The history of the New Orleans Vampire Association – WIAT – CBS42.com

NEW ORLEANS (WGNO)New Orleans is the paragon of diversity.A few subcultures exist below the radar. One close-knit community has ties thicker than blood.There are close to 100 known-people in New Orleans who practice drinking human blood.

Belfazaar Ashantison is the founder of the New Orleans Vampire Association and defines vampirism as a physiological condition, where the person who has it, is lacking the ability to create specific energies needed to get through daily events, like getting up out of bed, getting dressed and going to work.

Belfazaars friends call him Zaar for short.According to NOVAs website, there are different types of vampires.Some drink blood, some are sexual vampires that feed of sexual energy and others are harder to describe.However, Belfazaar says vampires are all around us and congregate in specific spots in the city such as Fritzelsbar off of Bourbon street. However in order to party with them in most cases, a secret password is required.

I am whats called a sanguine vampire. I am a blood drinker. I do have donors. I dont chase people down, says Belfazaar.He drinks blood on average two to four time a week. Hell consume anywhere from two to six ounces each feeding and says, I usually make a cut on the backside of the shoulder and I make sure they go home with enough bandages and Neosporin. Anything could happen.

In a city prominent with sexually transmitted diseases, theres a lot that can happen and just like these vampires, the dangers of infection are real.

Every three months, my donors and I get tested. We all get tested together so we can keep each other abreast of situations, Belfazaar said.

Vampire stories have existed in New Orleans for as long as the citys 300 years, including the infamous story at the Ursuline convent.As it is, the stories are here to stay and make up one of the many distinctive and unusual ways in which our city is like no other.

They live among us, says Zaar, we are all around you. I know some that teach. I know some that are in churches. I know some that are in restaurants and some that work in bars.

In case you are wondering how NOVA formed, it was created in 2007 to help feed the homeless after hurricane Katrina.You can find them at Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas in Jackson Square passing out food.

Perhaps you are curious?You can quench your thirst for information here.

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The history of the New Orleans Vampire Association - WIAT - CBS42.com

Reviewed and Recommended by Erik Baquero