Zombie

By Crusader1307

The term ''Zombie'' has many different origins. In it's original context, the term appears in heavy cultural usage on the Island of Haiti. Most of the island's population was descended from the slaves that were brought to live and work on the Spanish and later French Plantations. Some African influences appears to had been incorporated (meaning a belief in them probably started in Africa), The word first appears around 1818. The legend states that a person need not be necessarily dead to become a zombie. The use of black magic better known as Voodoo is the prime source of creating zombies. The goal of creating an undead was to make a servant to do all bidding without question. No will power existed. Almost catatonic in action, the appearance of being dead (or heavily sedated), may have been the first real description of a Zombie. Many myths involve a person becoming sick and appearing to die. Buried, they would resurrect (as a result of powerful mind controlling drugs and potions). As time progressed, Zombies would be given a more modern make over. With the advent of science-fiction, Zombies could be given a more realistic (and terrifying) storyline. In 1968, American Director George Romero made his cult-classic Night of The Living Dead. In this film, the recently deceased are re-animated via a crashed space probe. A space virus is let loose in the atmosphere with the end result of creating human flesh eating, undead monsters. This one film launched a new dimension to the word Zombie.

Time, better storylines and advances in makeup have turned Zombies into an apocalyptic main stream horror genre. Often involving some unknown virus, often the World is decimated and populated by these bloodthirsty creatures who have but one goal....to eat the living (those few survivors which always seem to be in the stories and movies). Further, the only way to kill a Zombie is by separating the head and or brain from the infected person. Also, if one is bitten by a Zombie in today's genre, he or she will soon turn into the Living Dead. Most Countries have some form of Zombie creature (either controlled by magic or some other form of supernatural force). Zombies have become so main stream now, they are even featured in their own Television show The Walking Dead based on a graphic novel of the same name.