The Revolution broke up the large land-ownings and created a society of small subsistence farmers. Haitians largely began living in "lakous", or extended family compounds, which enabled the preservation of African-derived Creole religions. These lakous often had their own "lwa rasin" (root lwa). Many Roman Catholic missionaries had been killed during the Revolution, and after its victory Dessalines declared himself head of the Church in Haiti. In protest at these actions, the Roman Catholic Church refused to recognise the republic and cut ties with Haiti in 1805; this allowed Vodou to predominate in the country. Many churches left abandoned by Roman Catholic congregations were adopted for Vodou rites, continuing the sycretisation between the different systems. The Roman Catholic Church re-established its formal presence in Haiti in 1860.