Samedi: Great Spirits

In Voudon, the Lord of the Forest is a lwa from the Petwo nachon.  He is generally retiring, a shy gentleman who is eager to help but must be sought out.  His name is Gran Bwa.

Given that he comes from the island nation of Haiti – as do all Petwo lwa – Gran Bwa is a bit of a paradox.  There is probably no place on Earth more deforested than Haiti; what was once a lush rainforest has become a near desert.  Trees have been cut down for fuel, for building materials and, sadly, to try to turn the people away from their spirituality.  Both the Catholic Church and Protestant fundamentalists have ravaged the island’s countryside, destroying trees they knew to be sacred to voudonists.  The devastation is striking and immediately evident.  Flying in to Port-au-Prince feels almost like circling a moonscape.

And yet Gran Bwa remains.  He inhabits the demambwe, the wild land where trees still grow.  Here houngans and mambos go to learn the secrets of root work and curing with herbs.  It is here, too, that bokor come to learn to do harm with the same vegetation.  Gran Bwa is not judgmental; he will offer his knowledge for good or ill if the one who seeks it is sincere in their devotion to him.  In this he is representative of not only Petwo lwa but of Voudon in general.  Gray areas are readily accepted in this spirituality where they are shunned in organized religions that see everything in terms of good and evil.

Gran Bwa is represented with the colors red and green, which should always be prominent on any altar dedicated to him.  He is fond of rum and coffee, and pouring a little of either onto a tree’s roots (not too much) is a fine offering to the Lord of the Forest.  He also enjoys rice with honey.  Gran Bwa is often represented by St. Sebastian, because he is tied to a tree.

If you work with herbs or if you have a close relationship with your garden (or would like to), consider cultivating a relationship with Gran Bwa.  It may take you a while, but the sincere effort will be well worth it.

Header:  St. Sebastian from a prayer card in my collection

Samedi: In the Trees

The spirits of Voudon are particularly fond of nature, which to me is a bit of a paradox.  There are not many wild places left in Haiti, if the truth be told, and in some areas it is particularly daunting to find a tree much less a forest.  So it would seem even more paradoxical that many of the lwa have their own favorite trees.

Most Voudon temple complexes have trees, or at least a tree, in their courtyards.  These are dedicated to the lwa and are called repozwas: resting places.  Here the lwa can sit and relax particularly after a possession when they are often asked for help and favors by the voudonists in attendance at a fete.  The courtyards will always have a tree near the door to the temple consecrated to Papa Legba, the lord of the gate between our world and the spirit world.  Other trees will likewise be consecrated but to other lwa and offerings will be left on or near them, including ribbons and beads hung in the branches.

Outside of the ounfo proper, certain trees are recognized as being sacred to certain lwa.  Here is a list of some Rada, Petwo and Ghede spirits and the trees they love:

Agwe, the lwa of the oceans, fancies the raisinier tree

Ayida-Wedo, the rainbow wife of the serpent Danbala, is fond of all trees but is particularly partial to calabash and palmetto trees

Ayizan, the first mambo, likes palm trees

Azaka, the farmer, likes avocado and banana trees

Baron Samedi, lord of the Ghede, has a weakness for citron trees

Danbala, like his consort, appreciates all trees but is most partial to the calabash and bougainvillea

Erzulie Freda Dahomey loves the laurel tree

Gran Bwa, the shy lwa of the forest, is fond of mapou trees

This is by no means an all inclusive list, but it gives you an idea of the varying tastes of the lwa, at least in landscaping.  It also gives us an historical glimpse of how varied Haiti’s forests must have been at a time long before our own.  The World is alive; Ashe!

Header: Carnival by Henri Rousseau

Samedi: Pelerinage

Like most religions, Voudon has its own devotional pilgrimages. The places that draw the faithful in Haiti, though, are usually not buildings, churches or cities but are often bodies of water. Followers of Voudon may be led to personal places of pilgrimage; there are many cases of voudonists being told by a lwa or ancestor in a dream to visit a forest, park or seashore and they will make this a habit. There are also major pilgrimage sites that have become famous in their own right.

Two of the best known focuses of Voudon pilgrimage, or pelerinage, are the mud baths at the Plaine du Nord in northern Haiti and the waterfall at Saut d’Eau near the village of Ville Bonheur. The festival at Plaine du Nord takes place on St. James’ Day, July 25th and celebrates the lwa of fire, the forge and technology Ogou Ferraille. The town of Plaine du Nord surrounds what is known as Trou Sen Jak, a large mud pond which is said to have healing powers. The mud is warmed by underground steam and, because he is a “hot” lwa, it is not surprising that it is sacred to Ogou. The worshipers who flock to the little town bathe in the mud not only to honor Ogou, but also to receive healing which both the lwa and the mud itself are said to impart. The worshippers appear in blue clothing with red piping, trying to emulate Ogou who is frequently pictured as a soldier. They wear red head scarves and hope to be blessed with the courage and masculine energy of the lwa in spirit possession.

Saut d’Eau is a 100 foot series of falls outside Ville Bonheur where, in 1847, a vision of Erzulie Freda as the Virgin Mary was seen in a palm tree. The local priest had the tree cut down to discourage voudonists from worshiping there and it promptly fell into the water beneath the falls, floating away serenely. The priest died of an untreatable illness and the locals got the word out that Erzulie Freda had claimed the falls for herself. Now each July 16th crowds of voudonists and tourists swell the little village and participate in the purifying bathing ritual at the falls. All those who jump into the water remove their clothes and allow them to float off like Erzulie’s palm tree, taking their sins away with them and allowing them to emerge from the water clean both physically and spiritually. The village is about 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince and the festival has a carnival atmosphere with music, food and curio stands, drumming and dancing. The most influential and devoted voudonists never miss a year but those not accustomed to the festival should take special precautions. There’s a lot going on and, much like Mardi Gras in New Orleans, the criminal element never misses a year, either.

Of course we can’t all go to Saut d’Eau but there are places of Voudon pilgrimage in North America at least. The shrine of Sainte Anne in Quebec is a huge draw on her feast day in July. New York voudonists visit Prospect Park to commune with the lwa of the forest, Gran Bwa. And of course the grave of the famous “voodoo queen” Marie Laveau in New Orleans’ St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 is an ongoing destination for those seeking her favor. It is the custom to make three Xs on the grave with a shard of red brick, ask for your desire and then leave a small gift for Madame Paris, as she is also known. Bon pelerinage ~

Header: Saut d’Eau via HaitiWiki (click to truly enjoy the beauty of the place)