The vevenote of Baron Samedi
An African diaspora religion that comes in two major flavors: Haitian Vodou (also Vodun or Voudoun) and Louisiana Voodoo. Both derive from West African Dahomeyan religions, along with Lucumi/Santeria, Umbanda, Candomble, and similar beliefs, which share certain similarities. The slave trade brought these beliefs to the New World, where they became syncretized with the Catholicism and Francophone culture of the slave owners, with a little Native American and Caribbean influence where applicable.
Louisiana Voodoo is closely tied to hoodoo, a form of folk magic from which come the famous gris-gris bags and mojo hands. Many such practitioners officially identify as Catholic. Haitian Vodou is an ecstatic religion, focusing on possession by the spirits or lwa (loa). This is known as being ridden by the lwa, where the worshipper acts as the "horse" of the lwa. While possessed, the "horse" acts as the lwa itself, and is treated as such.
Although the lwa seem to go by many names, at least in Haitian Vodou the names represent different personalities/aspects of those lwas. So although there are multiple pantheons/nations (Rada and Petwo being the most significant), with different personality traits (anme and doux), they are the same individual, and a different individual all at the same time. Vodou's into paradoxes like that. For example, Ezili can have the suffix of Freda or Danto. The former is the romantic side of love (and is Rada), focusing on lovers, and the latter can focus more on children (and is Petwo). It's kind of like how all the manifestations of the Virgin Mary are still the Virgin Mary, even though they all have their own traits.
Kreyol (Creole) is the language of Vodou, and all common religious songs are in this language.
Some key points in Vodou:
- There is a supreme creator god of the "god of gods" variety, Bondye (Bon Dieu, the "good god"), but he is far removed and does not intercede in mortal affairs.
- Vodouisants serve the lwa, but they do not worship them. Worship is reserved only for Bondye. The lwa in turn serve Bondye and can communicate with mortals.
- Ancestor veneration also plays a key role in Vodou.
- In the New World, the lwa became syncretized with Catholic Saints with similar roles.
- There is a concern with witchcraft, and being cursed by those who wish you harm.
- Many lwa have aspects of magic, healing and sex.
- One form of lwa is the "Petro loa", which can be translated as an angry dark side of a spirit. The concept of "Petro loa" is linked to the harshness of slavery, the angry supressed side of slaves.
Prominent lwa:
- Papa Legba
- Also known as Atibon Legba, or as Elegba, Ellegua or Exu in Yoruba or Santeria. Legba is the keeper of the crossroads and the opener of roads. He must be invoked before speaking with any other lwa, as he opens the gate to let them through. He is a master of communication, and sometimes a trickster. His dark side aspect is named Kalfu, and is associated with curses and misfortune, the impoverished, inversion of a wealth god, The Almighty Dollar. Usually appears as an old, bent black man with a cane, a straw hat, a satchel, and a corncob pipe. Often he is depicted with twisted limbs or covered in sores. He wears a large ring of keys, to open any door. Has a fondness for rum, tobacco, and candy. He is syncretized with St. Anthony. This lwa is a large part of the reason that in the Southern US the traditional place to make a Deal with the Devil is at the crossroads, as in Hollywood Voodoo Legba is frequently Hijacked By Satan.
- Baron Samedi
- The Baron is famous as the fearsome keeper of the dead, but also presides over sex and resurrection. Since no one can die until the Baron accepts him or her, he is often asked for intercession in grievous injury or illness, especially that of children. He appears in formal black tails and top-hat, with a skull for a face, or with his face painted to resemble a skull. He wears smoked glasses with one lens popped out, to keep an eye on his offerings and to see in the world of the living and the dead, and smokes cigars. He drinks rum with 21 hot peppers steeped in it. He and the dead, which are called the Ghede, are known for being disruptive, crude, and overtly sexual, because the dead have no need for mortal inhibitions. He can also provide information, advice, and help to those who need it and ask. He is married to Maman Brigitte, but still chases after mortal women. He is often invoked in magical workings for his great power. The Baron is often thought of in connection with Black Magic, but there are other lwa for that purpose. He is famous enough to have a trope for Expys of him in fiction.
- Erzulie Freda
- Also known as Ezili Freda, Maitresse Mambo Erzulie Freda Dahomey. The very popular lwa of love, beauty and wealth. She is light-skinned and beautiful, with long, fair hair. She demands the finest things, yet it is never enough. She ends up in tears because all the finery cannot make up for the pain and imperfection of the world. She is thus syncretized with the Mater Dolorosa. She likes jewelry, perfume, pink champagne, white or pink cakes, fine chocolate, and rice pudding. In some traditions, she is the patron of gay men. She is a powerful mambo (priestess) and can destroy any evil magic (ouanga) by her mere presence.
- Ogou
- The Ogou are technically a family of lwa. The Ogou are warriors, although they also have peaceful applications as craftsmen, metalworkers, field medics, and diplomats. According to some accounts he was the first of the lwa sent into the physical universe by Bondye to choose a suitable planet for Him create life on. Had a physical body at one point but it eventually died and his spirit now inhabits the Earth itself. One of the more well known lwa outside the Afro-Caribbean community thanks to making several appearances in the Shin Megami Tensei series of video games, most notably the first Persona.
Tropes:
- Anatomy of the Soul: Vodou theology separates the human consciousness into two, both residing in the head.
- Gwo bònanj or gros bon ange is the piece of Bondye that lives within a living thing and provides it with life. During sleep, gwo bònanj travels to different realms which creates dreams. At the time of death, the gwo bònanj returns to God.
- Ti bònanj or ti bon ange is the part of the human mind dedicated to personality, conscience, agency, thought, and self-reflection. When ridden by a lwa, it leaves the body, allowing the specific loa (or loas) personality to take over. Ti bònanj is the part of the human consciousness that faces judgement in the afterlife.
- Ancestor Veneration: Many of the major loa are based on royal ancestors. Loa such as Bosou and Agassou are based on real kings from Dahomey. Other Ghede spirits are also venerated as dead ancestors. Others like Ogou Desalin are Deity of Human Origin based on real individuals from Haitian and Caribbean history.
- Our Angels Are Different: Zanj or anj are angels, messengers of Bondye. They may also refer to the lwa in parts of northern Haiti.
- At the Crossroads: Voudoun 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. Other spirits such as Baron Lakwa (Baron La Croix) are also identified with the crossroads.
- Awesome Underwater World: Vilokan or Ville-aux-Camps is the mythical capital and abode of the lwa. It is an Underwater City and sometimes is synonymous with Ginen, the land of the ancestors. Some say it's located near Port-de-Paix in Haiti.
- Agwe and La Sirene, both spirits of the ocean reside in an underwater palace called Zile and is usually said to be where the sun meets the sea.
- Axis Mundi: The poto mitan (French: poteau mitan) in a Vodou ceremony represents the Cosmic Keystone, the World Tree that connects the world of the spirits to the world of mortals.
- Color Motif: All the loa have colors associated with them. Erzulie Freda prefers pink and baby blue whereas Ayizan prefers white and gold.
- Composite Character: As a result of Syncretism, many Vodou spirits have origins tracing back traditional West and Central African religious figures, kings, and ancestors, indigenous Taino and Arawak gods, spirits, and heroes and Catholic saints.
- The creator snake spirit, Damballah, who has long been linked to the Fon creator spirit, Dan and is commonly represented by Saint Patrick of Ireland.
- Dark Is Not Evil: The Gede spirits are the lwa of death, depicted by images of skeletal figures. Although Sadly Mythcharacterized in pop culture as common evil or mysterious entities, Vodouisants frequently ask him for intercede in curing illnesses and disease and is noted to be a Friend to All Children.
- Sadly the entire religion has been mischaracterized through Hollywood Voodoo, leading to the mistaken stereotype that Voudoun is primarily focused on necromancy and death-related rites.
- Did You Just Scam Cthulhu?: One tale discusses how Bondye, despite his omnipotence was tricked into becoming possessed by a lwa himself. During a seven-week long celebration in Haiti, Bondye eventually became annoyed by the commotion and noise and sent the lwa, Legba, Damballah, Zaka, and Ogou to stop the houngan performing the rites. When none of them returned, Bondye himself went to investigate, only to be spun around the peristyle and enter a trance with the houngan.
- The Dreaded: Many of the lwa have specific personalities and preferences when they are being summoned at an ounfo. They can demand certain blood sacrifices or offerings and will curse those that displeases them. Some spirits such as those in the Petro nation are rarely called upon by casually due to their Hot-Blooded nature or demanding personalities.
- For the Love of Many: Erzulie Freda has flings and affairs with multiple spirits within the pantheon. She is also represented by three wedding rings, each for one for her husbands, Agwe, Ogou, and Damballah.
- Gate Guardian: Legba opens the ways by which the loa and humans can communicate with one another. He is honored first to open the entrance and venerated again at the end to allow the spirits summoned to leave.
- God Couple: Many of note. Baron Samedi & Maman Brigitte. Agwe & La Sirene. Erzulie Dantor & Ogou Feray. Damballah & Ayida-Weddo. Ayizan & Loko.
- Top God: Vodouisants believe in one true God called Bondye (also called Gran Mèt), who is the Creator of the Universe. The lwa, as seen by their numerous personalities, natures, and differences are merely intermediaries of Bondye and are called mistè (French: les mysteres) or the Mysteries.
- Bondye suffers from a case of Have You Seen My God? as He rarely interacts with the world he created. The lwa intercede on his behalf.
- I Have Many Names: The loa may be represented as a fanmi which either represents names for one spirit's differing personalities, tendencies, and affiliations (i.e. Erzulie Freda, Erzulie Dantor, Grann Ezili). They may be an individual spirit or characters of distinct personages.
- The Vodou lwa themselves are called by many terms, such as lezanj (angels), lesen (saints) and legad (guards).
- In Mysterious Ways: In a universe where injustice and violence exists, Bondye is explicitly noted in hymns and songs to be an inscrutable being.
- Master Poisoner: Many Vodou houngan, mambo, and boko are well-versed in herbal and ecological knowledge. Vodouisants during the colonial era, especially the Maroons utilized surrounding ecology to craft poisons to attack the French colonial regime and the society of plantation slavery. One example of such a Vodou priest is François Mackandal, a pre-Revolutionary Maroon who poisoned livestock and French slavers and those that were sympathetic to the rule.
- Mundane Afterlife: Guinee or Ginen is the realm located somewhere in the African continent where souls of Vodouisants return to. It is also the realm of the lwa.
- Mystery Cult: Vodou continues to be kept alive by Secret Societies or confréries who continue to keep ancestral tradition and knowledge all the way back from Ginen alive.
- Patron Saint: Many images of saints on chromolithographs have been used to symbolize the lwa.
- Red Eyes, Take Warning: Spirits with the surname, "Je-wouj" or red eyes are volatile and dangerous spirits that must be propitiated with care.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Rada Nation loas are noted to be sweet-tempered and cool, whereas the Petro loas are noted to be volatile and hot. Rada Nations are also represented by white and other light colors while the Petro loas are represented by red and black.
- Religion is Magic: Vodouisants use Geometric Magic through veves which are mystical diagrams traced with some kind of powder that represents a lwa or the lwa. They are usually traced with cornmeal or ashes.
- Voudoun utilizes Ritual Magic, involving specific body movements and rhythms and ritual songs calling upon spirits, praising the lwa, and discussing their preferences, legends, and personalities.
- Wanga are magical amulets, talisman or powders that are used for either good or evil magic. It is said that Bondye Himself granted oungan the gift of making wanga to resolve problems or fulfill a wish.
- Blood Magic is sometimes used to empower the lwa and the devotees, especially those that prefer sacrifices of animals.
- Things That Go "Bump" in the Night: Tonton macoutes are The Dreaded spirits who will kidnap children and place them in their sack, taking them to lands unknown.
- The Haitian dictator, François "Papa Doc" Duvalier formed the Secret Police based on them in 1959.
- Twins Are Special: In Voudoun, twins are noted to be powerful spiritual messages. The most notable twins in Voudoun are the Marassa, who are said to be older and more ancient than all the loa.
- Our Werewolves Are Different: The lougarou (French: loup garou) creatures are a fusion of French and Breton traditions surrounding werewolves and West and Central African Witch Doctors. They are Voluntary Shapeshifters who utilize their powers for malicious purposes. They usually serve Marinette-bwa-cheche, The Dreaded divinity associated with magical power and violence.
- Willing Channeler: Chwal (French: cheval) is a term used for those being ridden (possessed) by a lwa. During a ceremony, ti bonanj or the gwo bonanj of the possessed surrender its place to the lwa in question.
- Wise Serpent: Damballah is the wise serpent Top God and bringer of all life. He created the Cosmos, his coils shaping the heaven and earth, and is considered the keeper of all knowledge, wisdom, and healing.
- Wring Every Last Drop out of Him: Invoked. When slighted, the Marassa triplets will prolong illnesses and other conditions until they receive a proper apology.
- Our Zombies Are Different:
- The word zombie is derived from the Vodou traditions, which can refer to the spirits of the dead or the classical Voodoo Zombie, a dead husk that has been reanimated to serve nefarious purposes. Zombies in Voudoun represent the popular cultural anxiety around slavery, in a country where before the Haitian Revolution, almost fifty percent of slaves brought in from Africa were worked to death within a few years, which led only to the capture and import of more.
- A zombi can refer to a wandering ti bonnanj that has been captured through sorcery or other means that has resulted in a person's enslavement.
- A nanm zonbi is the soul of a dead person that has been captured by a gravedigger or other criminal and sold to an unscrupulous Vodou priest or priestess.
- The Haitian Penal Code Article 249 takes cognizance of zombis and the mechanism by which a living human can be made into one.
