Thousands of Haitians attend annual voodoo waterfalls pilgrimage

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Revellers strip off and jump into the water of the sacred waterfall in Haiti about 150 miles north of the capital Port au Prince 
Revellers strip off and jump into the water of the sacred waterfall in Haiti about 150 miles north of the capital Port au Prince 

Every year thousands of voodoo devotees seek fortune in the goddess Erzulie at a sacred waterfall in a bizarre ceremony. 
Many of the people strip off their clothes and stand beneath the flowing water while wishing away their bad luck and praying for a change in their luck, according to Dailymail. 
According to locals, the pilgrims save up for months in advance so they can pay the fare to travel the 150-mile journey from the capital Port au Prince and the waterfall. 

The pilgrims believe that the waterfall is home to the goddess Erzuilie who is able to grant them good luck and fortune
The pilgrims believe that the waterfall is home to the goddess Erzuilie who is able to grant them good luck and fortune
Haitian's believe that the waterfall is home to a powerful spirit who can dramatically improve the quality of their lives or their heath
Haitian's believe that the waterfall is home to a powerful spirit who can dramatically improve the quality of their lives or their heath
Some people from the desperately poor country spend many months saving up cash to enable them to pay for the pilgrimage
Some people from the desperately poor country spend many months saving up cash to enable them to pay for the pilgrimage

Some of the poorer revellers spend many hours walking to the area. Many throw their old clothes to the sky, a symbol of a past they want to leave behind. And some consult their hougan (priests) or mambo (priestess), owned by the loas (voodoo deities). 
Thousands of faithful, including children and pregnant women huddle under a waterfall for the bathroom of luck and invoked the Ezili Ewa figure, one of the main characters of the voodoo pantheon. 
 According to popular legend, in 1847 Erzulie Dantor, voodoo goddess of beauty and love, appeared on a tree, in this cascade, and began to heal the sick and perform miracles. 
Catholic priests saw this as blasphemy and ordered to cut down the trunk, erecting a few metres from a church in honor of the Virgin. 
Locals retaliated by camouflaging Erzulie in a statue of Our Lady of Miracles.
As part of the voodoo ceremony many of the faithful use a strong alcoholic drink called 'klerec' as well as offering food to the spirits.
In earlier ceremonies, women were encouraged to cleanse themselves intimately with a herb infused liquid.
Some of the revellers shake violently while performing although this could be partly due to alcohol consumption.
Childless women bathe in the waters if they want to be able to conceive, others petition the spirits in order to help a sick relative. It has been known for some people to call on the spirits to help them secure a Green Card so they could get into the United States.  
The pilgrims were giving praise to the goddess Erzuille who was believed to have appeared in a tree near the site of the festival 
The pilgrims were giving praise to the goddess Erzuille who was believed to have appeared in a tree near the site of the festival 
The men and women submerge themselves in the water in a process of the purification process according to locals
The men and women submerge themselves in the water in a process of the purification process according to locals
Even women dive into the waters and submerge themselves as part of the relatively bizarre voodoo ritual
Even women dive into the waters and submerge themselves as part of the relatively bizarre voodoo ritual
As part of the celebration, some of the revellers enjoy playing musical instruments and spend hours singing and dancing 
As part of the celebration, some of the revellers enjoy playing musical instruments and spend hours singing and dancing 
Some of the revellers act hysterically as they are plunged into the water and shake violently claiming to be possessed by the spirits
Some of the revellers act hysterically as they are plunged into the water and shake violently claiming to be possessed by the spirits
Some of the pilgrims believe that invoking the spirits will help grant them good luck, cure ill health or even help them get into America 
Some of the pilgrims believe that invoking the spirits will help grant them good luck, cure ill health or even help them get into America 
As well as singing and dancing, some of the people drink a strong locally sourced alcoholic spirit to help them talk to the voodoo gods
As well as singing and dancing, some of the people drink a strong locally sourced alcoholic spirit to help them talk to the voodoo gods
The voodoo followers believe that the waters are magic and can help them change their luck and improve their wealth
The voodoo followers believe that the waters are magic and can help them change their luck and improve their wealth
Some of the people cast off their clothes to symbolise the fact they are leaving behind all of their previous bad luck and are moving on
Some of the people cast off their clothes to symbolise the fact they are leaving behind all of their previous bad luck and are moving on
Some of the women wash themselves intimately with a herb-infused liquid in an effort to banish the evil spirits 
Some of the women wash themselves intimately with a herb-infused liquid in an effort to banish the evil spirits 
Some of the more adventurous pilgrims present try and climb up the 30-metre high waterfall which is 150 miles from Port au Prince
Some of the more adventurous pilgrims present try and climb up the 30-metre high waterfall which is 150 miles from Port au Prince
Locals believe that Ezrulie was spotted in in a tree in 1847 which was latter chopped down on orders by the local Cathoilic priest
Locals believe that Ezrulie was spotted in in a tree in 1847 which was latter chopped down on orders by the local Cathoilic priest.

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