Voudoun / Characters

The various loa (also called lwa or loi) spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. There are over a thousand loa existing, with at least 232 which have been historically worshipped and recorded. There is only a single true God in the Voudun pantheon, and the lwa are intermediaries between him and the mortal world: they have distinct, multifaceted personalities, like the Greek gods, but are considered more like the equivalent of angels.

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Bondye

Bondye, also known as Gran Mèt (Grand Maître), is the supreme creator god in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. Worshippers believe Bondye was responsible for creating the universe and everything in it, and that he maintains the universal order. They nevertheless deem him to be transcendent and thus inaccessible to humans, who must instead interact with spirits called loas.

Have You Seen My God?: Bondye is abstract and so distant like the Abrahamic God that he doesn't ever interfere in the lives of mortals. That is why Voodoo practitioners worship the loa spirits instead.
Top God: He's of the Creator variety, the whole universe is his creation.

Loa Nations/Nanchons

Nations or nanchons are significant groupings of lwa/loa, representing the traditional ethnic origins of the modern Caribbean population. The exact number of loa nations may vary depending on the location, region, and beliefs, but many sources mention there to be seventeen in total. Among these, the most well-known lwa nanchons are Rada and Petro, followed closely by Ginen, Kongo, Ibo, Nago, and Wangol nanchons. In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, the nanchons are a Specifically Numbered Group, known as the 21 Divisiones.

It can get complicated as these categories are not fixed due to variations in practice and traditions in different parts of Haiti and the Caribbean. The lwa noted in these character pages may belong to a fanmi/family, a subdivision representing different aspects and ethos. Erzulie for example is a name of a lwa but may be represented by Freda (a Rada lwa) or Dantor (a Petro lwa) or La Sirene (sometimes a Kongo lwa). Even the categories used to refer to each lwa may differ. Some spirits may be served as members of different nations as traditionally classified.

Rada Nation

The lwa from the Rada nation are associated with coolness, heritage, benevolence, and understanding, originating from the Dahomey nation in West Africa. The name 'Rada' comes from 'Allada' which was once a major religious city in Benin. The religion practiced there would eventually have a great impact on Haitian Vodou. Members include Erzulie Freda, Damballah and Papa Legba.

Tropes related to Rada Nation as a whole include:

Benevolent Precursors: The Petro and Kongo lwa.
Color Motif: White and blue
Elemental Personalities: Rada lwa are described as "cool, reflective, and serene" due to their links to water.
Good Is Not Nice: Many of the Rada fall into this. They will kill to punish but not to the extent to the Petro lwas.
The Heart: The Rada lwa are usually represented as cultural memories from West Africa and are seen as more approachable and wise.
Morality Pet: As the older and wise lwa, they serve as this.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Blue oni to the Petro's red, being the cooler and slower spirits compared to the Petro lwa.
Sweet Tooth: The Rada lwa are usually regarded as dous or doux, being sweet-tempered and are served with offerings that are sweet in taste.
White Is Pure: As their color motif suggests.

Petro Nation

The lwa of the Petro nation is a diverse, eclectic group of spirits ranging from small inland Kongolese deities to Haitian revolutionary heroes, warlike priests, maroons, and indigenous gods and goddesses of the Tainos and Arawaks. The Petro spirits are commonly seen as fiery, vengeful, and quick to take action. They are powerful and demanding, ready to enact punishments if not properly worshiped. The founder of this nation is believed to be Jean-Philippe Pedro, an eighteenth-century Vodou priest. More recent scholarship suggests that he and the entire Petro Nation are inspired by Kings named Pedros who ruled the Kingdom of Kongo. Members of this nation include Erzulie Dantor, Kalfu, and Gran Bwa.

Tropes related to Petro Nation as a whole include:

The Almighty Dollar: Many of them extends their purviews over money and commerce.
The Dreaded: Many of them are.
Elemental Personalities: Being associated with the element of fire, the Petro lwa are described as "hot-blooded, passionate, and dangerous."
Good Is Not Soft: Petro lwa are noted to be Haiti's fiercest protectors and guardians.
Hot-Blooded: Noted to be more passionate lwa.
La Résistance: Many of the powerful Petro lwa are associated with the Haitian Revolution.
Magically-Binding Contract: Petro lwa offers their service in exchange for a proper deal. Consequences are dire for those that break such a promise.
Power at a Price: Petro lwa offer quicker solutions to pressing problems than the Rada lwa but as noted in the trope above, there is always a price.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: Many Petro lwa have the name, "Je-Rouge" or "Red Eyes."
Red Is Violent: Noted as such, as the Petro lwa's color motif is red. Petro lwa are also treated more with caution as they are prone to Hair-Trigger Temper if a devotee fails to properly propitiate them.
Red Oni, Blue Oni: Red oni to Rada's blue, being the more fiery and ferocious spirits compared to the Rada.

Gede Nation

The lwa of the Gede Nation (also called Guede, Ghede) are lwas linked to life and death. They are connected to the spirits of the deceased and cemeteries. The Gede are considered gods of the common people and have their origins in Haiti rather than Africa or Europe. There is also a possibility that they were inspired by the Freemasons. The Gede are celebrated on Fèt Gede, Haiti's Day of the Dead. Some famous members include Baron Samedi, Papa Gede, and Maman Brigitte. The Trope Maker for Borrowin' Samedi.

Tropes related to the Gede nation include:

Animate Dead: Many of the Gede spirits will either ward off desecration of corpses from evil sorcerers or aid them in exploiting the dead.
At the Crossroads: They are found between the crossorads of the dead and the living.
Badass in a Nice Suit: The Barons and some Gede spirits are depicted with old frock coats and tophats being based on undertakers and funerary directors.
Beware the Silly Ones: While the Gede may crack dirty jokes and perform very sexually charged dances, they do not take kindly to being insulted. Many of them are noted to have powerful control over life and death.
Blow You Away: Baron Loray/Gede Loray is a female lwa associated with the winds and storms.
Borrowin' Samedi: Trope Maker, Baron Samedi's popular depictions in Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Hoodoo inspired many of the characters represented within this trope.
The Captain: Captain Zombi (Kaptenn Zombi) or Captain Gede is the guardian of recently deceased souls, sometimes associated with Baron Cimetiere.
The Casanova: Many of the male Gede spirits relentlessly pursue women, especially mortal women. Erzulie Freda will not come to any processions involving a Gede spirit.
Composite Character: Many of the Gede have mysterious origins, tracing back to otherworldly deities worshiped by Taino and Arawak people of the island and European saints.
Dark Is Not Evil: The Gede nation is associated with death and cemeteries but are noted to warm, fun-loving and amicable.
Dem Bones: The Gede are sometimes portrayed as skeletal. Also qualify as Friendly Skeleton.
Don't Fear the Reaper: While being spirits associated with death, they are pretty light-hearted and crass towards their devotees.
Enigmatic Empowering Entity: Certain Barons work with sorcerers to dig up graves and enslave corpses as zombis.
The Ferryman: The Gede guide the deceased spirits to Ginen.
Fertility God: The Gede are associated with life as well as death. They are also deities associated with human fertility and sexuality.
Friend to All Children: The Barons may be crass or rude but they are kind to all children and are particularly sympathetic to children who are ill.
Fun Personified: Many of the Gede are noted to be a fun-loving, rambunctious and vulgar bunch, compared to the more aloof Rada and the fierce Petro.
Healer God: Many of the Gede, such as Baron Samedi and Baron Cimetiere are also healers and are acutely aware of medical and herbal knowledge.
Punctuality Is for Peasants: Usually are the last to arrive to a ceremony.
Touch of Death: The Barons and other Gede spirits are noted to have such a skill.

Kongo Nation

The lwa of the Kongo Nation are sometimes considered a subset of the Petro, but they act independently from them. These spirits originally come from the Kingdom of Kongo, which is now located in modern-day northern Angola and southern Democratic Republic of the Congo, as well as parts of West and Central Africa. Major lwa from this nation include Simbi, Grand Bois, and Marinette.

Modern popular words such as 'zombie' come from the Kikongo word "nsambi" (a deity or a spirit) or "zumbi" (sacred object, a fetish), which was adopted into Haitian Creole vocabulary as "zombi" or "zonbi." The lwa of the Kongo Nation are celebrated on the Day of Kings.

Tropes related to Kongo Nation include:

Liminal Being: Many of the Kongo spirits can also belong to either Rada or Petro, despite the two nations usually not intermingling with one another. A particular example of this is Simbi Anbezo, literally titled, "Simbi in Two Waters." Many of them also blur the barrier between the world of the spirits and the physical world as nature spirits.
The Dreaded: They are seen as powerful and frightening spirits, not evil but intimidating.
Nature Spirit: Many of the Kongo Nation spirits are associated with the natural landscape, such as forests, streams, lakes, and swamps.
Water Is Womanly: Averted. Many of the Simbi in the Kongo Nation are water spirits who are male.

Individual Lwas/Loas

Damballa & Ayida-Weddo

Damballa, also known as Damballah, holds significant importance as a loa in Haitian Vodou, Louisiana Voodoo, and other African diaspora religious traditions. Depicted as a powerful white serpent, Damballa originates from the city of Whydah in present-day Benin, where he was worshiped as "Da," the world serpent. He is revered as the Sky Father and the original creator of all life, either directly or as the first creation of Bondye/Gran Met. Some Vodou societies believe that Damballa shaped the cosmos using his 7,000 coils to form the stars, hills, and valleys, while others see him as the conduit through which creation occurred. When Damballa sheds his serpent skin, it brings forth the earth's waters, symbolizing the connection between land and water. Due to syncretism with Roman Catholicism, Damballa is associated with either Saint Patrick or Moses, and he is considered a benevolent, wise, and peaceful deity who transcends human struggles. Despite being unable to speak due to his serpent nature and age, he may produce whistles or hissing sounds.

Damballa's connection to Ayida-Weddo varies depending on the Vodou society, with some considering her as his wife, and others as his sister. Additionally, certain traditions depict Erzulie Freda as his mistress.

Ayida-Weddo, also known as the "Rainbow Serpent," is a loa associated with fertility, rainbows, wind, water, fire, and snakes. Variants of her name include Aida-Weddo, Ayida-Wedo, Aido Quedo, and Aido Hwedo.

Barrier Maiden: Damballah holds up the pillars of the universe.
Demoted to Extra: Ayida-Weddo has a reduced significance in Haitian Vodou compared to her role as the creator of the world in the traditional Fon religion.
Fertility God: Ayida-Weddo and Damballah are both associated with all growing things.
Good Shepherd: Due to his age, Damballah is associated with spiritual guidance, love, and serenity.
Grandpa God: In his humanly depictions, Damballah is an elderly, wise figure, through images of Moses and Saint Patrick.
The Great Serpent: Damballah is depicted famously as a snake and used his coils to form the heavens and shape the landscape of the world. Ayida-Weddo is a rainbow serpent who in older African traditions, separated the Earth and the Sky.
Healing Serpent: Damballa and Ayida-Weddo are both associated with health, longevity, and magic.
Hermaphrodite: The serpent Damballa and Ayida-Weddo represents both masculine and feminine energies. They are usually one and the same.
Life Energy: Damballah and Ayida-Weddo are associated with life and creation.
The Maker: Damballah and Ayida-Wedoo both wield the Power of Creation and are responsible to creating the world as it is today.
Nature Spirit: Both spirits are identified with the natural landscape.
Patron Saint: Associated with Saint Patrick, who ironically drove snakes out of Ireland.
Rainbow Motif: Ayida-Weddo is called the "Rainbow Serpent."
Snakes Are Sinister: Averted, while they are primal and could be dangerous when provoked they are otherwise considered benign.
White Is Pure: When Ayida-Weddo shows up in rituals, she's dressed in white cloth with a fancy jeweled headdress. Vodouisants offer offerings based on her sacred color, like white chickens, white eggs, rice, and milk. Her favorite plant is cotton.

Baron Samedi

Baron Samedi, also known as Baron Saturday, is a prominent loa in Haitian Vodou. He holds the title of the loa of the dead, and there are several other incarnations associated with him, such as Baron Cimetière, Baron La Croix, and Baron Criminel. Baron is depicted by Saint Martin de Porres, who is notable for his partial African ancestry and being one of the first Catholic saints born in the New World, as well as being the patron saint of mixed-race people.

As the head of the Gede family of loa, Baron Samedi is joined by his brothers Azagon, Zaina, Lacroix, and Baron Piquant. He is the husband of Maman Brigitte. Together, they assume the role of guardians, protecting the past, history, and the cultural heritage of their people.

Abhorrent Admirer: The Baron is one to Erzulie Freda.
At the Crossroads: Like Legba, he is a lwa related to the crossroads.
Beware the Silly Ones: Baron Samedi may be noted as less serious than most of the loa but he has incredible powers over death and life.
Borrowin' Samedi: The most well-known of the loas in popular culture that many pop culture references are made to resemble his appearance. It is said that Francois Duvalier utilized Baron's image to create his cult of personality and fashioned his personal guards, the Tonton Macoutes in a similar style. As a result of his associations with death and rebirth, Baron gets Sadly Mythcharacterized as an evil or a malicious villain rather than an affable, party-loving spirit.
Cigar Chomper: Always depicted with a cigar.
Color Motif: Black
Dark Is Not Evil: Baron Samedi, Papa Guede and the whole rest of the Guede family of death loa, which tends to be a bunch of people who really enjoy... for a lack of a better word, living. Papa Guede himself sits down and listens to your entire life story.
Deity of Human Origin: The Barons were the first man who ever died and ascended to become the loa.
Don't Fear the Reaper: Though a spirit associated with death and funerary rites, Baron Samedi is known and loved by many due to his relaxed and fun-loving personality.
Friendly Skeleton: Baron Samedi is a spirit of fertility, mirth, death, and life. He is claimed to be a Friend to All Children and is the protector of those that have departed from this world.
Fun Personified: Identified with drunken debauchery, obscenities, and frivolity. His appearance is said to bring laughter, joy, and delight.
God Couple: With Maman Brigitte.
Hard Drinking Party Guy: Noted with a huge fondness for rum.
Healer God: Summoned in ceremonies to heal the sick, especially children and is the last resort to call upon for those suffering from a terminal illness.
Magical Guardian: Associated with deceased children and has a noted sympathy and fondness for them.
Patron Saint: Associated with multiple saints, Saint Majella, Saint Expeditus and Saint Martin de Porres.
Psychopomp: Papa Guede, or Baron Samedi, is the first man who ever died. Because his approval is required to allow souls into the afterlife, he can also return people to life if their time hasn't come. Therefore, followers of Voudoun frequently call on him to intercede on behalf of loved ones who are near death.
Sharp-Dressed Man: Depicted usually well-dressed with a top hat and tail coat, similar to how a corpse would dressed for burial in Haiti.
Undertaker: Baron Samedi and those in the Gede family are associted with funerals, death, and its inevitability. He is dressed like an undertaker too.

Maman Brigitte

Maman Brigitte (English: Mother Brigitte, Haitian Creole: Manman Brijit) also known as Gran Brigitte, Grann Brigitte, Manman, Manman Brigit, and Maman Brijit, a Gede lwa and the consort of Baron Samedi in Haitian Vodou. She drinks rum infused with hot peppers and is symbolized by a black rooster. Those possessed by Maman Brigitte lie silent and on the grounds as if they are dead. She is a very old black Haitian woman but rarely is depicted as a White lady, usually from Scotland or Ireland. In her illustrations, she is identified with Saint Rosalia, who is usually depicted as a young woman, sometimes holding a skull, and a spray of lilies. Sometimes, she's Mary Magdelene. Contemporary depictions sometimes try to link her to Saint Brigid of Ireland.

Animal Motifs: Black roosters.
Canon Immigrant: It is assumed that the figure of Maman Brigitte came from Ireland or Scotland.
Color Motif: Black, purple and red.
Cool Old Lady: Maman Brigitte is older than most lwa and is usually portrayed as an aged woman (Gran Brigitte) who guards ancestral history, heritage, and legacy.
Dem Bones: Like Baron, Maman Brigitte is depicted as a skeletal spirit or a pale, shrunken corpse.
Don't Fear the Reaper: The Haitian goddess of love and death, like her husband above. To quote God Checker:
"She is so chatty and full of jokes that it's fun when she escorts you to the Underworld."
Lwa of the Dead: As a Gede lwa, Maman Brigitte is the first gravestone dedicated to a woman in the cemetery grounds.
Mama Bear: Known as the Mother of the entire Ghede family. With Baron, according to Metraux, she has three children, General Jean-Baptiste-Tracé (General Jean-Baptiste the Outliner) who ‘outlines’ the periphery of graves, General Fouillé (General Dig), who digs them, and Ramasseur-de-Croix (Collector of Crosses). All associated with aspects of gravedigging.
Third-Party Peacekeeper: Called upon by those with interpersonal conflict.

Baron Cimetière

Baron Cimetière (Haitian Creole: Bawon Simitye) is the guardian of the cemetery, part of the Gede Nation. Along with his brothers, Baron Samedi and Baron La Croix, they are either one and the same. Baron Cimetière is associated with the first male who died and had a gravestone erected for him. As the guardian of the cemetery and its gates, he prevents defilement of corpses and resurrection of cadavers as zombi.

The Archmage: He forms a triad of powerful users of magic and herbalism, along with Kalfu and Grand Bois.
Cultured Badass: Noted to be a sophisticated and sharply-dressed spirit.
Don't Fear the Reaper: While being spirits associated with death, like the other Barons, Baron Cimetière is very affable and approachable to those in his services.
Guardian Entity: As the protector of the cemetery. Recently deceased mortals are also his wards.
Psychopomp: He receives the spirits from Baron La Croix.

Baron La Croix

Baron La Croix (Haitian Creole: Bawon Lakwa), is one of the Guédé, a loa of the dead and sexuality, along with Baron Samedi and Baron Cimetière in Vodou. He is syncretized with Saint Expeditus. Baron La Croix is always known as azagon lakwa, known for his uncanny ability to see far and anticipate certain actions. A not so known fact is Baron La Croix is Baron Samedi's brother or his alternate form. It's unknown which spirit is older but they are indeed related.

At the Crossroads: Like the recurring theme of Vodou spirits and crossroads, La Croix is associated with the spiritual intersections between life and death.
Duality Motif: As the spirit associated with life and death. He is also served with two types of coffee, one sweetened and the other bitter, possibly representing this recurring motif.
Lwa of the Dead: As the guardian of the gravestone, he is a powerful spirit who guards the death.
Interplay of Sex and Violence: The Voodoo spirit of death is also the spirit of sexuality... in addition to being a great healer. If he decides not to dig someone's grave, they'll recover... instead of simply not actually dying.
Voodoo Zombie: Allegedly creates them if he is displeased or called upon by sorcerers and other users of witchcraft.

Papa Legba

Papa Legba is a lwa in Haitian Vodou, who serves as the intermediary between the lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guineé, and is the ultimate omniglot. Legba facilitates communication, speech, and understanding, allowing Vodouisants to understand the actions of the loas. He is commonly associated with dogs. Papa Legba is invoked at the beginning of every ceremony to allow the spirits to pass through. Papa Legba has his origins in the historic West African kingdom of Dahomey, located within present-day Benin.

He is portrayed by Saint Peter, usually due to the saint's role as the guardian of The Pearly Gates or Saint Lazarus or Saint Anthony.

Angel Unaware: Appears at the crossroads at the dead of night, perhaps to assist or assail. He appears in the world in the most humblest of forms, a wandering vagrant with a straw-pipe and a stray dog.
Animal Motif: Dogs, roosters.
At the Crossroads: Voodoo in particular has a fascination with the crossroads as symbolism. Papa Legba is the lwa of the crossroads that serve as the boundary between the living and the dead. Kalfou, his evil side is also associated with them.
Composite Character: Legba in Haitian and Caribbean religions, comes from the Fon trickster spirit, Legba but took on multiple aspects on different West African deities, such as Yoruba Eshu Elegbara and Igbo Ekwensu.
Disabled Deity: It is common to depict Legba as an old man on a crutch, dressed in rags, chewing on a pipe with a knapsack slung over his shoulder. In honor of Legba, ounfos and altars may display crutches. Because of this, he is also known as Legba-pied-cassé or Legba of the Broken Foot.
Gag Penis: The Fon Legba is noted to be virile, horned and phallic.
Gate Guardian: He stands the spiritual crossroads and gives the permission to humankinds on whether they can commune with the spirits of the world.
God of Light: Legba is sometimes associated with sunlight, daytime and dawn.
Grandpa God: Usually depicted as aged and elderly.
Guile Hero: Associated with trickery and communication, known for his great eloquence.
Jack of All Trades: Legba is associated with many things, communication, translation, fate, luck, knowledge, wisdom, fertility, healing, clarity, and the sun. He is invoked first before any other loa due to his powers over the barrier between the loa and humankind.
Night and Day Duo: Day to Met Kalfu's night.
Staff of Authority: Holds a staff that he uses as a crutch. The crutch is literally the Axis Mundi of Haitian cosmology, the poto mitan (poteau mitan) connecting the world of the spirits to the world of humans.
Translator Buddy: Associated with translation and language, opens the gates by which the loa can commune with mortals. If displeased, he may scramble communication to prevent proper messages from the spirit world.
Trickster God: Legba is capable of beguiling and enjoys playing tricks on mortals to create confusing messages and answers when beseeching the loa for aid.
You Can't Fight Fate: Legba knows the destinies of all. In his sack, he dispenses fates of all living things and distributes it to all of humankind.

Erzulie Freda

Erzulie Freda (Ezili Freda, Ezili Freda Daome, Metrès (“Mistress”), Bèl Fanm) is the vain and flirty lwa of love, beauty, luxury, and fragrance from the Ezili/Erzulie family of lwa, who are all associated with womanhood and femininity. Erzulie Freda is a passionate spirit, known for her unpredictable moods, ranging from the height of joy to the depths of misery. When she mounts (spiritually possesses) a follower during a ceremony, they go from coquettish and seductive to crying to sleep, weeping for the limitations of love and longing for true love. Though Erzulie Freda and Erzulie Dantor represent different aspects of Haitian womanhood and social life, they are said to be sisters with a long and bitter rivalry between them.

She is syncretized with Our Lady of Sorrows (the Virgin Mary as suffering mother) or with Our Lady of Lourdes.

The Almighty Dollar: Called upon for prosperity and wealth.
Always Second Best: Some interpretations of her marriages characterize her as this. Damballah is married to Ayida-Weddo and Agwe to La Sirene.
Cain and Abel: Has an intense rivalry with her sister, Erzulie Dantor. It is said that Freda scarred Dantor's face with her knife who in turn, pierced Freda's heart.
Color Motif: White and baby pink.
Head-Turning Beauty: A lwa associated with love and sexuality, draws people to her wherever she goes.
The Hedonist: Enjoys material pleasures and is served by many gifts.
Hot Goddess: The representation of beauty and desirability in Caribbean culture.
Immortality Bisexuality: Those whom she possesses will flirt and attempt to seduce anyone, regardless of their gender.
Love Goddess: She is the lwa of love. She is sometimes portrayed as a tragic romantic ideal that most people have reached but will never be satiated by.
Madonna Archetype: Erzulie Freda is depicted by Mater Dolorosa, with her common depiction of her heart being pierced by knives.
Outliving One's Offspring: Erzulie Freda's child with Ogou Badagri, Urzule/Ursule is said to have been Lost at Sea. In other songs, this is the reaosn why Grann Ezili (Granny Erzulie) is in mourning.
Prone to Tears: When the harsh reality of life hits her, Erzulie Freda ends her ceremonies with tears in her eyes, crushed by heartbreak and disappointment.
Proud Beauty: Noted by some to be vain and haughty. She is pleasure-loving and prefers extravagant gifts from her devotees.
Really Gets Around: A lwa associated with love, sexuality, and flirtation. Erzulie Freda has three rings for each of her husbands, Damballah, Agwe, and Ogou. Though most note her to be The Mistress archetype than a wife.
Signature Scent: Freda prefers perfume as offering.
Water Is Womanly: Freda is associated with cool freshwater.
Woman Scorned: Erzulie Freda can be volatile and is quick to anger if she is scorned or displeased.
Wide-Eyed Idealist: Erzulie Freda is an idealist who chases after romance and true love. She sees the world as beautiful and pleasant.

Erzulie Dantor

Erzulie Dantor (Erzulie Dantò, Erzulie D'en Tort) is the loa of motherhood, protection, and power. She is the guardian of the Haitian people and is associated with the revolutionary spirit and courage. She was said to have first appeared in the Bwa Cayiman ceremony where Haitian freed slaves swore an oath to drive out the French slavers. She is an independent goddess, beholden to no Loa or mortal. She usually serves as a foil to Erzulie Freda, contrasting Freda's rich and extravagant lifestyle with her austere and simple life.

She is portrayed by images of Black Madonna, most famously the Black Madonna of Częstochowa or Saint Barbara Africana or Jeanne D'Arc.

Ambiguously Gay: Some Vodouisants speak of her as gay, attracted to women.
Action Mom: She is extremely protective of her children and will go to battle for them. She is said to have participated in the Haitian Revolution.
Blade Enthusiast: Devotees possessed by her are given knives to hold.
Cain and Abel: Has an intense rivalry with her sister, Erzulie Freda. It is said that Freda scarred Dantor's face with her knife who in turn, pierced Freda's heart.
Color Motif: Black, red, and blue.
Deity of Human Origin: A lwa who was once a Haitian revolutionary.
Determinator: Erzulie Dantor struggles as she toils and protects everyone but is said to never give up. What she gives her followers is said to be the power of survival and endurance.
Foil: To Erzulie Freda, her sister and the lwa associated with love and luxury. Dantor is not wealthy as Freda but makes up for it by her association with the common people and hard work to feed her children.
Hot-Blooded: Erzulie Dantor is considered to be a spirit that is often wild, over-bearing, aggressive, and very difficult to deal with.
The Juggernaut: In her role as the spirit associated with liberation, power, and might.
Madonna Archetype: Erzulie Dantor is associated with Our Lady of Mount Carmel, or the black Madonna, like Mater Salvatoris.
Mama Bear: A fierce guardian of all children, especially those orphaned, abandoned, or abused.
Mother Goddess: Of Haiti itself. Her colors, blue and red are associated with the Haitian flag.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: In her form as Erzulie Ge-Rouge, she has bloodshot red eyes, filled with rage from injustices of the world. In this form, she is so livid that her blood vessels are popping.
Rugged Scar: Every Scar Has a Story as her scar on the face comes from her conflict with Erzulie Freda or from her time as a Haitian revolutionary.
Small Role, Big Impact: Erzulie Dantor is said to have made an appearance during the ceremony at Bwa Kayiman, inspiring Haitian slaves to cast out French slavers and seek freedom, sparking off what would be the first successful revolution of slaves and would go on to inspire other abolitionist movements across the Atlantic.
The Speechless: According to certain accounts, Danto was originally a slave who had her tongue forcibly removed when she tried to alert other slaves to impending danger. Others say her tongue was cut off by Ogou or other slaves to prevent her from revealing secrets. Now, the devotees she possesses speak in a strained sound.
Struggling Single Mother: Dantor works hard to support her daughter, Anais, a child she had with Ogou and is portrayed as a single mother. She is the guardian of struggling women.
Unstoppable Rage: When Dantor is angered, she cannot be easily calmed or appeased.
Water Is Womanly: Played with, Erzulie Dantor is not specifically a water goddess but has a sacred waterfall, Saut-d'Eau (Kreyol: Sodo) dedicated to her.
War Goddess: Associated with revolutionary ideals and fight towards liberation.
Working-Class Hero: Associated with the Haitian working class. She is known to be the protector of children and the marginalized.

Anaisa Pye

One of the most popular spirits in Dominican Vudű is Anaisa Pye, a Metresa, a member of the Erzulie family. She is the spirit of love, joy, wealth and prosperity, known for her charisma and generosity. In some legends, Anaisa Pye is the daughter of Erzulie Dantor, Anais. However, in others, she is said to be based on the Taino cacica, Anacaona from Xaragua. Due to that, she is considered a part of the Indios division, consisting of spirits from Taíno Mythology. Anaisa is represented with the image of St. Anne, the maternal grandmother of Jesus Christ where the saint is teaching her child, the Virgin Mary, the scriptures.

The Almighty Dollar: Known to be a generous spirit identified with bringing wealth, prosperity, and fortune to those that serve her.
Color Motif: Yellow.
Fun Personified: She is a spirit of joy, festivities, and passion, known to take a form of an energetic and enthusiastic Genki Girl. She is noted to be empathetic and seeks to uplift spirits of others.
God Couple: With Belie Belcan, the spirit of justice and righteousness.
Head-Turning Beauty: She is and will be the center of attention wherever she goes.
Healer God: Called upon to heal female health problems and reproductive issues.
Love Deity: A divinity associated with love and helps those with relationship issues.
Really Gets Around: She has connections and flings with many of the loas.
Spoiled Sweet: She is said to the youngest of the Misterios and thus is noted to have a rather spoiled personality.
The Tease: Her personality is very flirtatious. She is noted to have a Supermodel Strut and is sexually-liberated woman.

Azaka Medeh

Azaka (Zaka, Kouzin or Couzen) is the loa of the harvest in Haitian Vodou mythology. He evolved after the Haitian Revolution when slaves were able to own property. Depicted as a country bumpkin who loves to eat, he is kind and gentle and he has no alternate sinister (petro) form. Azaka is identified with Saint Isadore. He is celebrated and affiliated with Labor Day in Haiti (May 1). Azaka Medeh belongs to the same family of spirits as Azaka-Tonnerre, loa of thunder.

All-Loving Hero: Known to be a people's man and loving of everyone.
Big Eater: Zaka really enjoys his devotee's offerings.
Boring, but Practical: Associated with labor, hard work, and practicality and is usually Out of Focus in popular culture compared to more interesting personalities in the Vodou pantheon.
Composite Character: Zaka seemed to have been based on deities from the indigenous Taino and Arawak people of Ayiti and agricultural spirits that arrived with the advent of slaves from West Africa.
Country Cousin: Compared to the other loa, Azaka hails from the rural parts of Haiti and the Caribbean. Those whom he possesses speak in a manner of rustic farmers. He has a deep suspicion and fear of urbanites.
Farm Boy: A very rustic loa, who is associated with hard work and labor.
Fertility God: Associated with fertile land, subsistence, and peace.
Food God: When hungry, pray to the loa that governs harvesting and who enjoys constantly eating.
Green Thumb: A spirit associated with food and vegetation.
Kindhearted Simpleton: He is noted to be a spirit that is very simple both in appearance and personality.
Lady Luck: He determines successful harvest and oversees profitability of one's business and commerce. He controls the flow of luck according to some.
Lovable Rogue: Zaka will highlight in his songs that he does not steal and rather ask for charity but will do so anyway.
Sibling Yin-Yang: Zaka and Papa Gede are said to be brothers. In other stories, he and Agau are siblings. They both greatly differ from Zaka. Agau and Papa Gede are both rambunctious and hot-blooded compared to Zaka.
Workaholic: Zaka is said to be working all the time. He is said to built up his own farmland and works day and night to feed them.
Working-Class Hero: He is the patron and protector of the working-class and those in poverty. In fact, his sacred day is on Labor Day (May 1).

Ogou

Ogou (also called Ogu, Ogoun) is a family of loa, associated with metallurgy, smithing, warfare, politics, power, and control. Ogou loa are a part of Nago Nation, associated with the Nago-speaking peoples of modern-day Benin and Nigeria. Each Ogou are tangetially associated to one another but have varying personalities, attributes, and purviews.

Some of the major Ogou loa are Badagri, Feray (Feraille), Osanj, Batala, Balindjo, Belie Belcan, and Chango. Most popular depictions of Ogou include Saint James the Great (Ogou Sanjak), Saint Barbara (Ogou Chango) or Saint George.

The Ace: A lwa family representing a diverse portfolio of purviews.
A Father to His Men: Ogou treats all his devotees under his protection as his comrades and if propitiated well, provides protection and safety. Gran Batala is also called the Father of Soldiers.
Asskicking Leads to Leadership: Ogou is associated with leadership, politics, power, and might.
Ax-Crazy: More violent aspects of Ogou represent bloodshed, violence, and devastation.
Blade Enthusiast: Ogou wields a wide variety of blades, his favorite being the machete.
Blood Knight: Ogou Badagri and Ogou Feray are noted to delight in warfare and present where every discord, strife, and conflict exist.
The Blacksmith: Ogou's original characteristics involved ironworking, metallurgy, and forging. As smithing becomes less emphasized in Haitian culture, he took on more aspects related to modern warfare and military. Ogu's forge is the name given to an iron rod stuck in a brazier which represents him.
The Chessmaster: Ogou Badagri is noted to be a wily diplomat.
Church Militant: Ogou Sanjak is a crusading soldier.
Cultured Warrior: Ogou Batala/Gran Batala is a wise warrior who dispenses knowledge and power to his comrades.
Color Motif: Red and blue
Commanding Coolness: Ogou Balindjo is usually either the commander or the captain of the Immamou, the ship that Agwe
Composite Character: Ogou himself was once a distinct deity. However, in Vodou, Ogu subsumed characteristics of other Yoruba Orishas, such as Shango, Obatala, and Osanyin.
Deity of Human Origin: Ogou Desalin is the loa form of Jean-Jacques Dessalines.
Freemasons: Some houngans who are devoted to Ogou are within the Masonic orders.
God of Order: Belie Belcan is the spirit of justice, righteousness, and truth, representing by Scales of Justice.
Healer God: Ogou Osanj wages war against sickness and disease. Ogou Balindjo is a warrior and a healer and is referred to as a Combat Medic.
The Hero: Maya Deren in Divine Horsemen notes that if one were to search for all manifestations of Ogu, they'd find all the potential hero archetypes in storytelling.
Holy Halo: Ogou Sanjak/St. Jacques dons a holy halo as he leads his soldiers to battle. Ogou Sanjak is represented by Saint James the Greater.
Immortal Genius: Ogou spirits are associated with technology, industry, and innovation.
Playing with Fire: Ogou is represented by the element of fire.
Red Eyes, Take Warning: Ogou Ge-Wouj is a frightening Ogou spirit that has bloodshot eyes.
Sorcerous Overlord: Ogou Achade is a boko or sorcerer who utilizes sorcery as an underhanded tactic.
Shock and Awe: Some Ogou lwa appearances are followed by the sound of the thunder and flashes of lightning.
War God: Ogou loas rule over different aspects of warfare.
War Is Glorious: Ogou represents war and aggression and the glory and honor it may bring.
Willing Channeler: A folk legend in Leogane talks about how Dessalines, the revolutionary general was possessed by Ogou Feray when he cut the white stripe off the French flag during the Haitian Revolution.

The Marassa

The Marassa (or Marasa) are the sacred twin or triplets of loa, found in almost every nation of the loa. Though they appear in processions and ceremonies as young children, they are far older than any other spirit. They were said to have existed since the beginning of the world and are associated with similar but constantly opposing forms of energy and power. They are said to be Bondye's first creations but also the first people to have died. They are usually portrayed by Saints Damian and Cosmas or if they are a triplet, with Saints Faith, Hope and Charity.

Always Identical Twins: They are noted to be identical to one another.
Animal Motifs: Butterflies and snakes.
Creepy Mortician: Guede Masaka and Guede Oussou are the Marassa of the Gede nation. They are the spirits associated with gravediggers.
Duality Motif: The twins may represent a theme similar to yin and yang, two opposing principles that fuel the cosmos.
Guardian Entity: For children. They are celebrated on 28 December.
Half-Identical Twins: Marassa Ginen are twins of different genders.
Healer God: Associated with rejuvenation, healing, and rebirth.
Our Angels Are Different: Some differentiate the Marassa from the loa by calling them zanj or angels.
Power Trio: When they are Marassa Petro, they are three and depicted by the Saints Faith, Hope and Charity or by the Three Women of Egypt.
Time Abyss: Marassa are said to appear as young children but are actually older than all the lwa.
Trickster Twins: In some nations, Marassa appear as young and sly tricksters.
Twins Are Special: Twins were considered to have powers across ancient Africa.
Wring Every Last Drop out of Him: Marassa when slighted will prolong illnessses and other conditions until they receive a proper apology.

Kalfu

Kalfu (literally crossroads, also known as Kafou, Carrefour, Maitre Carrefour, Met Kalfu) is one of the petro aspects of Papa Legba, a lwa in Haitian Vodou. He is often envisioned as a young man or as a demon; his color is red and he favors rum infused with gunpowder. He is often syncretized with Satan. As his name indicates, he also controls the crossroads and has the power to grant or deny access to all other lwa, or spirits, and he allows the "crossing" of bad luck, deliberate destruction, misfortune, and injustices.

The Archmage: Along with Grand Bois and Baron Cimetiere.
At the Crossroads: His name literally means crossroads.
Casting a Shadow: A lwa associated with darkness.
The Dreaded: A lwa who is rarely sought after and most prefer to leave his practices alone and will entreat him under extreme circumstances.
Enigmatic Empowering Entity: Patron of sorcerers, witches, and those who use underhanded tactics.
For the Evulz: Why he creates misfortune and injustice in the world.
Lady Luck: Inverted: he is a spirit of bad luck, malicious destruction, injustice, and misfortune.
Lunacy: Associated with the moon and loup-garou/werewolves.
Night and Day Duo: Night to Papa Legba's day.
Satanic Archetype: Syncretized with Satan or the Shadow of God.
Screw Destiny: Kalfu acts against and undermines Legba, driving people to confusion and bringing misfortunes so that humanity is not following a set path in their life. He does it subtly enough to complicate situations and cunning enough to stimulate malice amongst humans.
The Trickster: Similar to Legba.
Walking the Earth: Kalfu is said to wander the crossroads with his entourage of werewolves. He offers deals to those gullible at a huge price.

Agwé

Agwé (also spelt Goue, Agoueh, or Agive), is a loa who rules over the sea, fish, and aquatic plants, as well as the patron loa of fishermen and sailors in Vodou, especially in Haiti. He is considered to be married to Erzulie Freda and La Sirene. He goes by several titles, including koki la me ("Shell of the Sea"), koki dore ("Golden Shell"), "The Angel in the Mirror", "The Eel", and "The Tadpole in the Pond". He is depicted as Saint Ulrich or as Archangel Raphael, both of whom hold a fish in their depictions.

Animal Motif: Fish, tadpoles, dolphins, shellfish (especially crabs)
Awesome Underwater World: Agwe rules over a luxurious underwater palace, hiding amongst colorful coral reefs.
Badass in a Nice Suit: Papa Agwe is depicted in the uniform of a naval officer or sailor with a tail of a fish. He called a a refined gentleman who inspires admiration and respect of his crewmates.
Color-Coded Eyes: Papa Agwe is portrayed with green or blue eyes, associated with the sea and its mysteries.
Composite Character: It is speculated that his imagery and depictions may have been derived from the Ewe Hu, the Fon Agoueh
Cool Boat: Agwe is The Captain of the Immamou, a magnificent ship that journeys to Guinee, the land of the ancestors.
Father Neptune: A patron of sailors and those who have withstood the harshness of the sea.
Fancy Dinner: Agwe and his wife, La Sirene are noted to hold magnificent feasts for the lwa.
Heroic Dolphin: Agwe guides dolphin-like spirits to rescue devotees lost in the waves.
Lord of the Ocean: He is the patron loa of everything aquatic and marine.
Making a Splash: A water god, so yes.
Manly Tears: Agwe is prone to crying saltwater tears for those that have dearly departed.
Mentor Archetype: Agwe provides guidance to those affected by turmoils of life.
Nice Guy: Noted for his generosity, compassion, and wisdom.
Prongs of Poseidon: Agwe sometimes wields a trident.
Psychopomp: Agwe carries the drowned and those who perished at sea to his home before ferrying them off to Guinee, the home of the ancestors.
The Sacred Darkness: Agwe is associated with the ocean's depths and the horizons where the sun and the moon set.
Sympathetic Adulterer: Though Agwe is Happily Married to La Sirene, he also has affairs with Erzulie Freda.
Our Mermans Are Different: Agwe is depicted with a military uniform with a fish tail from the waist down.

La Sirene

La Sirene (Maîtresse-la-Sirène, Haitian Creole: Lasirenn, Lasyren) is a loa, who is a spirit associated with the sea. She is depicted in a form of a dark-complexioned mermaid who sits on an outcrop, combing her hair with her golden comb and looking at herself through a crystal mirror. La Sirene is associated with hidden knowledge, treasures, and wealth and is known for her incredible singing voice. The origins of La Sirene trace back to the rich tradition of African water spirits, which include revered figures such as Mami Wata in West and Central Africa, Yoruba Yemoja, and the Angolan Kianda. She is associated with Stella Maris, a form of Virgin Mary that helps and guides navigators or Our Lady of Charity.

The Almighty Dollar: Associated with prosperity and riches that come from the sea. Those who find her trumpet is said to gain wealth beyond imagination.
Beautiful Singing Voice: She is called La Reine Chanterelle, or the Queen of the Choir.
Elemental Embodiment: Of water.
God Couple: With Agwe.
The Kindnapper: Like Simbi, La Sirene will drag unsuspecting women and men to her palace to transform them into powerful Seers. People who return are said to have changed in appearance and have a deeper understanding and insight of the world.
Lord of the Ocean: The Lady of the Ocean.
Love Goddess: Due to her associations with sirens and mermaids, she is sometimes venerated by many to attract and draw lovers to them.
Lucky Seven: Seven is her sacred number and she's associated with luck and prosperity.
Magic Mirror: One of the items she is portrayed with is one.
Monster Whale: Her alternative form or counterpart or husband, La Balen/La Baleine is a gigantic and mysterious whale that lives in the sea.
God of the Moon: Averted. Although some interpretations try to fit her within the moon goddess archetype, La Sirene is explicitly a sea deity.
Our Mermaids Are Different: Similar to the Mami Wata from which she is derived from, this loa is an African river spirit that later also got associated with seas and oceans.
The Sacred Darkness: She is associated with the depths of the ocean and the hidden secrets that it holds.
Our Sirens Are Different: La Sirene lures those unsuspecting to join her and drown. She is also noted for her amazing voice.
Symbolic Serene Submersion: Those who encounter La Sirene are said to experience this.
Time Abyss: As the anthropomorphic personification of the waters, she is said to be an ancient being.
The Voiceless: Those possessed by her are usually unable to speak as if they are underwater.
Water Is Womanly: When associated with the Ezili family, La Sirene fits this trope.

Simbi

Possibly from the Kikongo word, simbi referring to a type of water or local nature spirit in the Congo, Simbi spirits are part of the Kongo nation and are associated with magic, healing, and power. Many of the Simbi spirits are associated with bodies of water and have been portrayed with the images of Moses or Saint Christopher, most notably the image of the Saint carrying baby Jesus on his shoulder. Noted Simbis include Simbi Makaya, Congo Savanne, Simbi D'Leau and Simbi Andezo.

Animal Motifs: Snakes.
The Archmage: Simbi Makaya and Simbi La Flambeau are noted to be great and powerful practitioners of magic.
Barrier Warrior: Called to shield against evil magic and sorcery.
Beware the Quiet Ones: Simbi spirits are usually noted to be shy and timid, forcing priests to coax them into the ceremony. However, they are capable to great strength when summoned and propitiated.
- They are known to abduct unsuspecting people near rivers and streams.
Deity of Human Origin: Makaya was once a Kongolese-born Haitian revolutionary.
Forest Ranger: Congo Savanne resides deep in the forests and are worshipped in the woods, far away from human settlements.
Genius Loci: Simbi spirits are noted to be personifications of certain rivers and forests in Haiti.
Green Thumb: Simbi Anpaka is a loa associated with herbs and medical knowledge.
Healing Spring: Associated with healing and rejuvenation. Simbi D'Leau (Dlo) is associated with freshwater and healing.
Liminal Being: Simbi Andezo exists between the Rada and Petwo lwa families. Many of them, like many lwa, exist between benevolent and malicious use of herbs and other gifts of nature.
Making a Splash: Many of them are water spirits.
Nature Spirit: The Simbi family of spirits are associated with different forms of water, rivers, streams, lakes, and swamps.
Sacred Flames: Some of the Simbi, like La Flambeau are associated with fire.
Seers: Simbi, like La Sirene are associated with providing deep and esoteric konesans (or sacred knowledge) to those they either abduct or initiate through ceremonies.
Snakes Are Sinister: More malicious Simbi spirits appear as fast-moving water snakes that will drag unwary children to their deaths or if they are worthy, become skilled in the art of healing and other occult knowledge.
Water Is Womanly: Averted. Many of the Simbi are male. La Sirene and Gran Simbi are some of the Simbi spirits that are gendered as feminine.
Wise Serpent: Serpent spirits who are also very well-versed in herbal knowledge.

Marinette

Marinette (Haitian Creole: Mayanet, Mayinet) is the lwa associated with violence, justice, and retribution. One of the more feared and dreaded of the lwa to invoke, Marinette is said to have been the mambo (priestess) who sacrificed the black pig to Ezili Dantor at Bwa Kayiman. Through the ritual, Marinette exhorted witnesses of the rites to seek vengeance against the French slavers for their years of brutal oppression against the slaves on Haiti. Marinette is a Petro lwa and is venerated on very rare occasions. She is represented by the image of Anima Sola, depicted by a woman breaking free from her chains in a dungeon setting surrounded by flames, representing purgatory.

Agony of the Feet: Marinette is at times called Marinette-pied-cheche (Marinette of the Dry Feet).
The Berserker: A loa associated with power and violence, she is said to be aggressive, temperamental, and unable to be controlled.
Bonfire Dance: Her ceremonies are held under a tent and lit with a huge fire in which salt and petrol are thrown.
The Dreaded: Marinette is rarely invoked for her power and nature. Like Baron Criminel, she is a part of the rare and obscure Bizango nation of the lwa.
Enigmatic Empowering Entity: She is associated with the bokor, a Vodou sorcerer for hire who uses loas to practice both good and evil.
The Hermit: Her songs discuss her lonely nature as a spirit and lives in a hidden house far away in the forests of Haiti.
Ominous Owl: Represented by an owl.
Our Werewolves Are Different: She is served by the retinue of loup-gawou/werewolves.
Pyromaniac: Some songs and processions describe her personality as thus.
The Unfettered: Marinette is the spirit of the revolution, extreme rage at the brutality and violence inflicted by oppression of black Haitian slaves.
Wreathed in Flames: In typical depictions of her as Anima Sola, the woman illustrated is wreathed in flames. She is sometimes described to be Burning with Anger.

Agassou

Agassou (also Agasu, Ati-A-Sou) is a loa who guards the old traditions of Dahomey in the West African Vodun religion and the rada loa of Haitian Vodou. He is usually depicted as Saint Anthony.

Ancestor Veneration: He is a legendary ancestor noted both in the stories of the Fon people in West Africa and in Haiti.
Animal Motifs: Surprisingly with crabs as he was guided by a crab to bring the secrets of Vodou to Haiti.
Half-Human Hybrid: Agassou is the product of a divine mating- his mother was a princess and is said to have mated with a leopard, giving birth to Agassou. Agassou is further noted as ruler and king of a particular sect in Africa that has come to be known as the Leopard Society. His brothers were also to have been the progeny of divine matings. Their lineage, their royal regalia, and their legacy are still held by the Leopard Society of West Africa. In that society, the men take their lineage from the clan of Agassou.
Healer God: Associated with healing.
Semi-Divine: He was born of a union between a mortal princess and a leopard spirit.
Voluntary Shapeshifting: He had the ability to shapeshift into a leopard.

Bosou

Bosou (Three-Horned Bosou, Bossou Achade, Bosu, Bossou Koblamin) family of lwa are lwa associated with Dahomean royalty. All of the Bossou lwa are portrayed as a human with bull's horns, sometimes with three. Some of the lwa are portrayed as volatile and ferocious but are honored as a part of the Rada family of lwa, known for their coolness and serenity. He is called upon to defeat and subdue enemies. He is based on the Dahomean king, Tegbesu. He is portrayed by Saint Luke or in some images, Jesus Christ.

Animal Motifs: Bulls, buffalos, and oxen.
Deity of Human Origin: As he is based on King Tegbesu.
Destroyer Deity: He is called upon to destroy people or things that obstruct well-being of his devotees.
Gentle Giant: Bosou is large but prefers not to resort to violence unless necessary.
Horns of Villainy: Played with, Bosou Djabolo (Bosou the Devil) is noted to be unrestrained and fierce in nature but not 'evil'.
Implacable Man: Plays with his motif of being associated with bulls. Though Bosou is gentle, once his service is called, it is noted to be nigh-impossible to stop him.
The Juggernaut: See the Implacable Man trope.
Our Minotaurs Are Different: Bosou is portrayed as a man with bull horns.

Sobo, Badè, Agau

Sobo, Bade and Agau

Sobo (also called Sogbo), Badè and Agau (also called Agawou, Agaou) are three spirits associated with weather. Sobo brings lightning while Badè brings the winds. Together, they summon Agau who brings storms and tempests. Like Agassou and Bosou, they hail from the royal ancestors from the Kingdom of Dahomey. They are represented by a bunch of different Saints, such as John the Baptist, Saint Roch, Saint Peter and Saint Paul.

Ancient Keeper: Agau as Saint John the Baptist taught the art of Vodou to Jesus Christ.
Badass Boast: Agau in ceremonies would boast, "It is I who am the gunner of God; when I roar the earth trembles."
Bash Brothers: Sobo and Badè are never seen without the other. Together, they summon Agau.
Blow You Away: Badè and Agau are lwa associated with the winds.
Deity of Human Origin: Like Agassou and Bosou, Sobo, Badè, and Agau are deceased ancestors from Allada.
Dishing Out Dirt: Agau is the lwa who brings earthquakes.
God of Thunder: Badè is the lwa of wind and thunder.
Hair-Trigger Temper: Agau is noted for his temper. In one story recorded by Albert Metraux, Agau, refered to as Saint John the Baptist is a powerful spirit that even God fears. On a given day of the year, God permits each saint to rule over the universe, giving them near-omnipotence. But God was so scared of Saint John's destructive energy that he schemes to limit his power by intoxicating the storm spirit with rum to make him go to sleep. When Agau/Saint John realizes his day has passed, he send storms to pummel the Earth. Even though he does severe damage to the coasts of Haiti, he could no longer threaten the universe.
Lightning Can Do Anything: Sobo hurls down thunder-stones that empowers the area struck by lightning. These stones are associated with healing and supernatural strength.
Power Trio: Sobo, Badè, and Agau are a trio of divinities associated with atmospheric phenomena.
Sibling Yin-Yang: Agau (under the name of Azaka-Tonnè, Agawou-Mede) is the impulsive and hot-blooded brother of Azaka-Mede, the lwa of the countryside and agriculture.
Shock and Awe: Sobo and Agau are both deities associated with lightning.
War God: Sobo and Badè are associated with warfare and the military.
Weather Manipulation: All three of them are spirits of the weather.

Baron Criminel

Baron Criminel (also spelled Baron Kriminel) is a much feared spirit or loa in the Haitian Vodou religion. He is envisioned as the first murderer who has been condemned to death, and is invoked to pronounce swift judgment. Baron Criminel is syncretized with Saint Martin de Porres, perhaps because his feast day is November 3, the day after Fête Guede or Fête Ghede (Haitian Creole: Fèt Gede). His colors are black, purple, white and deep blood red.

The Dreaded: He is associated with the Petro nation or sometimes the obscure and dreaded Bizango nation of lwa.
Guardian Entity: He wards off any harm from criminals for his devotees. Dominican Vodou identifies him as a "centinela" or a protector.
Judge, Jury, and Executioner: He is the lwa associated with swiftly punishing criminals, wrongdoers, and those that have broken the law.
Judgement of the Dead: Which is ironically done by the first ever murderer, who has been condemned to death.
Nocturnal Crime: He is associated with criminals and wrongdoers who work their acts in secrecy or at the dead of night.
Professional Killer: Associated with headhunting and other forms of assassination.
Vigilante Man: He is the lwa most associated with vigilante justice.

Guede Nibo

Guede Nibo (Haitian Creole: Gede Nibo) is a loa who is leader of the spirits of the dead in Haitian Vodou. Formerly human, Guede Nibo was a handsome young man who was killed violently. After death, he was adopted as a loa by Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte. He is envisioned as an effeminate, nasal dandy. Nibo wears a black riding coat or drag. When he inhabits humans they are inspired to lascivious sexuality of all kinds.

Guede Nibo has multiple aspects, including Gede Brav (the Brave Gede) and Gede Zaranye/Guédé-zaraignée (the Spider Gede). He is depicted by St. Gerard Majella.

Camp Gay: He's a male loa of homosexuality usually dressed as a woman.
The Consigliere: To Baron Samedi.
Lwa of the Dead: Another Gede lwa associated with human sexuality, death, and life.
Friendly Neighborhood Spider: Guede Nibo is associated with spiders.
Psychopomp: For those that passed on without proper rites and ceremonies.
Rebellious Spirit: Guede Nibo is said to be a rebellious spirit, especially towards his parents, Baron Samedi and Manman Brigitte.

Grand Bois

Grand Bois (meaning great wood, also Grans Bwa, Bran Bwa, Ganga-Bois; Haitian Creole: Gran Bwa) is an elemental, nature-oriented loa closely associated with trees, plants, and herbs in Haitian Vodou. Offerings to him include leaves and herbs, honey, and spiced rum. As a petro loa and loa of the wilderness, he can be fierce and unpredictable in some aspects. Grand Bois, Maître Carrefour (Master Crossroads), and Baron Cimetière (Baron Cemetery) form the triad of magicians. They represent the journey of life: Grand Bois represents the rich earth that you spring from and the dark woods you stumble through, Maitre Carrefour represents the various roads and paths you choose to travel on, and Baron Cimitère represents the end of the trip. Grand Bois is usually represented by Saint Sebastian tied to a tree. His colors are commonly shades of green (sometimes including red in some houses).

The Archmage: Along with Kalfu and Baron Cimietiere.
Axis Mundi: Connects the world of the spirits, ancestors, and living beings through his powerful tree.
Chained To a Tree: Gran Bwa in his depictions as Saint Sebastian is tied to the world tree. One Vodou song mentions him being tied to the tree by seven men, only to be later freed by Erzulie.
Color Motif: Green.
Earth Mother: A gender-inverted case.
Enchanted Forest: Said to live in one.
Gaia's Vengeance: Gran Bwa doesn't take lightly to slight or destruction of his sacred groves.
Genius Loci: Gran Bwa is associated with the Macaya Forest, the last remaining cloud forest in Haiti.
Green Thumb: He's the loa of the forests and all plant life.
Master Poisoner: It is said that the Maroon leader, Makandal used Gran Bwa's poison to kill hundreds of white plantation owners.
Nature Is Not Nice: Gran Bwa is to be entreated with the greatest respect and is known to be particularly hard to control as a devotee.
Rhymes on a Dime: Gran Bwa loves to rhyme.
Solitary Sorceress: Gender-inverted.
Voodoo Zombie: Gran Bwa is sometimes called upon to impart knowledge on creation of zombies.
Wise Tree: A variant of one. Gran Bwa in songs is described as a powerful and strong cypress tree with his devotees being in the roots.

Ayizan

Ayizan (also Aizan, Grann Ayizan Avelekete or Ayizan Velekete) is the loa of the marketplace and commerce in Vodou, especially in Haiti. She is a racine, or root loa, associated with Vodoun rites of initiation (called kanzo). Just as her husband Loko is the archetypal houngan (priest), Ayizan is regarded as the first, or archetypal, mambo (priestess), and as such is also associated with priestly knowledge and mysteries, particularly those of initiation and the natural world. As the spiritual parents of the priesthood, she and her husband are two of the loa involved in the kanzo rites in which the priest/ess-to-be is given the asson (sacred rattle and tool of the priesthood) and are both powerful guardians of "reglemen" or the correct and appropriate form of Vodoun service. She is syncretized with the Catholic Saint Clare. Her symbol is the palm frond, and she drinks no alcohol. Her colors are most commonly gold, yellow, and white.

The Almighty Dollar: Ayizan spirits are associated with the marketplace.
Apron Matron: As the wife of Loko, she functions as this for newly initiated mambos and houngans. In one tale, Ayizan used to be one for the entire Vodou pantheon. However, eventually each of the lwa rebelled and left her home to create their own lineages.
Composite Character: Of Aizan, a vodun spirit from Whydah in West Africa and of Avlekete, a spirit associated with lagoons, gulfs, and the sea.
Cool Old Lady: As Grande Ayizan, she is noted to be a sharp-witted old woman.
Earth Mother: She is symbolized by mounds of earth sprinkled with oil and surrounded by fringes of palm.
The Fettered: She is noted to be a strict disciplinarian who punishes those that makes mistakes in Vodou rites and rituals.
Gold and White Are Divine: Her color motifs.
Grandma God: One of the oldest loa and is usually served first before most.
Happily Married: Either to Legba or to Loko.
High Priest: She is the first mambo and is the keeper of sacred knowledge and mysteries.
Liminal Being: Associated with thresholds such as gates and doorways.
Love Goddess: She is associated with maternal love and family.
Mentor Archetype: She selects and instructs certain novice houngans.
Odd Job Gods: Associated with public spaces, the marketplace, doors, gates and barriers.
Purity Personified: Literally a lwa associated with purity and holiness.
Religion is Magic: A justified example and a remnant of Voodoo's tribal African roots, this loa is a shaman and priestess.
The Teetotaler: No alcohol is to be consumed within her presence. In one ritual song, she even turns liquor into water.
White Is Pure: She is associated with ritual purity and morality and does not tolerate corruption or other malign influences when she enters a procession. Those who are possessed by her wear white as a symbol of her purity.
White Magic: She wards off evil spirits and exorcises them from people.

Loko

Loko (also called Azagon Loko or Loko Atisou) is the first houngan (priest); the priest of all priests and is associated with all knowledge associated with Vodou. He is the husband of Ayizan and is associated with healing, knowledge, and power. Loko is also associated with justice, good morals, and arbitration. His name may have come from Louquo who in Taíno Mythology is the first man who descended from the sky to make a living on Earth or from the iroko tree found in tropical regions of Africa.

Axis Mundi: As the lwa associated with the tree, he is the poto mitan, connecting people to the world of the spirits.
Blow You Away: Loko is said to manifest as the wind and rarely appears in processions as himself.
The Fettered: As the archetypical Rada lwa, he is associated with rules, procedures, and decorum. He will refuse to offer his powers if there are mistakes in the customary rites.
God Couple: With Ayizan.
Good Shepherd: As the loa who protects sanctuaries and as the spirit who guides initiations and protects the religious priesthood within Vodou.
Green Thumb: He's the loa of leaves and trees. He governs the tree or the center post that channels the loa into the world.
Healer God: He as the first houngan is also an exceptional healer.
High Priest: As the first priest, he is the keeper of all knowledge and the one who initiates new candidates to becoming the houngans and mambos.
Magic Mirror: As Loko Miwa.
Mentor Archetype: Is said to be a Grandpa God who trains and tests potential candidates whether they are worthy to become a houngan or a mambo.
One-Man Industrial Revolution: Loko discovered how to use properties within trees to heal and cure people of illnesses and imparted the knowledge of making charms.
The Patriarch: In his syncretism with Saint Joseph, he becomes akin to this trope.
The Philosopher King: His older African form may have been ancestral priest-kings of the Fon people.
Place of Protection: He is either the Genius Loci that protects Vodou sanctuaries or is the sanctuary itself.
Really Gets Around: Said to have multiple lovers wherever there is vegetation in the world.
Wise Tree: Loko is said to dwell in the médecinier béni tree or the verveine.

Dinclinsin

Dinclinsin is a loa depicted as a white colonial slave owner, feared for his temper and cruelty in Haitian Vodou. He often carries a whip and is recognizable by his habit of putting whatever is given to him in his pockets. One of his favorite tricks is being able to pour rum into his pockets without getting them wet.

The Ghost: Dinclinsin and Mademoiselle Charlotte are mentioned once in Alfred Metraux's book, Voodoo in Haiti as the only two spirits that are identified with the obscure French nanchon.
Whip of Dominance: He's a cruel and temperamental slave driver who carries a whip, and personally punishes slaves with it.

Mademoiselle Charlotte

Mademoiselle Charlotte is a loa who manifests with the commonly perceived personality traits of a White woman in Haitian Vodou. Appearances in Voodoo ceremonies are rare, possibly as a result of her non-African origin. According to tradition, both Mademoiselle Charlotte and Dinclinsin came to Haiti with the colonists and only began appearing in ceremonies at that time. Mademoiselle Charlotte prefers the strict observance of all the niceties of ritual protocol. She generally speaks French and will grant the ability to speak that language to a "horse" with no knowledge of it during the time in which she manifests. Mademoiselle Charlotte is served in a manner similar to that of Erzulie. She enjoys sweet rose-, blue-, white-, or cream-colored beverages, water sweetened with syrup, any type of non-alcoholic liqueurs, clairin, and acassan (a drink consisting of boiled cornmeal sweetened with highly refined cane juice). She prefers the tender meat of young chickens as her ritual food offering. Her color is rose. Her services are difficult to obtain as she only works for people to whom she takes a fancy.

The Ghost: Dinclinsin and Mademoiselle Charlotte are mentioned once in Alfred Metraux's book, Voodoo in Haiti as the only two spirits that are identified with the obscure French nanchon.
Token Minority: She is one of the very few non-African Caucasian loas alongside Maman Brigitte.

Characters / Voudoun

Bondye

Rada Nation

Petro Nation

Gede Nation

Kongo Nation

Individual Lwas/Loas

Damballa & Ayida-Weddo

Baron Samedi

Maman Brigitte

Baron Cimetière

Baron La Croix

Papa Legba

Erzulie Freda

Erzulie Dantor

Anaisa Pye

Azaka Medeh

Ogou

The Marassa

Kalfu

Agwé

La Sirene

Simbi

Marinette

Agassou

Bosou

Sobo, Bade and Agau

Baron Criminel

Guede Nibo

Grand Bois

Ayizan

Loko

Dinclinsin

Mademoiselle Charlotte

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Characters / Voudoun

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Bondye

Rada Nation

Petro Nation

Gede Nation

Kongo Nation

Individual Lwas/Loas

Damballa & Ayida-Weddo

Baron Samedi

Maman Brigitte

Baron Cimetière

Baron La Croix

Papa Legba

Erzulie Freda

Erzulie Dantor

Anaisa Pye

Azaka Medeh

Ogou

The Marassa

Kalfu

Agwé

La Sirene

Simbi

Marinette

Agassou

Bosou

Sobo, Bade and Agau

Baron Criminel

Guede Nibo

Grand Bois

Ayizan

Loko

Dinclinsin

Mademoiselle Charlotte

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