The 2010 Haiti earthquake and zombie narratives in humanitarian media

Record summary

After the January 2010 earthquake, international reporting and popular commentary sometimes revived associations between Haiti, Vodou and zombies, while Haitian religious practitioners and scholars challenged sensationalized portrayals. The Haitian zombi is a complex concept with regional, religious and historical meanings that cannot be reduced to the modern horror monster. This lead allows comparison of disaster reporting, colonial stereotypes, religious representation and folklore adaptation. Researchers should examine Haitian-language sources and Vodou scholarship rather than relying only on English-language journalism or film imagery.