early zombies

Originally, ‘zombie’ is the African word for a conjured slave. Several West-African religions share the belief that a sorcerer can transform someone into a slave by stealing his memory, his awareness and his will. No rotting corpses involved – just an average guy, turned into a will-less slave.

In American slave times, this idea mixed with ancient European superstitions. For example, in New Orleans around 1800, white and black folks alike feared a 'zombie' that was said to haunt the streets. But the zombie involved had nothing to do with rotting corpses. It was the ghost apparition of a deceised French officer holding his head under his arm!

On the isle of Haiti, the word ‘zombie’ took another twist. In 1801, the Haitian slaves revolted and kicked the whites off of their island – interestingly, their leader was a conjurer-priest, Toussaint L'Overture, who promised his followers they wouldn’t die during the uprising.