Chicken Sacrifices

     Voodoo is an animistic Religion and due to that, the sacrifice of animals is almost expected. Unfortunately for our tasty friend, the Chicken, this just means another religion that sets people out to kill him. Although chickens are regularly sacrificed in other religions, why does that doom the chicken to a similar fate in Voodoo?

Chicken (From the Delicious Truth)

     First of all, I should mention that, in most cases, it is the blood that plays the role of the offering to the Loa that the, now dead, chicken has been sacrificed for. However, there are some exceptions where the Loa is satisfied with either chicken eggs or cooked chicken meat. Nonetheless, chicken blood is the most common offering. Also, another important thing to note is that chickens are the almost unanimously preferred animal to sacrifice among the Loa. Be that as it may, there are some Loa who are said to absolutely despise chicken meat, blood and so on. Offering a chicken to these few Loa would be insulting to them and would ruin the ceremony and idea of making a sacrifice completely (I'm sure chickens love these Loa).

     Once a sacrifice has taken place, the Loa is said to appear and take possession of the worshiper who then responds to the spirit possessing him/her. Possession can have several benefits. Feeling the will of the Loa, gaining confidence, counselling, etc. At the ceremonies end, the Loa leaves the worshiper who turns back to normal.    

     Anyway, besides being the preferred sacrificial animal, chickens also have something that is very powerful in Voodoo. Their feet! Chickens feet can be used in gris gris, made into talismans, used as charms, etc. Chickens feet serve as objects that ward off evil. Bad news for chickens everywhere.
     For those who may consider this (sacrificing chickens and chopping off their feet) an unsanitary practice, fortunately, the Loa hate waste. Because of this, precautions are met before a sacrifice takes place. Oddly enough, the process is usually fairly clean. The temple or area in which the sacrifice occurs must be clean and disease free and the knife (or other instrument) being used to kill the animal must also be clean.
     Unfortunately, I was unable to find voodoo chicken sacrifice on Youtube... But I found one from West Africa! PETA members probably should refrain from watching. Yes they do behead the chicken, there goes the head at 2:14. And no, I have no idea what's going on before or after.