Editing West African Vodún (section)

===Offerings and animal sacrifice===
[[File:Voodoo Ceremony in Abomey.jpg|thumb|right|An animal sacrifice at a shrine in Abomey, Benin in 2004]]

Vodun involves animal sacrifices to both ancestors and other spirits,{{sfn|Landry|2019|p=61}} a practice called {{lang|fon|vɔ}} in Fon.{{sfn|Landry|2019|p=53}} Animal species commonly used for sacrifice include birds, dogs, cats, goats, rams, and bulls.{{sfn|Rosenthal|1998|p=49}} There is ample evidence that in parts of West Africa, [[human sacrifice]] was also performed prior to European colonisation, such as in the [[Dahomey]] kingdom during the [[Annual Customs of Dahomey]].{{sfn|Landry|2019|p=176}}

Typically, a message to the spirits will be spoken into the animal's ear and its throat will then be cut.{{sfn|Landry|2019|p=54}} The shrine itself will be covered in the victim's blood.{{sfnm|1a1=Rosenthal|1y=1998|1p=43|2a1=Landry|2y=2019|2pp=54, 61}} This is done to feed the spirit by nourishing its {{lang|mis|acɛ}}.{{sfn|Landry|2019|pp=55, 61}} Practitioners believe that this act maintains the relationship between humans and the spirits.{{sfn|Landry|2019|p=61}} The meat will be cooked and consumed by the attendees,{{sfnm|1a1=Rosenthal|1y=1998|1p=43|2a1=Landry|2y=2019|2pp=55, 61}} something believed to bestow blessing from the {{lang|mis|vodún}} for the person eating it.{{sfn|Rosenthal|1998|p=50}} The individual who killed the animal will often take ritual precautions to pacify their victim and discourage their spirit from taking vengeance upon them.{{sfn|Rosenthal|1998|pp=43, 52}}

Among followers in the United States, where butchery skills are far rarer, it is less common for practitioners to eat the meat.{{sfn|Landry|2019|p=62}} Also present in the U.S. are practitioners who have rejected the role of animal sacrifice in Vodun, deeming it barbaric.{{sfnm|1a1=Landry|1y=2015|1pp=190-191|2a1=Landry|2y=2019|2p=62}}