The concept of zombies has lurked in folklore and legends since time immemorial. Across various cultures stories of the deceased making a return from the beyond have persisted for ages. Nevertheless the contemporary notion of zombies as we perceive it presently springs from Haitian folklore and the Vodou religion much like a seed taking root in fertile soil.
In Haitian Vodou zombies are perceived as reanimated corpses under the command of a bokor a sorcerer. Unlike the flesh eating zombies depicted in movies these individuals are ensnared and compelled to toil as slaves. Employing a blend of herbs powders and rituals the bokor fabricates and regulates the zombies.
In 1929 William Seabrook published The Magic Island which holds the earliest written account of zombies in Haitian folklore. During his journey to Haiti Seabrook an American journalist and adventurer fully immersed himself in the local culture. He documented his experiences with Vodou and vividly described the process of creating zombies.
Seabrooks book brought the concept of zombies to a wider audience and it didnt take long before it grabbed the attention of filmmakers. In 1932 the first zombie movie White Zombie was released. Victor Halperin directed the film which starred Bela Lugosi and featured zombies brought to life through Vodou rituals.
However the turning point came in 1968 with the release of Night of the Living Dead by George A. Romero birthing the contemporary representation of zombies. These zombies were not mere puppets of a sorcerer but rather resurrected bodies driven by an insatiable appetite for human flesh. This movie not only set the benchmark for the zombie genre but also cast a long shadow influencing a myriad of subsequent movies TV shows and books.
Zombies have firmly embedded themselves in modern culture with their presence felt across various forms of media including the Resident Evil gaming series and the widely popular TV show The Walking Dead. Their relentless pursuit of the living continues to capture the imagination of audiences making them a perennial favorite.
Zombies believe it or not have quite the origin story. It all goes back to Haitian folklore and the Vodou religion. But wait here’s the kicker the first ever documentation of zombies can be traced to William Seabrooks book The Magic Island which hit the shelves in 1929. And before you know it these flesh eating creatures shambling into the entertainment industry through movies shaped into the terrifying beings we know today.
