua o so adng zonb on h wa o a Vodou mp.


16/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

471

o oninue he infiiing o eo hough he odil eenamen o hi-

oial memo (shaw 2002).

M huandan avowed eligiou non-elievewea ha a a

ouh, he wa apped on he houlde while walking down a oun oad

one evening a man om hi home village who had een uied ju ha

aenoon and wa eing huied pa wo ohe men. the wo iend

wih m huandwho looked and wineed he zoni, eame ik

wih high eve o eveal da. the wee aumaized hemelve, o

wee viim o a poion powde pa adminieed he paing o-

ee. thi om o phi and poliial eo i oada o he om-muni and made known a a kind o emi-puli ee. the ee i

oada in aie duing canival, when mall and o zoni de in

whie hee ehind a oee and paade he mh: he walking living

peoming he walking dead (ee Figue 6).

the impoan poin hee i ha he walking zoni hee make ae

plaing i endeed a monou om o aw lie hough a mial

ehnolog ha i alo a poliial punihmen. Edwidge Dania (2002),

in he ook on Jamel anival, eall ha a a gil, he one head aadio oadae announe ha a ew dozen zoni had een diov-

eed wandeing in he hill. Dania aun had no dou ha hoe zon-

i wee auall poliial pione who wee o menall damaged

diaohip-ponoed oue ha he had eome eihe az o

Fgu 6: toup o zonbs a canva n Jam, Ha, 2008.

PHOtObtKAtHErINEM

.sMItH


17/31


472

low (2002:69-70). the announe plea o amil meme o elaim

hee zoni wa a ap. Dania o highligh he wa in whih

mhmaking aou zoni an eve he inee o diaohip and ohemale-dominaed ee oieie. Highlighing i ue a a mholog o

lieaion, Kaiama Glove (2005) diue how Haiian wie ued he

zoni a a meapho in hei wiing aou diaohip and i dilemma,

oen eing he poenial o he zoni o awaken and eel. A living

nighmae o moden apialim, hi kind o zoni wih all he ee,

umo, and miaion o powe ha uound i, ememe and e-

peom he hio o enlavemen, a well a he apiali onumpion

and annialim o human odie and pii in onempoa Haii.

Apoayps and h rgon o Aman Zombs

Now wee going o move om he queion o he zoni in he Haiian

onex o a queion o a dieen ode: wha mean did he zomie

eome a Us Ameian, a i wee? Ohe have wien helpull aou

zomie mholog a i aken up eal Hollwood in caiean e-

ing, uh a in White Zombie (1932) and I Walked with a Zombie (1943).

the hoo o he Haiian zomie, o whie Ameian, wa he image o

he digued od di-poeed o i oul, will, agen, and hene

i ineioi and i ve humani. When e again chiian dualim

o od and oul ha plaed heologial pioi on he oul, hee e-

ligiou dieene wee eiing. Whie Ameian eame ainaed

wih zomie mholog and epodued i in wiing on Haii duing he

Maine Oupaion eween 1915 and 1934, uuall ovelooking i ovi-ou aiulaion wih lave, apialim, and poliial onol.11 Inead,

he zomie mh auhoized milia inevenion. Lanne Huon (1987)

wie aou how he zomie, along wih he annial paie ha wee

impued o e pa o Haiian ulue, eome he image o he Ohe

hough whih aaim ome o e he ign o he Haiian.

so eal Hollwood invied he New Wold walking ope o ake i

plae in he monou panheon alongide Old Wold gue uh a he

vampie, weewol, and gho. Fom he 1930 unil he 1960 and ill o-da, he zomie i nonmou wih a kind o aai aial lakne. bu

zomie image alo pin o in a oall dieen and ainaing dieion.

Fom he 1940 o he 1960, Hollwood podued a lew o ah

lm eauing a vaie o muaed, adioaive, o hid mone ha


18/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

473

wee emed zomie u had ail lile omulai oheene (ruell

2007). then ame Geoge romeo 1968 lm, Night o the Living Dead,

whih he oon ollowed wih Dawn o the Dead (1978) and Day o theDead (1985). Hi independen, low-udge ilog o Dead lm e he

em o he Ameian zomie hoo fik and mo pop-ulue zomie

image ine. conien wih he hioial paen o he hoo gene,

romeo lied he monou om i exoi eing in he caiean and

e i down quael in eveda Ameia, o luh and ampage i wa

ino he popula imaginaion. Alhough romeo epoedl did no hink o

hi eaue a zomie and he wod i ael ued in ohe lm aou

he avenou walking dead, om Nighton, he ii and he puli po-nouned he lael.12

sephen King wie ha hoo aie om a pevaive ene o die-

alihmen, ha hing ae in he unmaking (a ied in beal 2002:54). A

ohe ommenao have noed, romeo lm ae anti-ealihmen

paale aou he oupion and dea o he Ameian wa o lie.

Night o the Living Deadaak he nulea Ameian amil, paiah,

and aim; Dawn o the Deadaen i aenion on he deadening e-

e o ampan onumeim; and Day o the Deadoe an indimen

o miliaim and Ameian miue o iene and ehnolog. Viuall

all hola wiing on zomie lm eihe ake a Maxian eonomi and

onume udie appoah o he pin ou in Laanian em he lm

aje-monou phoanali opeaion. I wan o ini ha he Us

lm zomie anno e ull undeood apa om i meaning again a

e o deepl emedded moli uue ha, like he Haiian zoni,

ae a mae o eligiou hough.Now, wihin he naaive, romeo zomie lm ae e in a eula

ame, wih no eeene o an ohewold o o a upehuman oe.

Zomie ha had een eaed a oee in Haii now had an indee-

minae, uuall ieni auedu om Venu, adiaion, o an inex-

pliale viu. romeo viuall endeed he meapho o eaing anoh-

e lie oe. tha whih wa eligiou aou he pii zoni in Haiihe

a ha human pii live on eond deah in an inviile pa o he

omo and ha dealing wih he livingwa uned inide ou, like heHaiian ope zoni. the lm zomie i a ome human wih a od,

u no oul, pii, onioune, ineioi, o ideni. thi aove all

ha eome he ommon undeanding o zomie in onempoa

ulue. Zomie ae auonomou, u inapale o auonom. the ae


19/31


20/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

475

olleive hoad. Zomie (like Hoe Leviahan) ae omed o man

and o oie, and unleah hemelve on he wold o eleae hao

om wihin he logi o oie iel.Film zomie ae a olleive o hao mone heaening o deo

ivilizaion and ode in a eula enaio o wold deuion. Howeve,

he zomie apoalpe ei anien hao mone mhmaking

whee he heo o god ave he wold ghing he hao god and hu

eoe ode o he omo. In he zomie lm, ode i no eoed a

all. rahe, a mall ando oupleo uvivo, ome o elaive, on-

ingen and unea ae in a po-apoalpi enlave. the lm wok

aound he lai end-ime paadox ha he wold mu e deoed inode o i o e eon, and ime mu end in ode o hee o e a uue

(Pagano 2008:71). the lm all loe wih a geueu nohing like a ull

ealizaionowad a new eginning.

In ilial apoalpi, a pophei ee eveal a uue upue in

ime and pae, whih i pe-odained God. Apoalpe, emologi-

all linked o he wod unveiling, i a poe o evealing in he book

o Ezekiel, Daniel, revelaion, and ohe; he evelaion onve oh

he a o and he deail aou he uue divine ode. In he chiian

apoalpe o John o Pamo, he enie eah i deoed in ode

o ing aou God new heaven and new eah. bu he uvivo o

zomie lm eainl don manage uh ea o new eaion. the

lm poin ak o he viewe uue, a i wee, a a uue o violen

and haoi degadaion. sine no anenden gue ha pedee-

mined he apoalpe, i i human alone who have aued he end

and human alone who mu uvive i. thee i no judgmen da inhee apoalpe; judgmen i no inenal o he lm, u ahe elie

on he viewe ponounemen, aed on inepeaion(Pagano 2008).

Film zomie ae good po-moden mone, whih emege a el-

ullling popheie o modeni (Keane 2003:97).

ye he evealing o waning ha zomie mone oaion i no

divine evelaion u ahe a polii loaked in peudo-eligiou om.

Epeiall in he romeo lm, he evelaion i a ononaion wih he

inigh ha he lm viewe ae all zomie in he making. We ae all inmoal dange o eing made inhuman viue o eing onomi,

emp onume, auomaon, and annial. One lea meage o

mo po-romeo zomie lm i ha he zomie ae a logial eul

o he aim, oupion, geed, violene, and ohe faw ha alead


21/31


476

haaeize Ameian. Epeiall in Dawn o the Dead, in whih he

uvivo hele in a hopping mall, he paallel i dawn ha hell i e-

ing dammed o epea endlel he miake Ameian have made ahpe-onume, eeing ou own hopoalpe.13

Wheea zomie wee oen a a lak woke in he eal

Hollwood lm, he va majoi o romeo-owad zomie ae gued

a whie Ameian, and zomie lm heoe, ineeingl, inlude lak

men oen o We Indian deen. I i ineeing ha Pee, he lak u-

vivo/heo in Dawn o the Dead, oe a heologial explanaion o he

ghoulih upiing ha ee ak o Vodou in he caiean. I ome in

he om o widom om hi tinidadian gandahe, who wa ino all haOeah and Vodou. Aou he zomie, Pee a: thee u, ha all.

When hee no moe oom in hell, he dead will walk he eah. thi idea

anpoe Vodou o delive a pophei viion o chiian apoalpe. In a

eveal o he pomie peened he book o revelaiono he odil

eueion o he ain, who will e given pee odie ee o dieae,

in, and deahDawn oe he idea ha he zomie ae inne inhai-

ing hell, whih ha aked up and ovefowed like a ewe hough ome

kind o divine adiaion o ilial pomie.

tue o he lai paen o eligiou monoi, he and o u-

vivo who gh he hao mone ae deniion doing ale wih

ohene. Hee he ohe i a monou veion o he human, and o

like he chiian ina eween good and evil, he zomie mone i in

ina oppoiiono a lea in enionwih wha i human. I zomie

ae no demoni and heeoe no evil, wha peiel make hem mon-

ou and no-human? ceainl hei mindle, aaoni quali endehem upe. Gehen bakke ague ha one index o wha oun a

human in lm i a haae apai o a naaive weigh, o e

eehing wih o (2007:64). All we know aou mo zomie i ha

he wee ien and/o he died. One hing ha mak zomie au a

inhuman i peiel hei lak o naaive eigh a individual. Zomie

ae genei, he ae nohing exep no aliveemnan, emainde.

the main wa ha we know zomie ae no human i hei annial-

im, and hi i an ineeing wa he romeo zomie hme wih heHaiian ae. the geniu o romeo wa o gue he zomie a oh

aaoni and annial. romeo evoke a kind o peal emainde o

he caiean zoni eahing ak o hi ioni hioial gue o

aai ohene duing he age o onque and olonialim. reen


22/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

477

holahip addee he euing heme o annialim in eal Aian

and Ameian olonialim, eginning wih he em ue columu

in wiing aou naive o Hipaniola, now Haii. Poolonial hola e-deie how he Euopean onvined hemelve o he win a o

naive annialim and naive inhumani. Linked ao epeenaion

o Aian, Naive, and Jew, he annial wa a linhpin Ohe in he

Euopean imaginaion. the annial, wie Elpeh Pon, emind u

o ha whih anno e inluded in hepolis, he oial lie o man. ye i

ve exluion eve o dene humani (2000:88). the annial un-

ion in he neea plae o he monou ohe in he quai-eligiou

paadigm o zomie lm. Peel unann, he annial i he peeomehing human ouide humani.

Zombs, Mssahs, and ra

O oue, an eula apoalpe lm equie a human meiah heo

who will do ale wih he deah-eeking ohe ha heaen o deo

he wold. Zomie lm plo ene on he uvivo, who om a kind o

miliaii oune-inugen, u who ae weakened onfi and

powe uggle om wihin. b viue o eing he ulimae uvivo, one,

wo, o a ini o uvivo emege. Inoa a he oup he moli

plae o meiah in he naaive o apoalpe, wha i ineeing hee i

ha om he heo ben in Night, o Pee in Dawn (ee Figue 7), and John

Fgu 7: P wh gun nDawn of the Dead.

PrOPEryOFtHELAUrELGrO

UPAND

G

EOrGEA

.rOMErO

.rEPrODUcEDUNDErFAIrUsE

.


23/31


478

in Day, o roe Neville in I Am Legend, a enal male heo i lak, wo

o whom ae We Indian.

the end egin wih ben in Night, who a seven shavio wie ihe ole haae in he lm who i oh mpahei and apale o

eaoned aion... (1993:87). sel-poeed, die, logial, apale,

ben undeand he zomie hea and ake deiive aion o peeve

himel and he goup ha om happenane aound him in an aan-

doned amhoue. Hi ole i iking, oming in 1968 a i doe, in i

poaal o lak male leadehip and alm auhoi, a a ime when mo

lak male in lm wee peipheal a e, viioul eeoped a wo.

A whie man in he lm hallenge ben auhoi, u ben pevail andend up he lone uvivo o he zomie aak (up o a poin). Pee and

John in he nex wo romeo lm ae likewie olid, dependale, apale

lak men who aegize and gh hei wa o uvive he zomie ou-

eak. All hee make alliane wih he one whie woman in eah goup,

who alo make i o he po-apoalpe.

Will smih haae roe Neville in Legend i a iking example

o he lak male eula meiah.14 Neville i a onummae heo who

ha evehing: he a loving huand and ahe, dog owne, a Us Am

colonel, and Ph.D. in vio-iolog who i in pee phial, inelleu-

al, phologial, and moal ondiion. He ha hoen o a ehind in

Manhaan, houing I am no going o le hi happen, no onl o e-

ome he lone uvivo o an ineiou pandemi, u o gh o aaking

zomie, hele an emaining uvivo he an nd,andnd he ue o

he ineion o ave humani.

Wha an we make o he ineeing end ha ealihe zomie ahe mone lak men ae o vanquih? In he ueul zomie lm I

am onideing, lak men ae, like he pii o ome lave in Vodou,

one again mo eaiou. Moe han he whie in hee lm, lak

men ae exempla o moal peonhood. the all wok oopeaivel wih

he uvivo, he gh apal and ehiall, and he ae nie o he

women. Unlike he end in aion lm whee he lak haae ae

among he o e killed, hee lak men uvive viue o hei own

haae engh o ee a agile po-apoalpi uue.A polem hee i ha lak haae in maineam inema have

alwa een made o igni oh le and moe han hemelve. On he

one hand, we ge wha legal heoi thoma ro (1990:2) all lak

aaion, he eual o depi lak in an eal and vividl dawn


24/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

479

oial onex. On he ohe, lak haae oen amore meaning

han he pial individual haae when he ae made o igni lak-

ne in geneal, in addiion o i elaed aoiaion wih looene, ag-geion, exuali, and ohe eeope. relaed o hi, lak people

have long een deploed a mio ha help onu whiene in

Hollwood lm, a Judih Weieneld (2004:308) helpull noe.

so we migh wonde, in un, wha i i aou whiteness in zomie

lm ha he lak male meiah haae poin o. Hee, rihad De

(1988:44) make a ainaing agumen. blak in lm ae oen depied

a livel, muial, eligiou, a having moe lie han he whie aound

hem. Whiene, whih appea in maineam oie a nohing in pa-iula, i evealed in empine, aene, denial, even a kind o deah.

Examining he romeo lmand I hink we migh exend hi agumen

o ohe wok a wellDe ague ha lak in pop ulue ae oen

depied a having moe lie, and whiene epeen no onl igidi

u deah (1988:59).

De goe on o a ha In all hee [romeo] lm, i i ignian

ha he heo i a lak man, and no ju eaue hi make him di-

een, u eaue i make i poile o ee ha whites are the living

dead (1988:59, emphai added). Zomie ae ovewhelmingl whie in

romeo lm, and he mall minoi o Aian-Ameian zomie have

powdeed whieae. Ju a whie in oie ae odina looking, and

heeoe unmaked a whie, a nohing in paiula, o oo ae he zom-

ie. I whiene and deah ae equaed, oh ae uhe aoiaed wih

he UsA (De 1988:60). In all o hee lm, he violene o he zomie

aaophe ha killed he majoi o he populaion, oppled he goven-men a well a he media, and aued oie o eae unioning alo-

gehe. De ague ha Wha nall oe home he peiall whie

dimenion o hee zomie-Us link ae he wa in whih he zomie an

e deoed. the eall he lieal iique o whie a uled hei

head; a he adio announe a, Kill he ain and ou kill he ghoul

ine, i eem, zomie/whie ae nohing u hei ain (1988:61).

romeo and po-romeo zomie ae annial, and whie people and

zomie ae oh inaial deuive onume. bakke wie ha haa ha zomie ea in ode o epodueine in mo zomie lm

he zomie ie i wha pead ineionmean ha eaing i omall

and aiall anomaive (2010:414). Eaing and onumpion ae alo


25/31


480

wha make zomie epoduive and monou. Allegoiall, exeive,

ampan onumpion i wha make whie people whie and dead.

* * *A new aial logi eem o e unolding in aion lm podued ine

he un o he millennium. bakke idenie he emegene o a new a-

ego o whie in hee lm: zomie, vampie, he viu-ineed and

ohe o ohyperwhitesha i, whie ove-endowed wih adiion-

all whie haaeii (ulual a well a aial)have, ine he lae

1990, wamed he ig een... (2010:407-408). Zomie, a a u-

aego o hpewhie, ae exemplied he viu-ineed in I am

Legendand in28 Days Later. A bakke noe, he have lue ee, whie

kin o anluen ha lue vein how hough, ae haile, andlike

ealie lm zomiehave lile o no ulue o language. I i he hpe-whiene, and he deah he oh emod and pead, ha i deo-

ing human ivilizaion. And i i hi hpewhie apoalpe ha he lak

male meiah i alled upon o deo. bakke poin ou ha Neville in

Legendi auall a lak man inheenl immune o he viu, immune o

whiene, and ha In making (he lak man) ino he ivilizing agen he

lmmake un an old o aou olonizaion, avage, and kin olo

on i head (2010:424). In hee lm, he lak male meiah mu ave

humani om he afiion o whiteness (ee Figue 8).thi eading aie a nume o iial queion. I hi u-end o

lak male heo poagoni a pogeive one, a hee ole eaue

poiive and mpahei men who gh o (oningen) vio a he end?

O ae hee lak male heoe in whie-podued lm a new wa o

Fgu 8: An ind wh rob Nv (W Smh) nI am Legend.15

PrOPErtyOFWArNErbrOs

.PIctUrEsAND

WILLsMItH

.rEPrODUcEDUNDErFAIrUsE

.


26/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

481

whie ulue o ea he ohe in ell hook (1992) em, whee whie

pie up whie ulue onuming aial dieene? I i, a Hazel

ca (1992:3) ead muliulualim, a wa o ou one again on heomplexi o epone in he (whie) eade/uden onuion o el

in elaion o a (lak) peeived ohe? I whie lmmake aing o

lak men in he ole o he meiah ju aializaion in a new om, one in

whih lak, a pa o having moe lie, ae gued a moe eligiou?

We migh ompae he lak meiah o he pomoden ok haae

spike Lee ha emed he upe-dupe magial nego (Gonzale 2001)

in uh lm a The Green Mile (1999) and The Legend o Bagger Vance

(2000). In hee lm and ohe, a lak man wih magial qualiie ap-pea ou o nowhee o help a down-and-ou whie peon ealize hei ull

humani o aain a goal (colome 2002). Zomie-ghing heoe po-

e no magi, u he do union a apale helpmae o hei whie

allie. Inead o edeeming one ingle oken whie peon, he zomie-

ghing heoe ave (wha le o) all o oup o ineed humani. I

i poile o ead he lak meiah a an exaggeaion o he Magial

Nego, inoa a in zomie lm, lakne i gued a a peonied an-

idoe o he polem o whiene; and lak individual ae he plane

emediao, eie, and edeeme.

ye, agual, he lak male meiah zomie kille i moe ull hu-

man han he Magial Nego. thee lak zomie-kille ae no magial,

u ae odina, impee, and ju a ineeed in aving hemelve

a in aiing hei whie ompaio. Wha i moe, he whie man

doe no end up wih he (whie) woman in he zomie apoalpe. In all

he lm I onide hee, he lak male i paied wih he whie emalein he nal ene o he lm. sill, ju a he Haiian zoni mh mi-

e he eoim o lave and poliial violene, zomie lm diplae

and mi he eal hea o human uvival. Neihe nulea wa no

limae hange u ahe he walking dead will igge he apoalpe.

the lm oeloe he poiili o oganized, oopeaive eiane

(ine he majoi o he populaion i dead o ineed); inead, onl a

mall and o individual uvive.

An ineeing eaue o hee zomie lm i ha o ee o o woe,he zomie po-apoalpe i no onl lak. b he end o he lm (wih

he exepion o Night), he emaining uvivo ae he whie woman and

he lak man, and omeime ohe. Whehe uviving o a human

no uuming o he exeive onumpion o whiene, a in he


27/31


28/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

483

muliaial uue and a omeone wih peial powe and auhoi o

make i a eali. In quikl aing he umling, whie, John Mcain a

a zomie, he make o he ool Oama/zomie Mcain image oughAmeian zomie lm ino onveaion wih he damaiall unold-

ing peidenial ampaign. Mcain wa aoiaed wih he dead and

oup annialii poliie o he buh adminiaion, whih Oama

poee he naual ool o lao ju ignoe, unil he go awa.

Zomie mhmaking egan in Haiian olonialim a a ompliaed

engagemen wih lave and deah-dealing apiali omaion. In

whie Ameian ook and lm, zomie mhmaking eame aiu-

laed hough, and ino, a ign o lak aaim, onl o e-emegeeenl a a iphe whoe meaning ha o do wih he deah-dealing

qualiie o whiene iel. the zomie ha een pa-human, inhuman,

lave, evoluiona, annial, mone, deoe, and ha whih i i

moal o deo. Inoa a he zomie i a iphe, i an e a o om

an nume o meaning-e; i i alwa hiing igniaion and e

i an e aid o hin a omehing o he oiginal. Ae all, we all know

wha a zomie i. n

e n d n o s :

1Image on page 459 aeed om hp://heezuge.om/View/1184086272 in Ma 2010. Ue o imagein hi aile ae pemiion, o ae epodued unde Fai Ue a ipulaed seion 107 o he U.s.copigh A. see soie o cinema and Media sudie saemen o Fai Ue be Paie o Mediasudie Pulihing aeed om hp://www.mudie.og/?page=poiion_poliie on Ma 1, 2011.

2soe o new aile eeed o he ool o baak Oama and hi even empeamen houghouhe ampaign and ino hi peiden.

3thi diuion evii and expand upon an ealie aile (MAlie 1995). Fo hei ommen andenouagemen I would like o hank Jill Moowki and Welean cene o Humaniie ellow Gehenbakke, Andew cuan, Joe Fizpaik, Pee Gohalk, Jaon caige Hai, and Leia Pea, a well aEol Joue, chiina Klein, Nik Mahall, Piee Minn, roin Nagle, Kaheine M. smih, and Gina AhenaUle; a well a diuan ollowing i peenaion a he soie o he Anhopolog o religioninluding Paul c. Johnon, Paik Polk, Kae rame, Kaen rihman, and all he uden in m oueZomie a Ohe.

4I will ue he Kel pelling, zoni, when diuing he ehnogaphi paie o hough aou i in Haii,and zomie when peaking o idea and appopiaion o he gue.

5Aeed om hp://www.np.og/emplae/o/o.php?oId=100762999 on Fe 17, 2009.

6

And i goe onthe Univei o London hoed a oneene in sepeme o 2009 on Zomomodenim.7Even he emploed ae no making a living wage; in Augu o 2009 he minimum wage in Haii waraisedo $3.72per day, om ju $1.75. I i again hi akgound o aje pove and exploiaion ha onemu undeand he eligiou a in Haii. Poiioned apa om he oieie o evan o he piiin Haiian eligion, and woking alone o lien, oee like s. Jean union hough hei exluionom he nomaive paie o Vodou.


29/31


30/31

ElizabEth McalistEr

485

Deleuze, Gille and Flix Guaai. 1983. Anti-Oedipus: Capitalism and Schizophrenia. Minneapoli:Univei o Minneoa Pe.

De, rihad. 1988. Whie. Screen 29(4):44-64.

____________. 1997. White. New yok: rouledge.

Ehenein, David. 2007. Oama he Magial Nego. LA Times. Aeed om hp://www.laime.om/new/opinion/ommena/la-oe-ehenein19ma19,0,3391015.o on Ma 16, 2009.

Elli, Makman. 2000. The History o Gothic Fiction. Edinugh: Edinugh Univei Pe.

Glove, Kaiama L. 2005. Exploiing he Undead: the Ueulne o he Zomie in Haiian Lieaue.Journal o Haitian Studies 11(2):105-121.

Gonzale, suan. 2001. Dieo spike Lee slam same Old seeope in toda Film. In YaleBulletin and Calendar, Vol. 29. New Haven: yale Univei.

hook, ell. 1992. Black Looks: Race and Representation. boon: souh End Pe.

Huon, Lanne. 1987. Le Barbare Imaginaire. Po-au-Pine: H. Dehamp.

Keane, rihad. 2003. Strangers, Gods, and Monsters: Interpreting Otherness. New yok: rouledge.

Mao, J. Loand. 2007. Fee o be a slave: slave a Meapho in he Ao-Alani religion.Journalo Religion in Arica 37(3):398-425.

MAlie, Elizaeh A. 1995. A soee bole: the A o Magi in Haii. In Donald J. coenino, ed.Sacred Arts o Haitian Vodou, 305-321. Lo Angele: UcLA Fowle Mueum o culual Hio.

Moeau de sain-M, M. L. E. and Ameian Impin colleion (Lia o conge). 1797. DescriptionTopographique, Physique, Civile, Politique Et Historique De La Partie Francaise De Lisle Saint-

Domingue. Philadelphia: chez laueu.

Moion, toni. 1993. Playing in the Dark: Whiteness and the Literary Imagination . New yok: Vinagebook.

Ohoa, todd ramon. 2010. Society o the Dead: Quita Manaquita and Palo Praise in Cuba. bekele:Univei o calionia Pe.

Owal, conad. 2000. Amageddon a he Millennial Dawn. The Journal o Religion and Film 4(1).Aeed om hp://www.unomaha.edu/j/amagedd.hm on De 11, 2011.

Pagano, David. 2008. the spae o Apoalpe in Zomie cinema. In shawn MInoh and MaLeveee, ed.Zombie Culture: Autopsies o the Living Dead, 71-86. Lanham, MD: saeow Pe.

Palmi, sephan. 2002. Wizards and Scientists: Explorations in Aro-Cuban Modernity and Tradition.Duham: Duke Univei Pe.

____________. 2006. thinking wih Nganga: refeion on Emodimen and he Limi o OjeivelNeea Appeaane. Comparative Studies in Society and History48(4):852-886.

Pon, Elpeh. 2000. Carnal Appetites: Foodsexidentities. London: rouledge.

ro, thoma. 1990. the rheoial tape o rae: Whie Innoene and blak Aaion. Williamand Mary Law Review 32(1):1-28.

rouon, Kenneh. 2008. conjuing he Pa: slave and he Hioial Imaginaion in cua. AmericanEthnologist35(4):632-649.

ruell, Jamie. 2007. Book o the Dead: The Complete History o Zombie Cinema. sue: FAb Pe.

seaook, William. 1929. The Magic Island. New yok: Liea Guild o Ameia.

shavio, seven. 1993. The Cinematic Body. Minneapoli: Univei o Minneoa Pe.

shaw, roalind. 2002. Memories o the Slave Trade: Ritual and the Historical Imagination in Sierra Leone.chiago: Univei o chiago Pe.

shelle, Mimi. 2003. Consuming the Caribbean: From Arawaks to Zombies. London: rouledge.

tauig, Mihael. 1987. Shamanism, Colonialism, and the Wild Man: A Study in Terror and Healing.chiago: the Univei o chiago Pe.

thompon, roe Fai. 1973. An Aehei o he cool.Arican Arts 7(1):40-43, 64-67, 89-91.


31/31


thompon, roe Fai, Joeph cone, and Naional Galle o A. 1981. The Four Moments o the Sun:Kongo Art in Two Worlds. Wahingon, Dc: Naional Galle o A.

Weieneld, Judih. 2004. Pojeing blakne. In Hen Goldhmid and Elizaeh MAlie, ed.

Race, Nation, and Religion in the Americas, 305-327. bekele: Univei o calionia Pe.Wilon, Monia Hune. 1951. Wih belie and soial suue. American Journal o Sociology

56(4):307-313.

F o g n a n g u a g a n s a o n s :

Slaves, Cannibals, and Inected Hyper-Whites: The Race and Religion o Zombies

Keywords: Haiti, Vodou, zombie, cannibal, Barack Obama, race, magical negro

, , : : , , , , , ,

, , :

: , , , , , , Eavo, caniai, e o Hipe-bano Ineado: A raa e a religio do ZomiePaavas havs: Haii, Vodoo, Zomie, canial, baak Oama, aa, mgia negao

::

Slaves Cannibals and Infected Hyper-Whites_ the Race and Religi

Documents

Transcript of Slaves Cannibals and Infected Hyper-Whites_ the Race and Religi