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Title
Erol Josué interview
Date(s)
- July 13, 2011 (Creation)
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Interview with Erol Josué, a healer, houngan (Vodou priest), and performer who has been called the “Prince of Haitian roots music.” This interview took place before Josué returned to Haiti for the first time since 1996, in order to initiate his brother and sister to “take up the asson,” the term for taking on the vows of a houngan or mambo (priestess). Josué explains the reasons for returning to Haiti for the ceremony, which carries importance throughout the Diaspora. As a travelling musician, he observes how different cultures view Vodou culture. In Guadeloupe, for instance, promoters choose to not to market him as a “Vodou priest,” but rather as a “big priest.” In some Caribbean cultures, like Martinique, fans express curiosity about his religion and beliefs. Interviewer: Kevin Mason Miami, FL