Serving the spirits and saints: recently declared an official religion, Vodou embodies Haiti's unique cultural and political milieu, while borrowing substantially from Catholic tradition.

• Author: Regan, Jane

The pounding rhythms of the water, tumbling from high above the tree-ringed ravine, mingles with shouts and shrieks of joy, fragments of prayers and songs. Sunlight dancing off the drops of sweet-scented mist thrown into the air by the falls' force nearly but not quite obliterates the tiny flames of candles clutched by pilgrims praying on the cliffs overhead.

The air is thick with sanctity.

"When a holiday comes around, if you're a real Haitian, if you aren't and evangelical, you show up," affirms Estime Augustin. He is standing in whorls of water, just one man surrounded by thousands of praying by thousands of praying, swooning, singing pilgrims.

Any July 15 and 16 he can make it, August comes from Miami to the sacred Saut d'Eau waterfalls and nearby Ville Bonheur for the first of three major Vodou-Catholic pilgrimages that every July draw tens of thousands from around the country and around the world to pray or to beg, dance or to keep a promise.

All of Haiti's towns fete their saint days, but some have massive celebrations because their patrons--who to many Haitians are Vodou spirits, or Iwa--are thought to have power to heal, to enrich, or to bring good luck. In a country where the average income is less than US$250 a year, where unemployment and illiteracy are growing, and the local currency, life expectancy, and agricultural production are falling, that power means a lot.

And so, for the last two weeks of July, the trucks hauling produce carry extra loads: parties of worshipers clothed in the colors of the spirits they are honoring, singing and chanting as they balance on top of bags of yams and bunches of bananas.

In 1883, Catholics say Our Lady of Mount Carmel appeared on a palm frond near the Saut d'Eau falls, while Vodouist will tell you it was the dark skinned Erzuli Dantor. Whoever it was, the local French priest said the appearance and claims of miracles were blasphemous and chopped down the tree. But still pilgrims came.

Finally, the hierarchy bowed to pressure and built, a church, hoping to co-opt a budding cult at its roots. But the parallel worship of Mary and Erzuli Dantor only grew as it mingled with the worship of deities at the falls, probably dating back to the island's indigenous people and their veneration of underwater spirits.

While a friend carefully holds his calabash bowl full of herbs and soap, Augustin takes off his shirt. To his right, perched on a rock in the middle of the torrent, a mambo, or priestess, administers an herbal hath. To his left, an old man tries to keep his balance as he holds candies and a rosary aloft in outstretched hands, his face tamed towards the heavens.

"The Haitian cultures has something very different from other cultures," Augustin explains. "We serve the spirits. We serve Vodou. And if you serve Vodou, you have an extra force with you."

He takes the calabash and slowly breaks up the leaves of lemon grass, basil, mint, and other herbs.

"These all have names. This is called 'Capable.' Do you know what Capable means? It means you are king You have strength," he says. "Everything you want to do, you can do it, because you have a spirit with you. In the U.S. the money says 'In God We Trust.' Well, here we believe that, too, but we know that behind God, you'll find the Vodou spirits."

And with that, Augustin climbs over slippery rocks through the wafts of warm, moist air scented with toilet water and herbs and joins the hundreds of nearly naked men, women, and children crowded inkier the rushing pounding water.

"Oh Our Lady! What can you do for me? I have nowhere to live! I owe everybody!" exclaims a woman who practically falls on top of Augustin as he goes by.

After the purifying "good luck bath," bathers hurl their old underpants into the ravine and put on new ones so they can start the year afresh.

From time to time a man or woman is possessed. The Christian God, whom Vodouist also believe in and call "Great Master," is worshiped from afar, but Vodou spirits--intermediaries between man and God--are close by and often inhabit or "mount" their devotees in order to give, advice, express displeasure, or extract promises.

Writing, eyes flashing, a woman is consumed by the serpent spirit Dambala, said to inhabit the falls. She tumbles...