#Haitian vodou

[jareckiworld]

Didier William — Cave (acrylic, wood carving and ink on panel, 2023)

[spoiledbratblog]

[horygory]

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

[redditreceipts]

Cécile Fatiman was a Haitian women from the late 1700s who spent her early life in slavery. At that time, slavery in Haiti was such a brutal institution that it's estimated that the entire Black population of the island had to be replaced every 20 years due to working the previous generation to death.

In August of 1791, she led a Vodou ceremony together with Dutty Boukman to incite enslaved people to rise up against their captors. This was the event that finally led to the Haitian revolution, the first successful slave-led revolution in recorded history.

The ritual was performed in front of 200 people and involved the sacrifice of a black pig. Afterwards, the attendees drank the pig's blood and swore to kill their white slavers.

image credit: 1, 2, 3,

[rockofeye]

This is Not Okay.

(I see your asks and I am working through them, promise)

In the last few years, I have generally kept quiet on the amount of unpleasantness that has come bearing the title of Haitian Vodou. I am not the Vodou Police and people have a right to be wrong and make (sometimes terrible) mistakes. Additionally, people genuinely do not want advice or feedback when their mind is made up and they have found what they think is the real deal for them, and that's okay. I don't need or even want to get involved since folks are presumably adults making adult decisions, and I don't need to invite myself to any/every fight where my name is not invoked...or even when it is!

And yet.

Sometimes, it's too much to stay quiet because silence can get people really hurt, or worse. While folks are entitled to their mistakes and entitled not to educate themselves or do due diligence on the people they are granting access to their heads, there's just something that doesn't sit right with me when it's egregious. Long time followers know I have only spoken directly once or twice.

This is egregious, and it's going to get someone killed:

I have received this at least 5 different times today and have had folks genuinely seeking the lwa ask if this is a solid option. I do not know the person behind this and I would hope this is some sort of massive misunderstanding on their part. However, even so, this is awful.

Let's break this down a bit.

Advertising an initiation right off the bat with how many spots you have available says that you are not concerned with who comes in the door or why they are there. Advertising initiation as something to buy is weird even without the bargain basement 'FIVE SPOTS AVAILABLE'. Sosyetes do not need to advertise and recruit; folks come by reputation and general attraction to what the sosyete does.

The fact that there is no information about what sosyete is mounting this is a red flag. No one can undertake initiation alone. It's impossible because the very mechanics of initiation require folks from outside your lineage to come and verify that the work is being done completely and in accordance with the general principles of the religion.

Trying to cast doubt on other places as a way to build credibility is gross, and it is super ironic that they are advertising this as an answer to scams and people who do gross things. Do those things happen? Absolutely. Is this the way to solve it? No. Grift cannot neutralize grift. This is grift.

The big blinking neon red flag sign is the kwakwa/asogwe hybrid initiation. This is not possible and communicates several things, the largest of which is that this person has not received appropriate guidance in either rite because even the most barebones education tells you that this is not possible and could never be done.

Further, this communicates a lack of respect for both rites. The balls it takes to decide that you are going to take it upon yourself to change a religious practice and throw a bunch of stuff in a blender to come up with something new is WILD. This is outright spiritual arrogance that ignores the place of elders, culture, history, and the actual revolution that birthed these things.

Claiming that a person will receive everything they need in one step is lacking in clarity and breaking from the culture of Haitian Vodou, tchatcha and asogwe lineages alike. That is not how initiation works; the process of initiation unfolds over days and weeks and the process of becoming a competent manbo or houngan unfolds over years and even a lifetime. No initiation is a drive through endeavor and should not be treated as such.

'Without the worries of ties to a spiritual house' tells me this person lacks rootedness and perhaps ties to a spiritual house of their own, which is sad. It is not possible to be a manbo or a houngan in any lineage without ties to a specific lineage/spiritual house. It's not possible. Every lineage of Haitian Vodou is based on the lakou, or the compound or yard that a family and community is built around.

What lakou we are associated with tells our stories and gives us our roots, whether we are Haitian or not, or related to our lineage head or not. These stories are vitally important, we cannot function without them and we cannot take Haitian Vodou out of the context that it exists in. We are collectively built from the story that our spiritual ancestors told themselves when they dreamed of liberation and undertook the truly revolutionary action of revolt against French colonizers.

Trying to undo that to package initiation as something unrooted and without community is a slap in the ancestral face and is impossible. It's not Haitian Vodou. We do not stand alone. If you have no community, who will endorse you as a houngan or manbo? How will anyone know you actually are one? I can give you the names of a dozen priests who were active participants in my initiation and can confirm that I have the right to hold the asson. If you have no spiritual community, you do not have that...and you do not have the right to hold the asson.

Learning is different in Haitian Vodou; we learn as we develop and there is no initiation that grants you the immediate access to the inside of your initiator's head. Info farming is not a thing. We learn as we develop, which is why relationships and community are so important. Going through an initiation doesn't give you all the knowledge. Initiation doesn't even teach you things, you learn after because during the process you do not have the right yet to know. Framing all of this as withholding information shows a lack of cultural fluency. Do people withhold in ways that can be harmful? Sure, because there is fault everywhere....but this is not how you solve that, at all.

Most asogwe receive their po tèt; some take it home and some choose to keep it in the temple they were initiated in. Some houses have specific regleman around that, and there are individual circumstances that would keep someone from having theirs but those are instances that people would work out ahead of time. Further, if someone is not comfy with what the lineage they are initiating into does with po tèts, that it something to work out before they initiate, which is why discernment is so, so important.

There are not multiple kolyes given during initiation. In an asogwe lineage, a kolye is made during the initiation process for you specifically and it is large and worn on the body in most places. We do not receive kolye for individual lwa nor are they consecrated in separate ceremonies; this is directly taken from Orisha traditions.

A kwa kwa and a bell are not an asson, and genuinely only a fool would try to bring that to Loko, the progenitor of all asogweman. You cannot mash things together and say they are an asson because you want them to be, or that Loko will give it. I can't even be charitable about this, it's straight up wrong and completely unethical. No one does this. No one.

'Head seals' is wild and someone is going to get hurt. The job of protecting the head is with the lwa, not in the hands of someone doing work. Further, a correct and complete initiation precludes the possibility of problematic possession because the lwa are there to sort that out. Additionally, taking it upon yourself to 'seal' the head a child of Ginen in the name of Ginen is awfully arrogant...are you really going to say you can overstep the lwa and/or do a better job than them?

The work of initiation is incredibly delicate because you literally have someone's head in your hands. People can die when things are done incorrectly, either in the moment or in a long and winding road of calamity. Every single manbo and houngan I know has a story about this. We know what happens when things like this are undertaken because we've either watched the fallout or had people come to our doors in deep suffering because incorrect and inadvisable things have been done to them.

Paying for any initiation through Etsy should speak for itself. That is not how houngans and manbos do business.

What is unsaid in this blurb is that this is undoubtedly happening in the US, because it would never be allowed to happen in Haiti. This says a lot and it's a giant can of worms to open, but when have I avoided that? Initiation does not happen in the US for a lot of reasons. Some folks want to say it can, but it really can't. This is not the post to get into why and I can write more on that later, but that's the long and short of it.

Perhaps finally, my friend Sankofa made a really astute point in another forum: beware anyone in any African Traditional or African Descended religion trying to sell you something ceremonially unique. Our ceremonies are largely the same for big reasons, and an individual saying they are doing something new, like mixing tchatcha and asson or initiating you to your dead ancestors and putting ancestors on your head, is a massive red flag. This is not how culture and traditional religion function. This is not what the ancestors built for us, and this is not what we pass down.

Please, please be careful with your heads. I meant it when I said that people will die because of stuff like this. Please be discerning about who you trust with your head and your life. Take your time and see lots of ceremonies. Pray. Listen for the voice of the lwa which can sound a lot like your intuition. And, for the love of Ogou and Metrès Danto, don't buy initiations on Etsy.

I hope the person behind this post can reflect on what they are doing and re-evaluate their choices. In a perfect world, they would consult with their elders and their mama/papa kanzo for guidance and really, really listen. If they don't have elders and/or an initiator, they should refrain from offering things like this until they do. Different choices can always be made, but spiritual work done out of ignorance, malice, or greed that harms someone can never be taken back.

[3rdeyeblaque]

On January 7th, we venerate Ancestor & Hoodoo Saint, Auntie Zora Neale Hurston on her 133rd birthday (updated 2024). 🎉

Novelist, Anthropologist, Folklorist, Scholar, Vodou initiate & Historian, Zora Neale Hurston's legacy is forever cemented in Hoodoo Culture (and beyond) as the masterful wordsmith who cast a shining light on black excellence in all everyday forms/spaces, our ATR roots, & the preservation of Black Voices during the prime of the Harlem Renaissance.

Auntie Zora was born in Notasulga, AL and raised on 5 acres of land in Eatonville, FL by her preacher-father and free-spirited mother ; in what would be the first all-Black township in the country. After the shattering loss of her mother, Zora turned up in Baltimore, MD where she presented herself as a 16 year old (10 years her junior) in order to access free public school education resources; thereby finishing school. From then on, Zora lived her life presenting herself as 10 years younger than she actually was. She'd go on to graduate from Barnard College in 1928. 

She published several novellas & articles, including "Mules & Men"; a collection of Hoodoo Folklore. She entered the zenith of her career in the late 30s/40s after publishing her masterworks: "Their Eyes Were Watching God", "Tell My Horse", "Moses, Man of the Mountain", & an anthropological study on Hatian Vodou .After publishing her autobiography, "Dust Tracks on a Road, "Auntie Zora finally received the public recognition & literary respect that was long overdue. Despite her successes, and unprecedented contributions in classic literature & anthropology, Zora never received the financial contributions that her work so deserved. 

Zora Neale Hurston passed away; penniless, alone, & drifting into obscurity. Friends and supporters from near and far raised $600 for her funeral service and burial. She was buried in an unmarked grave, in a segregated section, at the Garden Of Heavenly Peace Cemetery in Fort Pierce, FL. Over a decade later, in 1973 the Great Alice Walker found the unmarked grave and ordered a headstone to be placed on it; engraved with, "Genius Of The South" in Zora's honor. It remains in place today.  “Let no Negro celebrity, no matter what financial condition they might be in at death, lie in inconspicuous forgetfulness. We must assume the responsibility of their graves being known and honored.” - Zora Neale Hurston to W.E.B. Dubois Auntie Zora wanted to be remembered & demanded that the same honor and respect be given unto her peers & others. Never forget the infectious voice that defined & defied, inspired & struck fear in many hearts of her time & after. We pour libations & give 💐 today as we celebrate Auntie Zora for her enigmatic spirit, ancestral wisdom, labor of love for Hoodoo Folklore, & for the seeing the beauty in the dark, sometimes solemn, corners in Black Culture. Let her studies continue to inform our own. Let her spark a fire in us to reconnect to our roots & grow within our lineages.

Offering suggestions: money, music, read/share her work, libations of water, & flowers.

‼️Note: offering suggestions are just that & strictly for veneration purposes only. Never attempt to conjure up any spirit or entity without proper divination/Mediumship counsel.‼️

[haitianartlover]

STIVENSON MAGLOIRE (HAITIAN, 1963-1994)

[clandestinewhore]

𝙱𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚋𝚘𝚗 𝚂𝚝𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚝, 𝙽𝚎𝚠 𝙾𝚛𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚗𝚜

[asanee44]

The Power Of Voodoo

Voodoo is more than a practice—it's a deep connection to spiritual forces that play a crucial role in our everyday lives. When we honor and respect these forces. In return, they offer us protection, healing, and a wealth of blessings.

By serving the spirits, we tap into a unique and rich tradition of spiritual support and guidance. Through it, we develop a life filled with peace, prosperity, and divine protection. It's about embracing a deeper, more harmonious way of living.

Join us on this journey of spiritual enrichment and discover the endless benefits Voodoo can bring to your life.

Want to gain more in-depth knowledge about Voodoo? To learn more about this profound system, join this dynamic course Haitian Vodou: Mystery of the Cosmos.

[nickysfacts]

Just remember ladies that Erzulie Dantor is always watching over us!

🇭🇹🧕🏾🗡

[jareckiworld]

Didier William — Dezabiye II (acrylic, oil, ink, wood carving on panel, 2022)

[blackhalee]

Hoodoo you know? Do you know HerStory?

🌿💕 The GREAT Mrs. Emma Dupree...

"Emma Dupree (1897-1996) was an influential Black herbalist from Pitt County in North Carolina.

She was known locally as “Granny Woman.”

She was the Daughter of freed slaves and grew up on the Tar River. She was known for Her work with native herbs: Sassafras, white mint, double tansy, rabbit tobacco, maypop, mullein, catnip, horseradish, and silkweed.

It’s a terrible shame that not much has been written about Her on the internet.

Here is an excerpt from an article published shortly after Her Transition:

From the time She could walk, Emma felt drawn to the land. She would roam the woods, plucking, sniffing, tasting weeds. She grew up that way, collecting the leaves, stems, roots and bark of sweet gum, white mint, mullen, sassafras in Her coat-tail or a tin bucket.

She'd tote them back to the farm, rinse them in well water and tie them in bunches to dry.

In the backyard, She'd raise a fire under a kettle and boil Her herbs to a bubbly froth, then pour it up in brown-necked stone jugs:

A white-mint potion for poor circulation;

catnip tea for babies with colic;

tansy tea - hot or cold - for low blood sugar;

mullein tea for a stomach ache, mixed with molasses or peppermint candy to knock out the bitterness.

Her kind of folk medicine dates back centuries.

In the 1600s, enslaved Africans brought root-doctor remedies to the Americas. Indians and immigrants had their cure-alls, too.

In some rural areas, scattered herbalists still practice."🩸🌿

🖤💋🖤

Iba’se to this awesome Ancestor!

[horygory]

The Serpent and the Rainbow (1988)

[kemetic-dreams]

According to Suzanne Preston Blier, who undertook a year of research in 1985–86 in Abomey and the nearby area, highlights the importance of remaining calm in contexts of difficulty and in life more generally.

According to Blier, Vodun means, "the idea of staying close to a water source, to not rush through life, to take time to attain tranquility." Her interpretation stems from two area diviners who maintain that its origins lie in the phrase "rest to draw the water", from the Fon verbs vo 'to rest', and dun 'to draw water', the stoic suggestion of "the need for one to be calm and composed" in the face of adversity.

[rockofeye]

Good afternoon, I want to thank you for share your knowledge and for your time. Can you please help me with some information about Demple lacroix, how to serve him, with Saint represents him, colors or wherever you can share. Thank you again

Hi there,

So, the Lakwa family is deep, wide, and full of Gede that may or may not appear in the broader regleman of the religion. It's not unusual for there to be Gede specific to a lakou or lineage, or even a region.

I'm not familiar with the this particular Gede. Did autocorrect maybe butcher the name?

All Gede are different and want different things. Piman is a good basic Gede drink, but not all Gede will accept it (and even get offended if offered!) Most Gede will accept black, white, and purple, but that can also vary. There are lots of different saints for Gede as well. Gede service depends on where you are from and how you have been taught.

If the name was reflected incorrectly, feel free to send another message and I'll see if I can help more.

[nogetron]

Ogun, Orisha of iron and combat. As the son of the creator of earth, Oduduwa, Ogun is one of the most revered deities of the Orishas. After Oduduwa had created the lands, Ogun lead the way for the other Orishas, clearing a path to earth. Together the Orishas brought the many aspects of the world to earth, with Ogun as the embodiment of metal and minerals, he brought the land its hardiest materials. With these metals Ogun gave humanity the gift of technology. All tools, from blades and wrenches to guns and cars, derive from Ogun’s source. Ogun is straightforward and aggressive, often being compared to a hound in personality, able to face danger head on. However it is because of his nature that he is the patron of war. Being incredibly adept in battle, he is prone to starting conflict. Like his father/mother Oduduwa before him, Ogun incarnated into a human form in the physical world. Son of his father’s incarnation also named Oduduwa, Ogun inherited the throne of the Yoruba city Ife. However after killing two subjects who disrespected him, he was forced to surrender kingship to his son Oranmiyan. Despite leaving the physical world, Ogun promised to aid those who called to him.

Ogun is one of the most popular and well known members of the Yoruba Orishas, with his worship transmitting to large portion of west Africa. One can find west African counterparts of Ogun in the Dahomey Gu and the Ewe Vodun Egu who is also referred to as Gu. Due to the slave trade, Ogun’s worship was transmitted and spread to the americas. His American theological descendants lay across the practices of the Brazilian Candomblé, Santeria, Dominican Vudu, New Orleans Voodoo, and Haitian Vodou. In Candomblé practices Ogun, known to them as Ogum, is synchronous with the Christian Saint George, Sebastian, Anthony and Peter. Ogun is the patron deity of many professions, with blacksmiths, drivers, soldiers and engineers being some of the many people who call upon Ogun’s protection. Ogun holds two festivals in his honor, the Ogun festival is called by a priest on the advent of a new moon, nine days later the festival starts and lasts seven days on the fourth they they sacrifice a dog an animal closely associated with Ogun. The second is the Elefon festival which celebrates the return of Yoruba warriors and the start of a new crop season, these celebrations hold a ceremony in which an individual wearing an Epa mask jumps off a mound, losing balance or falling is said to be an omen fortelling a bad crop year. Ogun’s many names include Ogou, Gou, Ogu and Oggun. Yoruba legends states that Ogun was an earthly king that ruled over Ife along with other earthly Orishas, some have claimed that this could mean that the Orishas are deified kings whose exploits were turned into legend. However others have countered saying that adopting the name of a Yoruba god when taking the throne of Ife may have been a tradition, with those rulers exploits being woven into the already existing deity’s narrative.