THESE incredible pictures capture the "supernatural" energy of the Haitian people in one of the poorest and most dangerous places in the Western Hemisphere.
Voodoo priests can be seen painted in white and sacrificing bulls in bizarre Haiti rituals with creepy dolls.
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A voodoo priest plays the role of a spirit during a ceremony SundayCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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The "Hounfort", the small temple of Voodoo Renè, a young Voodoo priest Renè who is 22 years oldCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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The greatest Haitian voodoo festival, attracts thousands of faithful every year. Cedric, 36 years old and lives in Port-au-PrinceCredit: Paolo Marchetti
The snaps were taken by photographer Paolo Marchetti in Cite Soleil - a city now largely in the hands of armed gangs.
Entitled "Noble Fire of Ancient Slaves", the series shows the conditions of Haitian society dealing with extreme poverty and the devastation caused by natural disasters following decades of ruthless dictatorship.
Voodoo has been a recognised religion since 2003 and is practised widely across Haiti.
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A voodoo priest possessed by an healer spirit during a collective ceremonyCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Sacrifice of a bull to the spirits asking for a favor. Paris terror. Raid on home of the attacker Haiti voodooCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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The head of a bull sacrificed for a grace of healingCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Voodoo dolls in the "Hounfort" - a small templeCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A voodoo priest possessed by an evil spirit during a collective ceremonyCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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The greatest Haitian voodoo festival, attracts thousands of faithful every year. Cedric, 36 years old and lives in Port-au-PrinceCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A collective ceremony inside a Voodoo family, the most important of the district "Soleil Quatorze"Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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A participant in the races battle between chickensCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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A member of Bois-Neuf gang inside their lair. Chimeras are still active today, a political tool of control, or simply made up of common criminals are gangs fighting a war between districts.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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Jacson, 20 years, sleeping in his shack. He belongs to the gang so called Bois-neufCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Pictures of Pascal 10 years old, accidentally killed last year during a shootout between gangs in Warf Jeremie districtCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Franz, 26 years old, He belong to the gang of Ti-Haiti. He is discussing with a member of a gang ally in the neighborhood of Waff.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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Port-au-Prince.Guys are spending time on the streets in Ti Haiti, one of the most dangerous district in Citè SoleilCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Pouchon 24 years old, is relaxing inside Maurice’s carCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Aristide 16 years old is working in the smithy of his father. In Cite Soleil joining a gang is often the most likely choice.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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Franz (right) and Wilner, 26 and 22 years, belongs to the gang of the ghetto named Boston from one year and few months.Franz has lost his brother last year killed by an opposite gangCredit: Paolo Marchetti
It has developed since West African slaves were brought to the island in the 17th century and were forced to practice Catholicism.
The slaves adopted saints to coincide with personalities in African religions.
Participants believe that spirits come to visit during the rituals by taking possession of individuals and speaking and acting through them.
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Waff, northest ghetto in Citè Soleil, december 2011, Port-au-Prince.Members of local gang. Raymond 23 years, brother of Emmanuel Wilmen the last boss of his gang, dead during the earthquakeCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Sanige Jourdain, 63 years old, she lost his son 2 years ago killed from Chimere during a clash between gangsCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Warf Jeremie, the commercial harbor of Port-au-Prince, july 2010Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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"Le Champ" (The field), the unofficial cemetery in Cite Soleil - The grave of Willy, the historic leader of one of the most powerful gangs armed by President Aristide in the 90sCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Warf Jeremie, the commercial harbor of Port-au-PrinceCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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In Cite Soleil, 80 per cent of the ruins of the devastating earthquake of 2010 have not yet been removedCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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St. Ford, 33 years old. He is a former member of the gang in his neighbourhood. is practically impossible to get out of gangs once inside but for internal agreements to the gang was allowed to have only the role of informant and facilitator between the various districts.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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Inside Wilner’s shack. He is 23 years old, He is the leader of his gang called Soleil noir (black sun). Wilner in his shack in Belencourt district.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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"Le Champ" (The field), the unofficial cemetery in Cite Soleil do. This is the field where historically the bandits were buried.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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Ti-Haiti, one of the 9 districts of the Cite Soleil neighbourhood. One of the most tense of all Port-au-Prince. Paris terrorCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A child is eats a fruit close her homeCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Citè Soleil is a large district of PaP and is divided into nine big districts and many smaller ones, the so-called sub districtsCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A man spins a chicken in the air, sacrificing to the spiritsCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Cite Soleil is one of the seven municipalities of Port-au-Prince. This area is considered by the UN as one of the poorest and most dangerous in the Western Hemisphere. Here, there's the largest landfill in Haiti, a slum named Warf Jeremy, the final frontier of humanity for the Haitian people.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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On the Haiti’s largest landfill, Here, there's a slum named Warf Jeremy, the final frontier of humanity for the Haitian people. Marcell 62 years old, she lost her son durino a clash between gangs in Waff district.She is also a voodoo priestess and she teaches to youngers of her family, the voodoo tradition.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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From all over Haiti, prayers on the trail of mud leading to the cathedral of Saut d'eau. it is said that 85 per cent of Haitians are Catholic and 100 per cent voodoo engageCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A Voodoo priest during an healing riteCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A man cries after having celebrated a riteCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Claudine 27 years old sitting in front her shackCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A slum named Warf Jeremy, the final frontier of humanity for the Haitian peopleCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Luisien, 19 years old, who belongs to the Soleil quatorze gang from almost four yearsCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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Wilner, 23 years old, He is the leader of his gang called Soleil noir (black sun). Wilner in his shack in Belencourt district.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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Claude 18 years old, He is illiterate and a member of the gang of Ti-Haiti, one of the most dangerous district in Citè Soleil.Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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A boy is having a shower inside his house destroyed by the huge earthquake in 2010Credit: Paolo Marchetti
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A Voodoo Priest during a cerimony in his own templeCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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A woman feels sick after receiving a healing ceremonyCredit: Paolo Marchetti
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