Let's begin with a rundown of four basic zombie types (this is from http://ourzombiflix.com). These are terms I'll use throughout the blog. There are sub-types like hip-hop and hillbilly zombie but let's keep it to the basics.
There are a few different sources of zombie mythology. The first, and most common, is from Haiti which has a history of revolts against violent slave owners. Both native Haitian and African slaves found comfort in voodoo rituals which are the basis for most zombie movies made from the 1930s to the1960s.
- Classic - Original voodoo zombies. Trance, non flesh-eating, walking dead, satanic, automaton. (non-contagious)
- GAR - Dead, rotting, flesh-eating, (contagious). GAR = slow, shamblers and non-GAR = fast, sprinters
- Infected - Rage, alive, homicidal/suicidal. (contagious)
- Mutant - Animal contamination, chemical, transformation.
As the story goes, a Voodoo priest would bring a dead body back to life (sans soul, intelligence, speed, and apparently the ability to blink) using potions. The reanimated body or "zombi" would then be under the control of the priest. In actuality, this was a person brought out of a drug induced coma, never having really been dead at all. Some speculate that a tetrodotoxin from the puffer fish was a common ingredient in the potion used to induce this comatose state. The tetrodotoxin causes paralysis, slows breathing, and essentially shuts the body down which would easily fool a doctor into believing the victim is dead. This process was known as zombification, and left open the possibility of the "deceased" being dug from their grave and brought back to life.
The US occupation of Haiti during WWI, visits by explorers such as William Seebrook ("The Magic Island"), and the overall increase of world travel exposed the United States to the Voodoo religion and specifically the zombie lore with which it is associated. Of course, many of these accounts were exaggerated, if not wildly inaccurate, and were perfect source material for the up-and-coming horror movie genre.
The second, and less commonly known source, is the draugr from Scandanavian and Norse mythology of the middle ages. The draugr is a lot more violent than the classic voodoo zombie and was known to kill humans and/or feast on their flesh and blood for no particular reason...just to be jerks, I guess. More specifically, the draugr lived in the graves of dead vikings and would emerge after dark to terrorize their random victims. If you're into fantasy, this is right up your alley. Many stories like Lord of The Rings have a basis in Norse mythology.
While the Haitian "zombi" is widely accepted as the main source for zombie stories, I think a very strong argument can be made that the draugr gives historical relevance to zombies as violent flesh eaters.
