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the-girl-who-didnt-smile · 6 months ago

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RE: Was Baron Samedi worshiped in New Orleans prior to the late 20th century?

This one is also about the actual lwa.

Baron Samedi can aptly be described as not just the most iconic lwa, but one of the most iconic things from New Orleans Voodoo. Ironically, I have only found inconclusive evidence that he was worshiped in New Orleans during the 19th or early 20th centuries.

In American popular media, Baron Samedi is frequently conflated with other Haitian deities, called the Gede. The real-life Baron Samedi has his origins in Haitian Vodou, as does Maman Brigitte (Gran Brijit). The Haitian lwa are derived from African deities, among the most important being the Dahomean trickster god Legba (himself, derived from the Yoruba deity Eshu). Over the course of Haitian history, Dahomean Legba was refracted into Papa Legba, Met Kalfou, and the Gede - by extension, the Bawons, including Baron Samedi. This explains why the Gede are trickster deities of sexuality and liminality, who embrace all that is taboo - just like Dahomean Legba!

19th Century New Orleans Voodoo was greatly influenced by Haitian Vodou, due to the massive influx of Haitian refugees that arrived in the Crescent City after the Haitian Revolution. Following the post-Revolution migration wave, several Haitian lwa became features of New Orleans Voodoo, including:

Papa Legba → “Papa Limba” or “La Bas”, syncretized with St. Peter

Damballah → “Daniel Blanc”, syncretized with St. Michael

Agassu → “Yon Sue”, syncretized with St. Anthony

Ogou Feray could have also been worshiped as “Joe Ferraille” (“Joe Feray”), and Ayizan Velekete as “Vériquité”. While the Erzulies were not directly worshiped per se, veneration of Mother Mary was a key feature of 19th century New Orleans Voodoo. (The Erzulies are syncretized with Mother Mary.)

(I should also note that, in New Orleans, the lwa were called “spirits”, while Bon Dieu/Bondye was simply called “God”)

During the 19th century, the two most important lwa were probably Papa Legba - the Doorkeeper - and Damballah - the most ancient of the lwa. This would explain why their names appear most frequently in 19th- and 20th-century sources, especially in large scale rituals. Damballah might have been refracted into multiple deities, including “Daniel Blanc” and “Zombi the Snake God” – a deity famously associated with Marie Laveau. Others argue that “Grand Zombi” is actually derived from the Kongo supreme deity Nzambi Mpungu, or an invention fabricated by journalists.

A third key deity – “Onzancaire” / “Monsieur Assonquer” – might have been associated with Ogou Feray – one of the most important Haitian lwa. However, the origins of “Onzancaire” are elusive. Because so many different theories have been proposed, I do not know where his true origins lie.

Other deities of non-Haitian origin were also features of New Orleans Voodoo. St. Marron (Jean St. Malo) was the New Orleanian folk saint of runaway slaves. Mother Leafy Anderson – founder of the Spiritual Church Movement in New Orleans – introduced worship of the Native American Saint Black Hawk (see: Kodi A. Roberts (2015) Voodoo and Power: The Politics of Religion in New Orleans, 1881–1940). My understanding is that “Dr. John” (Jean Montaigne) was also deified, in a similar manner to St. Black Hawk. Orisha, such as Shango and Oya, may too have been worshiped. Other deities are listed here and here.

Baron Samedi is conspicuously absent. I think this has to do with the history of Haitian Vodou. Prior to the Haitian Revolution, Haitian Vodou was less of an organized religion, described as a "widely-scattered series of local cults" (see: The Social History of Haitian Vodou, p. 134). It was between the years 1804 and 1860 that Haitian Vodou began to stabilize into a clear predecessor of its present form. (see: The Social History of Haitian Vodou, p. 139) This period of stabilization took place after the migration wave of the early 19th century, which could explain why key features of Haitian Vodou are missing from 19th century New Orleans. For example, I have yet to find evidence that division of the Petwo and Rada lwa made it over to American soil. The refraction of Dahomean Legba might have never been transmitted by Haitian refugees, which would explain the absence of Met Kalfou and the Gede/Bawons from worship.

This too explains why the Papa Legba of American history was both Doorkeeper AND Guardian of the Crossroads. It has been theorized that the legendary “Devil at the Crossroads” was actually Met Kalfou. However, this “Devil” does not match the appearance of Kalfou, described as "no ancient, feeble man...huge and straight and vigorous, a man in the prime of his life." Instead, the one at “the Crossroads” appears as a limping old man who loves music and dogs (“Hellhound on my Trail”). It’s Papa Legba!

Rather than Kalfou, I think American Papa Legba actually inherits his more menacing attributes from Eshu. This would explain why he walks with a limp (like Eshu), is notoriously vengeful (like Eshu), and is sometimes described as androgynous (like Eshu!).

In any case, the Papa Legba of American history can be clearly traced back to Haiti. His appearance as a limping old man is inherited from Haitian Papa Legba; his love of dogs and music from Dahomean Legba. 19th century sources clearly identify him with Saint Peter (“St. Peter, St. Peter, open the door;”) The same cannot be said for Baron Samedi. He was probably not syncretized with St. Expedite, because St. Expedite “did not achieve popularity until the late 1800s or early 1900s in New Orleans” – long after the Haitian migration wave.

I have found one compelling source that places worship of Baron Samedi in 19th century New Orleans. Creole author Denise Alvarado is something of an expert on this topic, her being born and raised in New Orleans. In Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints: A Guide to Magical New Orleans (2022), Denise Alvarado identifies a “Spirit of Death” with Baron Samedi / Papa Gede. The most convincing piece of evidence comes from the second interview, in which the interviewee describes a ceremony where attendees donned purple robes. The color purple has been historically associated with Papa Gede (by extension, Baron Samedi).

That being said, I do think the evidence Alvarado provides is tenuous. Without additional context, it’s difficult to say whether the purple robes are truly linked to the Haitian lwa. The other newspaper article sounds rather sensationalized. The 19th century saw horrendous news coverage of New Orleans Voodoo, where reporters would exaggerate or straight-up fabricate details to demonize Vodouisants. The reporter’s description of the spirits of death does not align with the Haitian Gede or Bawons. It is important to remember that New Orleans Voodoo is not entirely Haitian in origin. Several other traditional African spiritualities are woven into New Orleans Voodoo. Prior to the Haitian migration wave of the early 19th century, one of the main influences was Kongo spirituality, in which ancestor veneration is central. Additionally, the newspaper cited is from the year 1890 – years after Marie Laveau’s death. The reliability of this article is therefore questionable. I think this could be a Damballah / “Grand Zombi” situation, where this “Spirit of Death” bears superficial resemblance to the lwa but isn’t actually him. It is also possible that he is simply a fabrication by journalists.

The defamation of Vodou continued into the early 20th century, as Haiti was occupied by the U.S. between the years 1915 and 1934. I don’t see how worship of the Gede/Bawons could have been transmitted to New Orleans between the end of the Haitian migration wave and year 1934. There’s a good chance that Baron Samedi / Papa Gede only properly became features of New Orleans Vodou during the revitalization movement of the late 20th century.

As such, I propose two hypotheses:

Baron Samedi was not properly worshiped in New Orleans until the late 20th century. He quickly rose in popularity, as he was easily grafted onto the pre-existing worship of the spirits of the dead (ancestors).

Alvarado has correctly identified Baron Samedi / Papa Gede with the “Spirit of Death”; however, this “Spirit of Death” was a radical departure from his Haitian predecessor, taking on a markedly different form from the lwa.

But that’s all just a Theory… A GAME THEORY!!!

…Anyways, annotated bib:

Marshall, Emily Zobel. American Trickster: Trauma, Tradition and Brer Rabbit. Rowman & Littlefield, 2019.

Chapter 1 ("African Trickster in the Americas") describes Dahomean Legba’s origins in the Yoruba deity Eshu.

Cosentino, Donald. "Who is that fellow in the many-colored cap? Transformations of Eshu in old and new world mythologies." Journal of American Folklore (1987): 261-275. https://www.jstor.org/stable/540323.

From the abstract: “Myths of Eshu Elegba, the trickster deity of the Yoruba of Nigeria, have been borrowed by the Fon of Dahomey and later transported to Haiti, where they were personified by the Vodoun in the loa Papa Legba. In turn, this loa was refracted into the corollary figures of Carrefour and Ghede.” Accessed here: https://www.centroafrobogota.com/attachments/article/24/17106647-Ellegua-Eshu-New-World-Old-World.pdf

Haitian immigration : Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries. The African American Migration Experience. https://www.inmotionaame.org/print.cfm@migration=5.htm

Describes post-Haitian Revolution migration wave like so: “the number of immigrants [from Haiti to New Orleans] skyrocketed between May 1809 and June 1810… The 1809 migration brought 2,731 whites, 3,102 free persons of African descent, and 3,226 enslaved refugees to the city, doubling its population.”

Fandrich, Ina J. “Yorùbá Influences on Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo.” Journal of Black Studies, vol. 37, no. 5, 2007, pp. 775–91. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40034365. Accessed 23 June 2024.

Mentions worship of Ogou Feray as “Joe Ferraille”. Fandirch herself cites Long, C. M. (2001). Spiritual merchants. Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, p. 56: https://archive.org/details/spiritualmerchan0000long/page/56/mode/2up?

Long, Carolyn Morrow. A New Orleans voudou priestess: The legend and reality of Marie Laveau. University Press of Florida, 2007, p. 247: https://books.google.com/books?id=_XzSEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT247#v=onepage&q&f=false

Mentions worship of Ayizan Velekete as (the male) “Vériquité”.

Anderson, Jeffrey E. Hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure: A handbook. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2008, p. 15: https://books.google.com/books?id=TH7DEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15#v=onepage&q&f=false

Relevant quote: "Blanc Dani, Papa Lébat, and Assonquer make the most frequent appearances in both nineteenth- and twentieth-century sources. The first two, in particular, figure prominently in large-scale rituals."

Humpálová, Denisa. "Voodoo in Louisiana." (2012). https://dspace5.zcu.cz/bitstream/11025/5338/1/BP%20Denisa%20Humpalova%202012.pdf

One of several sources that identifies “Grand Zombi” with Nzambi Mpungu.

Posits that “Grand Zombi” could be derived from Nzambi Mpungu, or "may be the invention of journalists inspired by "zombie tales" of Haiti's infamous living dead, combined with Moreau de Saint-Méry’s endlessly repeated description of a snake-worshiping ceremony in colonial Saint Domingue."

Anderson, Jeffrey E. Voodoo: An African American Religion. LSU Press, 2024, p. 46: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Voodoo/O-v3EAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=%22assonquer%22+%22azewe%22+vodou&pg=PA46&printsec=frontcover

Describes several possible origins for the elusive “Onzancaire”, including a theory that he was a deity related to Ogou Feray.

Long, Carolyn Morrow. A New Orleans voudou priestess: The legend and reality of Marie Laveau. University Press of Florida, 2007, p. 236: https://books.google.com/books?id=_XzSEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT236#v=onepage&q&f=false

One of several sources to describe St. Marron (Jean St. Malo).

Roberts, Kodi A. Voodoo and Power: The Politics of Religion in New Orleans, 1881-1940. LSU Press, 2015, p. 82: https://books.google.com/books?id=EWOkCgAAQBAJ&pg=PT82&lpg=PT82

Describes how Mother Leafy Anderson (founder of the Spiritual Church Movement) “found” St. Black Hawk, introducing him to New Orleans Voodoo.

Alvarado, Denise. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints: A Guide to Magical New Orleans. Weiser Books, 2022, p. 39: https://books.google.com/books?id=ktlWEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA39&lpg=PA39#v=onepage&q&f=false

Posits that high priestess Betsy Toledano worshiped the Orisha Shango and Oya during the 19th century.

Anderson, Jeffrey E. Hoodoo, voodoo, and conjure: A handbook. Bloomsbury Publishing USA, 2008, p. 15: https://books.google.com/books?id=TH7DEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA15&lpg=PA15#v=onepage&q&f=false

List of deities worshiped in 19th century New Orleans Voodoo.

Alvarado, Denise. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints: A Guide to Magical New Orleans. Weiser Books, 2022, p. 126: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Witch_Queens_Voodoo_Spirits_and_Hoodoo_S/ktlWEAAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA126

Another list of deities worshiped in 19th century New Orleans Voodoo.

Mintz, Sidney & Trouillot, Michel-Rolph (1995) “The social history of Haitian Vodou” in Cosentino, Donald J., ed., Sacred Arts of Vodou, Chapter 4. LA: UCLA Fowler Museum, 123-47. P. 134: https://ghettobiennale.org/files/Trouillot_Mintz_LOW.pdf

Describes Haitian Vodou as a "widely-scattered series of local cults" prior to the Haitian Revolution.

Mintz, Sidney & Trouillot, Michel-Rolph (1995) “The social history of Haitian Vodou” in Cosentino, Donald J., ed., Sacred Arts of Vodou, Chapter 4. LA: UCLA Fowler Museum, 123-47. P. 139: https://ghettobiennale.org/files/Trouillot_Mintz_LOW.pdf

Describes the stabilization of Haitian Vodou into a predecessor of its current form. This occurred between the years following the Haitian Revolution and year 1860.

Deren, Maya. Divine Horsemen : The Living Gods of Haiti. New Paltz, NY: McPherson, 1983 (originally published in 1953), p. 101: https://archive.org/details/divinehorsemenli00dere/page/100/mode/2up

Description of Kalfou (Carrefour) as "no ancient, feeble man...huge and straight and vigorous, a man in the prime of his life." Deren conducted her ethnographic work during the 1940s and 1950s.

Marvin, Thomas F. “Children of Legba: Musicians at the Crossroads in Ralph Ellison’s Invisible Man.” American Literature, vol. 68, no. 3, 1996, pp. 587–608. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2928245. Accessed 23 June 2024.

Description of “The Devil at the Crossroads” as a musical genius and “limping old black man”: “Most versions of this story instruct the aspiring musician to bring his instrument to a lonely crossroads at midnight and await the arrival of a limping old black man who will tune the instrument, play it briefly, and then return it endowed with supernatural power."

Robert Johnson’s song “Hellhound on My Trail” identifies “The Devil at the Crossroads” with Papa Legba, who is associated with dogs.

Long, Carolyn Morrow. A New Orleans voudou priestess: The legend and reality of Marie Laveau. University Press of Florida, 2007, p. 244: https://books.google.com/books?id=_XzSEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT244&lpg=PT244#v=onepage&q&f=false

Relevant quote: "Mary Washington, born in 1863, said she was trained in the arts of Voudou by Marie Laveau. She remembered a song that was sung at the weekly ceremonies: "St. Peter, St. Peter open the door; I am callin' you, come to me; St. Peter, St. Peter open the door." Mrs. Washington explained that "St. Peter was called La Bas, St. Michael was Daniel Blanc, and Yon Sue was St. Anthony." She also mentioned a spirit called Onzancaire."

Alvarado, Denise. The Magic of Marie Laveau: Embracing the Spiritual Legacy of the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. Weiser Books, 2020, p. 57: https://books.google.com/books?id=SZOMDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA57&lpg=PA57#v=onepage&q&f=false

Relevant quote: “Baron Samedi remains a popular and powerful force in New Orleans Voudou today, along with his wife Manman Brigit. He is syncretized with St. Expedite, among the most popular of saints in New Orleans. We do not hear of St. Expedite in association with Marie Laveau, however, because he did not achieve popularity until the late 1800s or early 1900s in New Orleans (Alvarado 2014).”

Alvarado, Denise. Witch Queens, Voodoo Spirits, and Hoodoo Saints: A Guide to Magical New Orleans. Weiser Books, 2022, pp. 127-128: https://books.google.com/books?id=GsofEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA127&lpg=PA127#v=onepage&q&f=false

This is the strongest evidence I could find that Baron Samedi / Papa Gede was worshiped in 19th - early 20th Century New Orleans.

Deren, Maya. Divine Horsemen : The Living Gods of Haiti. New Paltz, NY: McPherson, 1983 (originally published in 1953), p. 107: https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.505921/page/107/mode/2up?q=purple

Historical evidence that, since at least the 1940s, Papa Gede’s colors are “black or purple”. To this day, purple is associated with Baron Samedi and the Gede as a whole.

Long, Carolyn Morrow. A New Orleans voudou priestess: The legend and reality of Marie Laveau. University Press of Florida, 2007, p. 250: https://books.google.com/books?id=_XzSEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT250&lpg=PT250

Relevant quote: “The religion that evolved in nineteenth-century New Orleans and was embraced by Marie Laveau and her Voudou society combined traditions introduced by the first Senegambian, Fon, Yoruba, and Kongo slaves with Haitian Vodou, European magic, and folk Catholicism. It also absorbed the beliefs of blacks imported from Maryland, Virginia, and the Carolinas during the slave trade of the 1830s–1850s. These “American Negroes” were English-speaking, at least nominally Protestant, and practiced a heavily Kongo-influenced kind of hoodoo, conjure, or rootwork. New Orleans Voudou is therefore not identical to Haitian Vodou, but represents a unique North American blend of African and European religious and magical Traditions.”

Describes major Senegambian and Kongo influences on New Orleans Voodoo, prior to the Haitian Revolution. Relevant quote: “New Orleans's African population was Kongo dominated with a strong affinity with the spirits of the dead…Dahomeyan influence occurred only indirectly through the Haitian refugees who "flooded" the city after 1808. In 1809 alone, more than 10,000 Haitians arrived, and doubled the city's population. They brought their Vodou religion with them, which ultimately merged with the already existing New Orleans or Louisiana Voodoo traditions. During the French colonial regime, 80% of the enslaved Africans came from one single ethnic group: the Bamana (also called Bambara) people from the Senegal River basin (today's Senegal, Gambia, and Mali), most of them stemming from one single ethnic group, the Bambara people. The majority of the remaining 20% were Kongolese and some Dahomeyans (Hall, 1992). Despite their rather different geographical origins, these two cultures blend easily into one another. Eighteenth-century Louisiana Voodoo maintained a marked Senegambian flavor, with some Kongolese elements blended in, until the end of the 18th century.”

Dubois, Laurent. “Vodou and History.” Comparative Studies in Society and History, vol. 43, no. 1, 2001, pp. 92–100. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/2696623. Accessed 23 June 2024.

An overview of the history of Haitian Vodou, as it pertains to U.S. history. Demonization of Vodou continued past the U.S. occupation of Haiti, until the late 20th century.

#between the two it is 100% papa legba who had a bigger impact on horror stories from the american south of the early 20th century #i think a lot of people would think it's baron samedi but no! it's the mischevious limping old man!#commentary #the loa (hazbin hotel)#baron samedi (hazbin hotel)#big papa legba

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pumpkinsy0 · 8 months ago

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the shepards mom considered naming them after haitian vodou lwa’s, tim is like azaka, curlys woulda been aizan/ayizan, angelas wouldve been erzulie

#curly shepard #tim shepard #angela shepard

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thenixkat · 3 months ago

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Watching Fright Krewe Dreamworks made a whole New Oreleans voodoo magic kids fighting the supernatural cartoon and i've seen less than 5 people talk about it

the art is pretty decent. the designs are nice

and it actually talks about the Loa and actual historical mambo (priests/priestesses)

damn imagine giving a presentation on your marginalized religion and yer classmates decide to ruin another classmate's presentation and start a fake blood fight so now you all have detention and have to go clean graves also imagine if you got roped into a magical adventure to save the city from a demon and yer party is yer detention group part of which includes assholes you dont like

yeah no, the grounds keeper is clearly a mambo. Regular snakes can't be trained to hold yer lanterns

how this chick gonna be an alpha bitch bully while being short ass hell?

also alpha bitch bully exchildhood friend of the protag starts shit by daring the protag (girl in green) to fuck with the one cursed grave in the whole grave yard that by legend is trapping a demon

ah I see why no one was talking about the show at all. Our protags are 3 Black kids and two brown Hispanic (?) kids

Girl dont prank people at a cursed grave the protag accidentally pricks her finger on the grave and that unleashes the demon just dont fuck around in cursed graves, most of the kids here should know better between their upbringing and religion oh thats grimly gorey for a kids show. The demon pops out of the grave partly skinless, decayed and juicy the protag's mambo ancestor is trying to get these kids to stop running from her so she can tell them shit

The mambo ghost tells them whats up and gives them superpowers to deal with shit. Superpowers being the blessings of certain Loa

Local alpha bitch said she doesnt give a fuck about a magical destiny she has practice and doesnt like these people litterally only 2 out of the 5 kids want to find out what just happened.

the voodoo practitioner kid makes the point of if they don't do what the Loa want them to do bad shit is gonna happen to them

ok. Hey, I recognized Papa Legba and Ogoun when they showed up.

I thought Ayida-Weddo was another deity with a snake around her shoulders Mami Watti The kid who got blessed by Maman Brigitte can turn invisible and the dead talk to him The kid blessed by Ayizan is an airhead who gained the gift of psychometry while the alpha bitch blessed by Ogoun got super strength and accidentally chucked one of the other cheerleaders and got in trouble chucked the other cheerleader hard enough she had to go to the hospital

local alpha bitch is freaking out about maybe getting kicked off the team b/c she's too strong' also the demon decided to poke the alpha bitch into going after the protag oh even bringing up a proper veve and offerings for Papa Legba to try and ask him for help getting folks in contact with the Loas that blessed them huh, someone at Dreamworks really wanted to make an accurate voodun cartoon

the god of the crossroads taking yer offering and then laughing and saying 'You asked for it' is rather ominous even if Papa Legba is on their side yeah show the children horrible nightmare visions related to their quest instead of giving shit straight i mean yes Legba did show them what they asked for just in the worst way Ayida-Weddo gave the protag control of the elements

yeah Ayida-Weddo is one of the creator deity pair, that was a particularly powerful loa to get a blessing from

and the demon is poking at the angry alpha bitch, only voodoo boy can hear it whispering to her and alpha bitch attacks the protag

with intent to do serious harm due to the demon fanning the flames of her anger at the protag

being attacked by a homicidal superstrong cheerleader

the demon feeds on fear uh that's a werewolf a rugarou came to save the protag? voodoo boy's aunt sent a fucking werewolf to help

local alpha bitch really didn't question shit she just squared the fuck up with a werewolf

also the local rugarou pack runs a pizza shop in their neighborhood the rugarou isnt attacking but trying to hold the alpha bitch till she calms her ass down. Unfortunately due to Ogoun's gift she can match its strength also voodoo boy's power is understanding the languages of different creatures that's a very unbalanced party

the girls can control the elements and are super strong. While the boys have invisibility/talking to spirits, psychometry, and omniglot

show said the girls will be kicking all the ass huh the demon said its eating some fear either way and seems to like teh taste of fuckers fearing for their lives alpha bitch gets fucking crushed by rubble, badly fucking injured and dying in the second ep dark ass kids show quiet boy gets pulled into the shadow realm and sees that alpha bitch is dying as in literally crossing over

local pizza shop owner offers to turn the alpha bitch which can save her but she has to consent to it ok yeah the quiet kids ability to go into the shadow realm and talk to spirits is helpful. He's able to ask alpha bitch's soul for consent ok that's not a bad two parter opening for a show

covered the main points and character conflicts, set up the threat, actually accurate voodoo and Loa stuff not bad. but also damn, I can see why the show has little to no fandom. There's no white main characters, its about accurate voodoo, and the werewolves arent the sexy kind

#nix meows #nix watches cartoons #fright krewe #black sf #voodoo in media

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conjuremanj · 2 years ago

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VODOU LWA/ VOODOO SPIRITS AND CATHOLIC SAINT COUNTERPARTS

The Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and their Catholic Saint counterparts.

Why were the Vodou Lwa Synchronized? They became syncretized when the spirits they came to the new world and found it's way too the New Orleans Voodoo tradition by the Haitian Vodou religion? Since Louisiana was primarily Catholic need to protect their practice it made sense to add the spirits with the Catholic Saints. These are the most common Catholic Saints traditionally associated with the Vodou spirits. (All photos from Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans.)

The following overview of the Voodoo spirits and their Catholic counterparts are not intended to replace the history. Instead, this is to provide a general concepts as to which Catholic Saints the Vodou Lwa are most closely associated with due to the African diaspora (slave trade)

Voodoo and the Catholic Saints:

In New Orleans, many traditional Voodoo altars are decorated with Catholic saints. This is because, to avoid persecution, many practitioners would syncretized the Lwa and Orisha with their saints. This practice has also led to the incorrect belief that Voodoo is descended from Catholicism, even though the African religions it is based on predate Christianity by thousands of years. Here are some of the more sought after and renowned Vodou Lwa/spirit and their Catholic Saint counterparts for you to use. Spells and Rituals. Here are a few from Haitian, New Orleans, Puerto Rican spirituality) or 21 Divisiones with their saints.

Papa Legba, the Divine Messenger and Road Opening, Saint Counterpart St. Peter.

Papa Legba, the Divine Messenger and Road Opening, Saint Counterpart St. Lazarus. (Haitian, )

Papa Legba, the Divine Messenger and Road Opening, Saint Counterpart St. Anthony. (New Orleans, Haitian)

Erzulie-Freda, the Lwa of Love & Passion. Saint Counterpart Mater Dolorosa.

Erzulie-Freda, the Lwa of Love & Passion. Saint Counterpart Our Lady of Sorrows.

Ogoun Badagris, the Warrior Spirit. Saint Counterpart St. James.

Ogoun Balendjo, the Warrior Spirit. Saint Counterpart St. Philip.

Ogoun Feray, the Warrior Spirit. Saint Counterpart St.

Agwe, Sovereign of the Sea. Saint Counterpart St. Ulric.

LaSiren, Divine Water Spirit, wife of Agwe, Sovereign of the Sea. Saint Counterpart Our Lady Star.

Ayizan, the Priestess. Saint Counterpart St. Lucy.

Lwa Damballah, the Father Lwa and wife, Ayida-Wedo. Saint Counterpart St. Patrick.

Erzulie-Dantor, the Great Mother Lwa. Saint Counterpart Our Lady.

Erzulie-Dantor, the Great Mother Lwa. Saint Counterpart Our Lady of Czestochowa (the Black Madonna)

Lwa Simbi, the Magi. Saint Counterpart St. Christopher.

Lwa Marassa, the Divine Twin. Saint Counterpart St. Cosmas & St. Damian.

Baron Samedi and the Ghede. Saint Counterpart St. Gerard.

Manman Bridgette and the Ghede. Saint Counterpart St. Catherine.

I sincerely hope you enjoyed this introduction on the Vodou Lwa, Voodoo Spirits and their Catholic Saint Counterparts.

#Vodou Lwa #Voodoo spirits #Catholic saints #Law/ saint's #Spiritual #Haitian #New Orleans #Traditional #Spirits #God's.

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haitilegends · 4 months ago

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Amazon.com: Transparans : AYIZAN: Digital Music

#ayizan transparence #ayizan music productions #haitian bands #haitian music #tit pascal #out now #rasin #new music

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yuppieresearch · 2 years ago

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THE LOST TAPES

throughout the sintracorp building, there are several nameless VHS tapes that have been dubbed “the lost tapes”.

The lost tapes are never specifically referenced by anyone in-game, and Brian himself only comments on the lack of a title for the very first tape; he wordlessly collects the other two. The only tapes that any of the NPCs mention are the Videoclub Misterio tapes, which I have already made a post on here. Because of the lack of acknowledgement, it is hard to draw any definitive conclusions from these tapes, such as why they were made and who made them.

Each tape features a symbol drawn on the tape itself (with the exception of the final tape, which is only accessible via the Sintra residence television), and said symbol is also displayed at the beginning of the corresponding tape. The symbols on the second and third tapes are both vévés, religious symbols commonly used in different branches of vodun. Because of their correlation to vodun, I personally assume these tapes were created or originally owned by either R. Corvo or Mr. Hugo, though this is a bit of a stretch.

CONTENTS OF THE TAPES/MEANING OF THEIR SYMBOLS

LOST TAPE #1

The first tape features no dialogue. It seems to show two people attached to a string and gear mechanism, which causes the two of them to walk towards each other when activated, but other than that, it is nearly indecipherable. A friend of mine proposed the idea that the two intertwined individuals are supposed to represent Brian and Mr. Devil, with the string mechanism specifically reminding him of puppetry.

As for the symbol found on the tape, I believe it to be Hecate’s wheel. Hecate’s wheel is a Greek symbol used to represent the moon goddess Hecate. She is mainly known for her "triple goddess" aspect, appearing in the form of each phase of female life: maiden (the virgin), mother, and crone (the witch). These three sides are reflected in her wheel.

I am unsure if the symbol corresponds to the tape at all, but I find it interesting that it is easy to assign characters to the three sides of hecate: Kate or Atia Moeta as the virgin, Xiu Ying as the mother, and Domori or the snake as the witch.

LOST TAPE #2

The second tape also has no dialogue. We are shown a hand-drawn animation of two children playing together. The shorter child noticeably wears an eyepatch, which the other, taller child draws an eye on. Whether this is done in an attempt to comfort or tease the shorter child is unclear, but the shorter child appears uncomfortable or uneasy. It cuts to the shorter child walking alone in the woods and discovering what appears to be a woman's corpse. A section of the deceased woman’s hair moves around before the tape ends.

I believe the symbol on this tape is the vévé of Ayizan. Ayizan is the loa (or, spirit) of the marketplace and commerce in vodou. She is regarded as the first priestess, and as such, she is associated with priestly knowledge, purification, protection, and mysteries. Though the theme of mystery is prevalent with these tapes, this gives no context as to who these children are or how they relate to Yuppie Psycho.

LOST TAPE #3

This is the only tape to have dialogue. We are shown various shots of the ocean, boats, and a statue that I am unable to identify but it appears to be of a woman in blue praying. The subtitles read: "Darling, you were always right... I was not ready. to lose it all."

The symbol on this tape might be the vévé of Siete Rayos. Siete Rayos is the loa of lightning and fire, and seems to like cigars, rum, and bananas as offerings. From the dialogue and clips alone, i assume this tape is related to the Sintra family in some way. Rei often remarks that her family used to visit the ocean a lot on vacation, and there is the connection of fire to Domori’s burning.

Interestingly, the text files of Yuppie Psycho label this tape "homevideo," while none of the other tapes are given names (only being called "lost tape 1" and "lost tape 2″).

thank you again to my friend asher! he was a big help in identifying symbols and gave second opinions on the meaning of each tape. ^^ if anyone has any ideas on how these tapes connect to yuppie, please feel free to share!

#yuppie psycho #yp #lost tapes

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