Bruce, while the article surely describes the enduring presence of cockfighting in the U.S. and worldwide, I'm not sure how it negates the possibility of voodoun practices here in our community. This entire area is now home to people from all over the globe -- look at the number of W. African churches within just a few miles of RP. As Sue (i think) pointed out, there is a shop in Langley Park that caters to the voodoun believers. Certainly there's a large Caribbean population here as well. Heck, there's even quite a few displaced New Orleanians here as well, post-Katrina. Despite the best efforts of Homeland Security or whoever else would try to bar the entry of all their beliefs and practices from their own homeland (tongue in cheek) i doubt that it's working. I, for one, have no idea if this is cockfighting or religious practices that is resulting in dead chickens on our RxR tracks (though I am swayed by Sue's argument -- why waste the candy if it's just waste product from a cockfight?), but I see no reason to dismiss the possibility of either one, until we get further evidence, or help from someone with better knowledge of these things.
<br><br>Parenthetically, I wonder if our local Railfans have ever witnessed the disposal of these giftbags while hanging out at the train station?<br><br><div><span class="gmail_quote">On 9/26/07, <b class="gmail_sendername">
<a href="mailto:bruce.wernek@mindspring.com">bruce.wernek@mindspring.com</a></b> <<a href="mailto:bruce.wernek@mindspring.com">bruce.wernek@mindspring.com</a>> wrote:</span><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
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<p>I still think it's cockfighting. There's has been a tradition of cock fighting in the US until fairly recently. </p>
<p>Voodo, get real, this isn't Jamaica. See link below</p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockfight" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cockfight</a><br><br><br></p><div><span class="e" id="q_11542487a4f1d44f_1">
<blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(0, 0, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 0px;">-----Original Message----- <br>From: Paul Richards <br>Sent: Sep 26, 2007 9:30 AM <br>To: <a href="mailto:bruce.wernek@mindspring.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
bruce.wernek@mindspring.com</a>, TownTalk <br>Subject: Re: [RP TownTalk] Chickens theories <br><br><b><i><a href="mailto:bruce.wernek@mindspring.com" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">
bruce.wernek@mindspring.com</a></i></b> wrote:
<blockquote style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); padding-left: 5px; margin-left: 5px;">Please..........voodo? </blockquote>
<div>Sure. Why not Voodoo (or Voudoun, as it is properly known outside of Hollywood movies). You are aware that the Hyattsville area is home to a number of groups that would be labeled as Pagan or "alternative" religions by mainstream Christians, yes? I've actually attended many rituals in Hyattsville with the Becoming group (
<a href="http://www.becomingdc.org/" target="_blank" onclick="return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)">www.becomingdc.org</a>) who practice Wiccan style Witchcraft. They are quite a nice bunch of average people you wouldn't look at twice if you saw them walking down the street.
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<div>More on Voudoun:</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The pantheon of Vodoun spirits is called the Loa, from the Yoruban word meaning "mystery." The Loa are similar to Christian Saints with a special function or task they patronize. Many Voudoun altars have images of saints along with items like pictorial votive candles. All in all, it's not that different from many religions practiced commonly in many area churches.
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<div><br>There are dozens of spirits who are worshiped, some more commonly than others. In addition to each being the patron of a specific responsibility, the Loa have favorite colors, drinks, cigarettes, foods, flowers and animals. In Voudoun ritual, the purpose is for the participant to make contact with the spirit energies, to gain their favor by offering gifts and making sacrifices. This gained favor is for abundance, good health, or higher standards of living.
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<div> </div>
<div>A chicken placed at a crossroads with candy could very well be a specialized offering to Papa Legba, the Loa of the Crossroads. It's his task to open the door to the spirit world. His sacred day is Tuesday.</div>
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