Zombies have become a part of our popular culture, both as a symbol of the undead and also as menacing creatures in their own right. And if you are looking for a specific theme for your Halloween party, you certainly can’t go wrong with Zombies! But where did the concept for these scary, flesh eating creatures originally come from?

It has been said that zombiism originates from Haitian voodoo with the word ‘zombi’ meaning ‘spirit of the dead’. Bokors, as they were known, dealt with black magic and became fascinated with resurrecting the dead.

According to legend, family or community members would seek out Bokors to turn someone into a zombie. Often the reason for seeking out the Bokors would be something as insignificant as a member of their family or community annoying them! By turning that person into a Zombie they would no longer have to put up with that person’s annoying ways!

When a Bokor took on the task of zombiism they would feed the targeted person a powerful powder mixture called coup padre. Once taken, the coup padre would create the appearance of death on the victim, and they would in turn be buried by the public as if a corpse. This mixture would not actually kill the person, but massively slow their heart rate and breathing pattern. The Bokor would then dig the body from the ground, and resurrect the spirit of the dead. However, the person’s memory would be swept away and they would be turned into a mindless being, under the full control of the Bokor.

Through this ritual people became zombies, a creature with no free will, consciousness or cognition ... in other words an animal. This stemmed the fear of what these mindless animals could do and so the story evolved, making them a fearful and terrifying creature. A creature we know and recognise today. In fact many recent horror films zombies have been used as a symbol of consumerism.

If you are thinking of dressing up as a Zombie this Halloween, then why not read our Zombie Fancy Dress Costumes Ideas guide. If you are looking for another theme, check out our selection of Halloween party costumes.