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Zombies In American Culture

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In our modern society, zombies are prevalent in many forms of media, including: movies, TV shows and video games. The contemporary representation that we currently know zombies to be are mindless, carnivorous beings that are unaware of their actions. Usually, they are perceived to be large masses of slow moving, flesh eating individuals that ravage all forms of organic life in their way. As discussed in lecture, the idea of a zombie first originated in Africa. The etymology of the word itself, “zombie”, is derived from the “Kongo word for soul – nzambi” (McFarlane, 2017). African slaves brought to Haiti in the 17th and 18th century to serve as plantation workers were heavily involved with the idea of practicing Vodou, a religion based on West African beliefs and Christianity. Within this mixed religion, the idea of an afterlife for the individuals involved in its practice believe that there are two ways of dying: naturally and unnaturally. …show more content…
However, when an unnatural death (murder, accidents) occurs, the individual is noted to be unable to join their ancestors in the afterlife. In fact, these individuals are suspected to linger at their grave, vulnerable to becoming a subject of a Boko, or powerful sorcerer that exploits these lost souls for their own benefit as eternal slaves. Additionally, the Boko can administer a potent neurotoxin to an individual that is currently living to diminish their normal functionality to a baseline, vegetative state where they under the rule of the sorcerer until they are set free from their

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