Christopher M. Moreman: The dark history of zombies

The dark history of zombies

Zombies have a distinct lineage— one that traces back to Equatorial and Central Africa. For three centuries, African people were enslaved and brought to the Caribbean Islands. There, a religion known as vodou developed, along with the belief that a person's soul can be captured and stored, becoming a body-less zombie. Christopher M. Moreman uncovers the true origins of the undead. [Directed by Kaspar Jancis, narrated by Addison Anderson, music by Salil Bhayani, cAMP Studio].

Zombies originated in Equatorial and Central Africa, where beliefs about spirits and the afterlife shaped early ideas of the undead. When enslaved Africans were brought to the Caribbean, these traditions merged with colonial Catholicism to form Haitian vodou, which saw zombies as tragic figures condemned to labor even after death. After the US occupation of Haiti, Western pop culture twisted the zombie narrative, erasing its roots and recasting the zombie as a flesh-hungry monster. Early films like 'White Zombie' shifted sympathy away from the victims, recasting the story for American audiences.