Samedi: The Family Erzulie

In Haitian Voudon, a group of female lwa stands out as a particularly dysfunctional sisterhood.  These are the Erzulies or Ezilis as they are known in Creole. 

There is Erzulie Freda Dahomey, the gorgeous and luxurious.  She is the queen of all things beautiful, sensuous and graceful.  Erzulie Freda is envisioned as a light skinned woman with light eyes; she speaks only French and is the dream of every mortal man.  She is herself a sensual animal who takes lovers from among the lwa and her human worshipers.  Maryaj lwa with Erzulie, though not necessarily common, is one of the most likely such entanglements with the lwa for a man to find himself in.  Erzulie Freda is said to be the “consort” of three male lwa: Danbala, Ogou and Agwe.  All of these gentlemen are married to others.

Erzulie Freda’s sister, or perhaps her other half, is La Siren.  She is the blond haired, white skinned mermaid who is lwa of the deep blue sea.    Mermaids are extremely common in Afro-Caribbean and African American stories.  The tales generally tell of a beautiful, fish-tailed woman who lures an adult or sometimes a child down to her watery domain where they live for what seems like a year, but is in fact decades or even centuries.  La Siren follows this pattern as well.  Though generally benevolent, she can turn violent just as the sea does in a storm.  In this guise she is known as La Balien – the whale – and she can be deadly.  She is married to the sea lwa and admiral, Agwe.

The third sister is Erzulie Danto, the mother lwa of the Petwo nachon whose tongue was cut out by Haitian revolutionaries so that she would not tell their secrets.  She is a fierce mother and warrior, dark skinned and ample in form who has a scar on her cheek.  This wound was inflicted when she fought with Erzulie Freda, and the two have detested each other ever since.  Their enmity is only increased by the fact that Erzulie Danto is married to the warrior lwa Ogou.  Erzulie Danto can wreak havoc against human women in fits of rage and jealousy, but she is also known to take women in maryaj lwa and is thought to be the patron of lesbians.

The three sisters’ grandmother also goes by their name.  She is known as Grande Erzulie (or Grann Ezili) and in some sociétés she is the patron of prostitutes (in others, this task falls to Maman Brigitte).   She is also the lwa of regret, weeping over lost love, beauty and opportunity.  Grande Erzulie is envisioned as impossibly ancient and crippled by rheumatoid arthritis.  For this reason, she is the patron of people of any age who suffer from this crippling autoimmune disease.  My daughter, who has the juvenile form of arthritis, is beginning to cultivate a relationship with Grande Erzulie.

All four of the Erzulies can be of great benefit to their devoted worshipers.  But as always, know your lwa and respect them fully.  The opposite of benefit is not always simple hindrance.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Mater Dolorosa de Monte Cavario, the Catholic aspect of Erzulie Freda

Samedi: The Altar at Home

We've talked about the white table, or ancestral altar, before.  Simple to do and rewarding to have, it is something I hope everyone will consider.  But what about altars to the lwa specifically, particularly when a person – like myself – has no connection with a Voudon société?  There is nothing stopping you from setting up an altar, or for that matter several, to the lwa as long as you follow some guidelines.

First, decide what type of altar you want to construct.  A large altar to multiple lwa, such as the one shown above, will require a good deal of space.  Consider a spot where you already practice spiritual pursuits like meditation or root work.  Next, think about what lwa you wish to honor and remember their likes and dislikes including those of each other.  Putting sacred space for Erzulie Freda next to sacred space for her sister Erzulie Danto will only bring unrest to your home.  Their bickering is legendary (to the point where Freda once slashed Danto with a knife); no reason to encourage that kind of energy.  My Danto altar is on the first floor of my home while Freda has her niche upstairs. 

If your altar is for multiple lwa, draping it with a pristine white cloth is advised.  Specific lwa altars should be draped with either a white cloth or one in a color that pleases them; light blue or pink for Erzulie Freda for instance.  The cloths should be washed frequently and kept free of stains.

In Haiti, most altars on constructed on the ground connecting them to the earth.  In your home, adding a pebble or stone from around your home is a good way to make that connection as well.  Candles, either white or colored as with the cloth, should be a prominent feature as well.  Some voudonists keep a glass of water on their altar to represent the waters of Ginen to which we will all return.  If this is appealing to you, be sure to change the water frequently.

From there, your imagination and relationship with the lwa can determine what goes on the altar.  Flowers, pictures of saints, offerings of food or drink and myriad other items will be welcome if they are cleansed first with a little salt water and given with sincerity.  Food and drink offerings should be left only until the lwa have had a chance to absorb their energy; rotten substances are not a pleasant addition to your décor.

A few words of caution are in order before I conclude.  First, keeping your altar scrupulously clean is a must in almost all cases.  Dusting and washing of fabric items should be done regularly.  Statues can be bathed in water to which a pleasing perfume such as Florida Water (popular with all the lwa) has been added.  The only exception is a Ghede altar; the Lords and Lady of the Dead seem to appreciate a little dust and even a cobweb or two.  This plays into one of my pet theories about New Orleans where la beauté d’entropie – the loveliness of decay – is so readily appreciated.  Where Baron Samedi rules, the dilapidation of the grave is a beautiful thing.

Another rule in Haiti is to never put a home altar in your bedroom.  Sometimes this can’t be helped but, if you do, make sure that the lwa’s sight line is screened off from you bed.  You’ll sleep better and so will they.

Treating the lwa like honored guests is probably the best way to do right by them.  In turn, as you spend time with them near their altar(s), they will get to know you and begin to work for you just as you honor them.

Header: Multi-lwa altar from the Tropenmuseum via Wikipedia

Samedi: Maryaj Lwa

I have done my damndest over the course of the last week to completely tune out the “royal wedding”.  I’m an American; it really has no effect on me.  I hope those two people are happy but all the rest of it is a bit much, I think.  That said, Voudon has its own kind of “royal wedding” where in a common mortal may be chosen by a divine spirit and elevated to the status of their husband or wife.  This is the maryaj lwa or spirit marriage.

Generally speaking, a man or woman will be called by their met tête or dominant spirit to take a vow of marriage with them.  This occurs through dreams, which is the way almost all voudoisants experience communication from the lwa.  On far more unusual occasions, a lwa not previously involved with the person will ask for marriage which sometimes prompts that person’s met tête to also ask for vows.  Frequently jealousy issues arise between the lwa when this happens and it can be hell to be popular (for the mortal involved) in such a case.

The human partner has large responsibilities in these marriages.  They will have to arrange a not inexpensive ceremony including bridal clothes, rings, cake and other foods favored by their bride or groom as well as guests and a prêt savann, or bush priest, to perform the ceremony.  The costs can be ruinous, and that’s just the wedding.  After the marriage the mortal is expected to wear wedding rings, both theirs and their lwa spouse’s, at all times.  They are to keep a separate bed in which they will sleep with their spirit spouse one night a week.  Any deviation from this routine – and in particular any sexual congress with another mortal on that day/night – will bring the wrath of the lwa down on their husband or wife.  It goes without saying that an altar must be kept to the lwa spouse and offerings made regularly.

In return the mortal spouse will be given special attention by their lwa.  They will be favored in those areas that the lwa controls and given precedence in intersession of prayers over the lwa’s non-spouses. 

As you may have imagined, the lwa are polygamous not only with humans but among themselves as well which can lead to some awkward interactions.  The lwa most likely to ask a mortal to marry them are Erzulie Freda, and her sisters La Siren and Erzulie Danto.  The gentlemen most frequently seen in maryaj lwa are Danbala, Ogou and Agwe.  This is where the trouble can start because Danbala, Ogou and Agwe are all married to Erzulie Freda.  While Danbala’s first wife is Ayida Wedo, Agwe’s main wife is La Siren and Ogou’s is Erzulie Danto.  To make matters worse Erzulie Freda and Erzulie Danto despise one another.  As if the pot could not be stirred up any more, Erzulie Danto will sometimes ask a woman to marry her, putting her at odds with both male and female lwa. 

Some connections are dealt with by multiple marriages to calm any potential jealousy.  A woman who marries Danbala will also marry Ogou, for instance, while a man who marries Erzulie Freda will invariably also marry Erzulie Danto.  This may make the lwa happy but it is a lot for the human spouse to take on.

Though it may sound spiritually glamorous to be called to maryaj lwa, most of us are thankful to have been overlooked.  While I love the lwa, I’m happy to simply tend to my relationships on this side of the gate.

Header: The Long Engagement by Arthur Hughes c 1859

Samedi: Paket Kongo

What might look like an onion shaped piece of silk or satin tied up with ribbon and sporting a crown of feathers or an almost awkward set of arms is, in fact, a bundle of magick.  This is the Voudon paket kongo used for healing and protection.

The paket, which is a Haitian Creole word, is made by an houngan or mambo in a specialized ceremony performed during one of the three days of the full moon.  The paket is dedicated to a lwa or djab with close connections to the person for whom it is intended.  Alternately, but also rarely, the paket is dedicated to a lwa the person would like to become more familiar with.  The size, color and confirmation of the paket depend on the lwa being served.  A red silk paket with peacock feathers protruding directly from its base may be dedicated to Ogou Ferraille while a pink satin paket studded with sequins and with a number of sensuously curving “arms” holding duck down may be for Erzulie Freda.  These “arms”, which often appear in odd numbers, are reserved for “female” pakets.

Inside the cloth are specific ingredients that will draw the help of the spirit in question.  Usually ashes from an animal sacrifice are included; perhaps those of a black pig for Erzulie Danto, for instance.  Herbs are added, most commonly known by their Haitian names as bwa-din, twa-pawol and zo-devan.  The lwa Simbi, controller of all magickal working, is called upon as the paket is tied up with appropriately colored ribbon which must be knotted seven times.

Once made and consecrated, the paket kongo is kept on an altar either in the home or in the Voudon temple.  The paket may be passed over the body of a sick person to effect healing, or used in other ceremonial ritual or even surprisingly mundane practices to draw the help and support of the spirit it serves.  Regardless of its intended use, the paket kongo has a life span of seven years.  After that, its power is gone and the ritual must be repeated to make a new paket all together.

Header: Paket Kongo to Erzulie Freda via Haitianna

Samedi: Lwa Nachons

In Haiti, the lwa run in packs. It may sound a little irreverent to put it that way but I’m betting Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte at least are having a good laugh about it right now. Lwa families, or nations known in Haitian Creole as nachons, are worshipped together at fetes. They have different family characteristics and they are approached according to same. At one point there were numerous nations but over the years some have been absorbed into the more recognizable groups that we know today. In this post, I want to give a little background information on each of the five major nations with whom I am personally familiar.

Rada: The Rada nation contains the lwa considered the most benevolent and easiest to work with. They are probably also the most familiar to people who know only a little about Voudon. The lwa in the Rada nation originated among the Fon people of Dahomey and includes Damballah, Papa Legba, Erzulie Freda and Agwe. These lwa are thought to be distant, ancient and forgiving but they are said to work very slowly so they are rarely consulted in a situation of dire, immediate need.

Petwo: The fiery Petwo nation originated in Haiti. They do not claim African origin but were kindled by voudonists on their native soil, particularly during the era of rebellion and revolution in the early 19th century. This nation includes Bossou, Simbi, Erzulie Danto and Kalfou. Because this nation is much less predictable and more quick to anger than the Rada, they are sometimes referred to as ze rouge meaning “with red eyes”. They are more demanding of their devotees but they can hurry along workings for healing, prosperity and even revenge.

Kongo: This nation originated in the Congo area of Africa and many of their individual lwa have been assimilated into the Petwo nation. They too are considered fiery and quick to anger. The Kongo lwa are often referred to collectively as lwa-gad or guardian spirits. They are associated with magick and with protecting the voudonists who serve them.

Ibo: The Ibo nation came to Haiti with the Igbo people. These are ancestral lwa who are particularly concerned with protecting the downtrodden and the enslaved. This association may come from the fact that the Igbo people tended to be enslaved by their neighbors in Africa before European slavers appeared on their soil.

Ghede: This is, of course, the nation of the dead. Ruled by Baron Samedi they are the closest to living humans. They do not have their only rituals per ce but will happily barge in while other nations are being called, heedless of whether or not they were invited. They are frequently called upon for help in matters of health, money, love and particularly fertility. Talking to the Ghede is a daily occurrence for many voudonists who very much feel them to be part of everyday life.

Other nations exist as well, including the Nago of Yoruba and the Bambara from the Sudan but, as noted earlier, many of these have been absorbed into other nations. There are also lwa who are the almost exclusive domain of secret societies like the Zebop which no one with my limited knowledge has any business talking about. In the end, the lwa are like a large clan with each family having its own area of expertise and with certain members openly loving or despising one another on an ongoing basis. But that’s another story for another time. Ashe ~

Header: RaRa band in Haitian metal art via haiticheri.com

Samedi: The Favorite Gift

In Voudon it is understood that the lwa need to be fed. The lwa were once people, just like us, and their need for sustenance – though it has changed – has not left them. They all have a special morsel that they are particularly fond of and those who have a devotion to any given lwa will often be instructed, usually in dreams, to offer certain foods or drinks. Because of this, long lists of what foods suit what lwa can be instructive but only if the individual lwa’s needs are not overlooked in their favor. The spirits will speak up and anyone who works with them had best pay attention.

For the Ghede in general and the Barons and Maman Brigitte in particular, one specific offering is universally understood as welcome: Barbancourt rum.

Sometimes referred to as rhum agricole (although, technically, only rum from Martinique can be so designated), Barbancourt is made exclusively from sugarcane grown on Plaine du Cul-de-Sac in Haiti. The House of Barbancourt was founded in 1862 and the process for making this rum has not changed since that time. The cane is crushed and processed immediately after harvesting. The juice is stocked in vats, yeast is added and then the mixture is allowed to ferment. The result is a kind of sugarcane wine that is then distilled and aged in French oak casks. This is unique as most rums are aged in the same type of barrels as American bourbon.

The result is a dry, oaky taste similar to a full bodied Chardonnay or champagne. The Barbancourt bottle is usually adorned with stars, their number being a key to the years the rum has been aging in those divine oak barrels: three stars mean it has been aged four years, five stars mean eight years. The Reserve Domaine has been aged fifteen years and is very much the rum equivalent of Dom Perrignon champagne.

Other lwa who are particularly fond of rum in general and Barbancourt in particular are Papa Legba, the Lord of the Gate, Ogou, the warrior and Erzulie Danto, his warrior spouse.

Because it is delightful, and prohibitively expensive in a place where many families survive on a dollar or two a day, Barbancourt is a seductively generous gift to the lwa. Though difficult to get in more out of the way parts of the U.S. (like up here in Alaska) nothing is truly out of reach in our Internet age. Consider giving it a try yourself, and find out why the spirits are so fond of this hand crafted indulgence.

Header: Rhum Barbancourt modern label