Voice
"Being in harmony with the vibrant voice of Life within us leads us on a path of direct discovery, which is central to my itinerary of transmission and research."
Reaching back to the Myth
This research is conducted as a free investigation*- wild, in the purest sense of the word - The work itself is dedicated to recognizing the “experiential”, independent from any ideology, be it religious or secular. By virtue of its inner necessity, this approach doesn’t rely on any preconceived method.
I use the generic term “research” to define this walked path. Contrary to the scientific perspective of keeping the researcher at a distance from the object studied, my approach takes the risk of a personal involvement, enacted wholeheartedly and with all the resources of our mind, body, spirit and instinct. Direct experience becomes thus the axis of our unified understanding, channeling in a single impulsion our passion for living, being and knowing.
Poetically, I recognize this as a way of “reaching back to the myth”, beyond the limits of words, linear space-time, mundane shells and reassuring familiar references.
Vivance de la Vie* *
Initially, my only notions of Vodou came from overheard stories, from the streets, from my family, or from bookish interpretations as well as from the fear induced by Vodou’s reputation of black magic, zombies etc. Inevitably, these views informed the image I had of this cult.
Nonetheless, every time I would hear the sound of ceremonial drums, the immediate response in my body as a child, was a primal feeling that could not be simply explained or reduced to static representations.
Later on, it was probably this perception in my body, the personal experience generated by the drums that would become the foundation of my interest, which grew proportionally to the complexity of my chosen field of exploration.
My encounter with Haiti’s popular Vodou was pivotal for me. It questioned my assumptions, shattered my certainties and revealed a religious art endowed with a singular disposition to transmit the sense of the “Vivance de la Vie”. No particular notion could appropriate this perception, naturally arising from a certain quality of presence. In this multifaceted world I could progressively recognize pathways. I was learning to reach toward practical tools that would better resonate with my initial motivation. The songs and some movements (such as the yanvalou) became my most precious instruments for exploration; through their efficient subtlety, they helped me train in a quest set to the unknown.
In the image of the “Grand Life” itself, order and chaos, decadence, dignity and beauty baroquely coexist in the Afro-Haitian Vodou. This disconcerting mix can bring about suspicion and fear and is partly a result of the wounds that syncopated Vodou’s history with persecution, forced secrecy and misery. Despite the many trials, the cult of Vodou was able to maintain, in its essence, right where discordances are overridden, the main characteristics of ancient religiosity. Its intent being to take us back, through unifying experiences, to the original dimension of existence.
For those who can distinguish the inner light of phenomena, Vodou remains the ancient art of celebrating the original might of life, through dancing and singing rituals. It calls forth a certain pulsation within us and a longing for expression: the vibration of joy, the ecstasy of existing, the state of spontaneity, the experience of intimacy with the secrets of the universe, the amazement; these are the subtlest expressions simultaneously touching on the source and the finalities of human existence, in the vital and spiritual dimensions at once.
Transmission – Transposition
Today, everyone has the technological ability to access quickly all the music and all artistic productions in the world; this fact touches up to the most primitive ritual forms, influencing how they are consumed, and changing their very reality. These practices are intended to last through time, therefore questions arise: How can we keep these practices alive? How can this universal potential be actualized in the living experiences of young researchers, willing and prepared to receive its message?
“Transmission” in this context, is understood as the art of honoring the essence of phenomena. Therefore, creating the conditions for a subtle exploration of the ritual roots of art proves to be a methodological challenge that hinges on the Intangible.
Such a transposition has to be carefully built, through intuitive advancements. Even with the best of intentions, we can easily fall into making a caricature of the original practices, if we lack the necessary clarity on what is at stake. Hard to avoid, the pitfalls are linked to the attraction for frivolous exoticism, to the irresistible pressure of westernization on all traditional cultures, to the widespread confusion in the way most spiritual practices are “used”. All these factors are obstacles on the way of a joyful ascesis, fertile and impersonal, of giving and receiving.
An approach resting on all that can be directly learnt from Life could be an ingenious path towards the development of an independent artistic conscience.
Maud Robart
* This investigation comes from my free relationship with songs; it is a personal need, pure and not dictated by any professional interest, objective or strategy.
** Vivance de la Vie: It’s life’s smile blossoming within. It’s the ecstasy of existing.
