Mardi: Herbal-Wise

We've got company coming to chez Pauline this evening so my time is not entirely my own. But I do have a quick herbal not that speaks to the season, whether you're a Hallowe'en aficionado, curious about "voodoo" or just a fan of The Walking Dead.

Hold on to your conical hats because this one is a little unusual. According to Scott Cunningham, pistachios cure zombie-ism. No kidding. Here is the notation from Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs:

The nuts are... given to zombies to bring them out of their trances and to give them the rest of death. Curiously enough, the pistachios which have been artificially dyed red are said to be the best for this purpose.

If we are talking about Voudon "zombies", it may be that there is a component in the nut that acts as an antidote for the chemicals used by a sorcerer to "turn" a person into a zombie. I don't recall Wade Davis mentioning this in his definitive book on Haitian Voudon The Serpent and the Rainbow, but that doesn't discount the possibility.

If only Rick Grimes and company had a truck-load full of pistachios... But then we wouldn't have much of a show, would we?

Interested in zombies and in particular zombie related movies? Follow along with the Zombie-thon crew for some great suggestions for your own zombie-movie-marathon. Bonne chance ~

Header: The Picture of Dorian Gray painted for the 1944 movie by Ivan Albright via Old Paint

Samedi: Ghost Stories

There's a chill in the air and the smell of smoke. Night comes earlier and creatures great and small are preparing for the bleak months ahead. Hallowe'en is in the offing; that can only mean one thing: it's time for Saturday ghost stories. Gather round and let me tell you of the things that go bump in the night. And so we shall honor those whose day it is, the King and Queen of the Dead, Baron Samedi and Maman Brigitte.

This story originated somewhere in the southeastern United States. Often claimed by the Gullah coast of Georgia, that claim is just as often contested by the bayous south of New Orleans. It plays on the ancient belief that dogs can see supernatural beings in general and ghosts in particular. I tell it in my own voice, imagining myself back on the old homestead down Rigolets way when I was a teenager. The place was my father's Aunt Bette's house, rickety and creaky and full of it's own spirits no doubt. It's gone now, but I remember the two short summers I spent there every time I tell these stories.

My Aunt once told me, when I was just fourteen, that dogs can see ghosts. I didn't think much of it at first, but she would often point to her big mutt when he jumped or barked or howled for no apparent reason and say: "There; Gator sees a spirit." It did get me wondering about it when I went back home to California.

Two summers later, I was back at Aunt Bette's and I asked her to tell me more about dogs seeing ghosts.

"Oh, people can too," she told me. "How," I asked. "All you do is run your finger over a dog's eyelashes and then run that wet finger over your eye," she made the motion as she spoke, smearing her thick eyeliner a bit. "Y'all will see all the spirits round this bayou. But be warned." My Aunt paused here, and looked at me with a serious stare. "Some of 'em ain't that pretty."

A few nights later, after supper, I was on the porch with Gator. He was snapping at a fly that got through the screens and then all of a sudden he stopped, looked straight out into the dark and howled. The sound was high pitched, like a hurricane wind through broken glass. The hair on my neck stood up; the hair on Gator's did too. I don't know what came over me but before I could think I wiped my finger over Gator's one good eye and then swiped it over both of mine.

I turned my eyes back to the dark. "Any spooks out there," I called. "Cause my dog and I can see you all."

I didn't see a thing except dark beyond the porch light. The only noise was the song of frogs.

Standing up, and still quite without thinking, I opened the porch screen and stepped down to the ground. Gator came with me, his one good eye still peering out toward the water and his tail between his legs.

"You spirits out there?" My bravado was more for myself now. The dark was thick and I could spy a mist rising from the dead cypress trees in the water. "I can see you. Show yourselves."

As we watched, Gator and I, that mist took form. Rising up before us, like a reanimated corpse coming straight out of its tomb, was the white incarnation of a dead woman. She wore old fashioned clothes that were dripping with water and moss. Her face was like a skull and as we watched her right arm raised up from her side and her bony finger pointed straight to us. Her jaw dropped and a scream, so piercing I thought my eardrums exploded, emanated from her open mouth.

Where a moment before we had been glued to the ground, Gator and I sprang into action at the same time. We jumped back up onto the porch, ran into the house and dove under the afghan that always hung over the back of it. There we huddled together, shivering even though it was 90 degrees outside.

My Dad and my Aunt, who had been in the kitchen having a little after supper something, heard the screen door slam and came into the front room. When Aunt Bette saw Gator and me quivering under her blue and white afghan, she must have known what was going on. "Just leave 'em, Jack," she said when my Dad starts asking what we're up to. "I think I scared your girl with my ghost stories."

Dad went back in the kitchen but Aunt Bette turned back the afghan and whispered: "You better wash your face well tonight. Especially those green eyes. Gator and I can tell you, there's a lot more gruesome specters in the corners of this old place."

Aunt Bette went back to the kitchen and I ran upstairs, my eyes closed until I reached the bathroom. I scrubbed my eyes with soap, and that's no lie. They were red for a week, but it was better than ever, ever seeing a ghost again.

Header: Danse Macabre via Gutenberg online

Samedi: The Ghede Revisited

Haiti is rich with dark myths and voodoo legends, including many frightening tales of the evil Ghede.  This lord of the dead is a tall man who wears a long black coat, black top hat, and dark glasses.  He is considered a powerful devil who constantly seeks the ruin of souls.

Ghede stands at the eternal crossroads through which all souls must pass upon death.  He has the power to resurrect the dead and to animate zombies.  One of his most frightening attributes is his ability enternally to torment the souls of corpses stolen by sorcerers.  Haitians believe that only prayer and holy ritual can save them from the clutches of Ghede.  ~ from Encyclopedia of Hell by Miriam Van Scott

First of all: say what!?

Now that I’ve gotten that out of my system, let’s break this down a little bit.  In Haitian Voudon and New Orleans voodoo the Ghede (they are generally imagined as a group, not as a single entity) are nothing more frightening than the spirits of the dead.  They are led by a smaller group – usually of three but sometimes as many as seven – of gentlemen known as the Barons.  Baron Samedi is the most familiar and the most often addressed.  His wife is one of the few female Ghede, the powerful Maman Brigitte.  In New Orleans, Baron Samedi is considered the patron lwa of the city and its surrounding bayous.  For an extended but by no means complete list of the well known Haitian Ghede, click here.

There is nothing of the devil or demon in Ghede lore.  In fact the Ghede – though they usually go uninvited – are some of the most welcome guests when spirit possession occurs at the oumphor.  Their hard drinking, sense of humor and honesty are a welcome diversion from the sometimes more difficult lessons brought from Ginen by the lwa.  In fact, the only participant who will have nothing to do with the Ghede is usually a spirit and not a human; the beautiful Erzulie Freda Dahomey cannot abide the Ghede, as they remind her of aging and corruption.  She will complain that they are “chameau”: stinky.

The idea of torment and torture of a soul after death is alien to Haitian Voudon.  In this world view, souls retreat to the underwater haven of Ginen where, if offerings are made to them and they are strong enough to help the living, they might even become lwa themselves.  I won’t even cross the line into corpse thieving or zombies as I have no direct experience with either.  Such things do occur, but it is not the Ghede who are called upon for help with those matters.

In the end, Van Scott’s two paragraphs seem at the very least a misunderstanding of Voudon and voodoo.  At its worst, the entry is a another blatant attempt to demonize the gods/spirits of a religion that does not conform to the Judeo-Christian-Muslim world view.  When I was studying anthropology in school – back in the ‘80s children – we were stringently and frequently reminded that ethnocentrism was the bane of any serious study of man and man’s beliefs.  Van Scott’s book bares a 1998 copyright.  Evidently not everyone got the message.

Header:  Baron Samedi via Deities & Demons (see the sidebar)

Samedi: Voudon Calendar

Like most religions, Voudon has its own special festivals designed to bring worshipers into touch with the divine spirits.  Depending on where a voudonist is from, the main festivals, or fetes as they are called, will number between twelve and twenty per year.  I spent time in the Les Cayes region and keep the fetes that were taught to me there.  Though local festivals can raise the number to as many as thirty, this general list of fetes is an all around if not all inclusive example of the celebrations in Voudon.

Many of the fetes are synergized with Catholic Holy Days.  This, it goes with out saying, gave the original slave population of old Sante Domingue the opportunity to celebrate the lwa without drawing attention to their practices.  To masters and overseers, the slaves were celebrating Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16^th, for instance, when in fact they were raising a fete for Erzulie Freda.

For the purposes of this list, I will give the date, Voudon fete, Catholic Holy Day and significance as I understand it.

January 6,  Voudon Fete Les Rois, Catholic Epiphany: This celebration honors the ancestral kings of Africa and is similar to celebrations of the 9 African Powers in Santeria

February 25, Manje Tet Dlo, no corresponding Holy Day: Offerings are made to feed rivers and springs so that they will continue to provide sweet water

Movable fete usually in March or April, Fete Souvenance, Good Friday: A weeklong festival held in Souvenance which only houngans and mambos may participate in

March 20, Legba Zaou, no Holy Day: Homage is paid to Papa Legba through the sacrifice of a black goat

April 30, Manje mo, no Holy Day: Offerings of food are made to family ancestors

May 12, Manje lwa, no Holy Day: Offerings of food are made to the lwa sacred to the local ounfo

July 16, Fete Saut d’Eau, Our Lady of Mount Carmel: People make a pilgrimage to bathe in the waterfall at Saut d’Eau recognizing Erzulie Freda

July 25, Fete Ougo, St. James: People make a pilgrimage to Plaine du Nord in recognition of Ougo Ferraille

August 15, Fete Soukri Kongo, Feast of the Assumption:  Weeklong honoring of the Kongo lwa at Nan Soukri

November 2, Fete de mo, All Souls’ Day: Weeklong remembrance of dead family members and Ghede lwa like Maman Brigitte and Baron Samedi including ritual meals which are prepared without salt

November 25, Manje yanm, no Holy Day: Celebration of the harvest

December 25, Fete des Membres, Christmas: Every attempt is made to return to one’s home where ritual baths and feasting are part of the celebrations

December 28, Manje Marasa, Feast of the Holy Innocents: The divine twin lwa known as the Marasa are celebrated

My personal favorite is Fete de mo, because I especially appreciate that this is a celebration that was recognized by my Celtic ancestors as well.  Finding connections to all the things that we are and can be may be the best thing that any religion, “organized” or not, can do for us.  At least that’s what I hope for.  Bon Samedi mes amis ~

Header: Soukri Kongo celebration in modern Haiti via HaitiXchange.com

Samedi: The Ghede at the Palace

Though the vast majority of Americans – or at least the ones I’ve chatted with on the subject – believe that all Haitians are steeped to their necks in Voudon, a few souls in that country might disagree.  The story goes that the Duvalier dictators used their people’s devotion to the lwa against their enemies, making their guards and police a virtual secret society.  This is true to some degree.  This behavior on the part of their leaders did not stop upper class Haitians from looking down on Voudon as something akin to ignorant superstition.  In fact before the Duvalier regime, most Haitian leaders very much distanced themselves from the spiritual beliefs of the populace.

The curious thing is that these people, who look down their noses as Voudon, are usually practicing it themselves.  They will have discreet niches in their homes, ostensibly in devotion to Catholic saints, which are actually altars to the lwa.  How similar this behavior is to that of slaves before the revolution probably doesn’t even bare mentioning.  The hypocrisy of it, however, is lost on no one and has led to an oft told tale of a virtual uprising of the Ghede.

It is said that a certain President of Haiti was particularly vocal about his rejection of Voudon and he encouraged his people to follow his lead.  Along with this, his regime was corrupt in the extreme and people only blocks from his palatial palace were literally starving.  One evening, under a blood red sky, a mass possession fell upon the populace of Port-au-Prince with hundreds of people mounted by Ghede lwa.  The Ghede marched through the streets to the Presidential palace with Baron Samedi, Baron Cemetere and Maman Brigitte in the lead.  Those not possessed stood in awe, and followed the procession to see what would happen.

The Ghede mounted the steps of the palace, waving the President’s guards aside as if they had no fear of their weapons.  And of course, they did not; weren’t they dead already?  The mob pounded on the palace door and demanded that the President come out and meet them. 

In abject terror, the President appeared on the balcony above.  “Who are you?” he cried.  “What do you want?”

“We are the Ghede,” Baron Samedi replied.  “We want the people fed and we want your devotion.  Give us money and call me your Lord.”

The President protested against these demands but the Baron promised that his Ghede would break down the doors and wreak havoc in the palace.  At last the President, terrified beyond reason, rained money down upon the people and vowed to honor Voudon and most of all the Ghede from that day forward.

The Ghede, pleased and pacified, left the palace and their horses to return to their home in the cemeteries.

It is probably safe to say that the story is apocryphal but it is instructive nonetheless.  When Voudon is threatened, it is the lwa of the Dead who champion it and they can champion the sincerely devoted individual, too.

Header: Ghede lwa from Mambo Sallie Ann Glassman’s “Wall of Voodoo” in New Orleans

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: Gad

Gad is the Haitian Creole word for the French garde, meaning protection.  It probably goes without saying at this point that a gad is a charm to guard the one who carries it but from what, and how, is what we will delve into today.

Unlike a hoodoo mojo, which is separate from the individual who uses it in the form of a pocket piece or a bag, a gad is part of a person.  Generally speaking there are two kinds of gad.  The first is applied to the skin in the form of a tattoo, carving or brand.  The second is ingested, usually in liquid form.  At this point, it is doubtless very apparent that a gad is a serious thing, that should not be undertaken lightly.  We will address that issue at the end of this post.

A gad is an invocation of an individual lwa, using their symbols and herbs related to them to accomplish the protective magick.  This means that the spirit involved has a stake in the ritual and will expect the person who receives the gad to serve them in return for their protection.  The lwa invoked is usually of the hot Petwo nachon so the potential for backlash is redoubled.

An houngan or mambo will prepare for the gad ceremony with sacrifice to the appropriate lwa.  The person receiving the gad will participate in a ritual bath and then be scarified or branded, after which herbs sacred to the lwa, usually along with charcoal or ash, will be rubbed into the wound.  Tattooing is also a popular form of modern gad, with the herbs rubbed on the tattoo once it is completed.  The gad is usually applied to the shoulder and it is expected that the voudonist will “feed the gad” with liquor or herbs on a regular basis.

Alternatively, a gad may be in the form of a libation which the voudonist drinks.  These gads are said to not only protect again evil magick but also against poisoning.

The gad must be renewed regularly, usually on a yearly basis.  The ceremony is repeated, with herbs rubbed on the physical gad or the individual once again drinking the decoction of appropriate herbs.  Failure to renew the gad will result not only in its loss of power, but in potential retribution from the lwa originally invoked.

It has become popular, particularly in New Orleans Voodoo, to have a favorite lwa’s veve tattooed on one’s shoulder or elsewhere on the body.  While this has all the outward seeming of a gad it is in fact a poor substitute.  Serious thought should be applied to such undertakings as the chosen lwa may not be in tune with the individual receiving the tattoo.  One should – at the very least – make sure they are very well acquainted with their lwa of choice and feed their tattoo with appropriate herbs or liquor on a regular basis.   Prendre garde ~

Header: Veve Baron Samedi

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: More on Prayer to St. Expedite

Now that I’ve been posting here for six months, I’ve found that the posts with prayers to and information about the dear St. Expedite are consistently popular with visitors to HQ.  Now I’m keeping an eye out and an ear to the ground for new entreaties and new information to and about this intriguing Saint-that-never-was-and-yet-is.

Recently, while reading The Voodoo Hoodoo Spellbook by Denise Alvarado, I came across Ms. Alvarado’s version of a petition to St. Expedite.  I have not seen this one before but, it goes without saying, that doesn’t mean it hasn’t been around for awhile.  The book focuses on New Orleans Voodoo – rather than Haitian Voudon –and as we’ve discussed before St. Expedite is there frequently associated with the lwa of NOLA, Baron Samedi.  This prayer is unique to the others I have posted as it gives you an opportunity to add your request at the end, which gives it a charming “homemade” flavor.  From the book:

Oh, Glorious Martyr and Protector Saint Expedito!  We humbly ask to have fortune and prosperity for our country, that the sick get well, the guilty get pardoned, the just be preserved and those who abandon this valley of tears rest in the Light of The Lord and the souls of the dearly departed rest in peace.  (Mention your request).  Amen.

Here the author of the prayer first asks for righteous assistance on a broad scale – keep our country, cure the sick, save the martyrs, watch over the dead – and then adds their petition at the end.   It is very much in the form of many Catholic prayers which I grew up with.  These tend to treat Saints like generous Aunties who, if we as children are clever enough in the way we ask, will hand over an extra treat after supper. 

In this same “folk-religion” tradition, supplicants are very much encouraged to go from Saint to Saint until they find the one that gives them candy who then, of course, becomes their favorite.  My Aunt Bette was a sucker for my green eyes and gave up the last piece of cake to me every time.  Which Auntie do you imagine was my favorite?

Thanks in part to Aunt Bette I am a big fan of red velvet cake and Saint Expedite as well.  May your good fortune with him be just as mine has been, and may your favorite Auntie always offer up that last piece of cake.  Bonne chance ~

Header: Framed icon of Saint Expedite

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: Petitions on Paper

Writing down words that symbolize what we want from the Universe is an ancient practice that points to the power of literacy. There was a time when people who could write were looked upon as literal magicians, and that is still the case in some parts of the world. Given that the original practitioners of Haitian Voudon were slaves who were purposefully kept from learning how to read and write, it is not surprising that the tradition of oraisons, or written requests to the lwa, is still in common practice today.

Generally, an oraison takes the form of a Catholic prayer to an individual Saint. The prayers are either traditional to Voudon or transferred by hand from a prayer card to a piece of paper. Any paper is fine but pieces of brown bag are the favorite medium in New Orleans voodoo and hoodoo. The completed papers are then sewn into clothing or bedding for fulfillment of wishes. Generally a houngan or mambo will prepare the oraison to the specifications of a client in exchange for money. In Haiti, particularly at the famous (and recently restored) Iron Market in Port-au-Prince, ready-made oraisons can be purchased every day. Oraisons can also be made by voudonists themselves. This is a fairly common practice among root workers but in Haiti it is thought that, for the best result, a priestess or priest must create the petition and money should be exchanged.

Certain Saints are favored for oraisons, with their prayers having specific areas of expertise. Saint Expedite, of course, is called upon to hasten good fortune or quickly end trial. Saint Bartholomew is petitioned to heal illnesses, especially unseen disorders like nervous maladies and witchcraft, Saint Michael is called upon to keep people safe at sea, Saint Clare watches over the poor and Saint Radegund, a personal favorite of mine, protects from harm by others, either intentional or errant. Other Saints’ prayers are used as well, but these five are the most common in my experience.

As an example, here is one way I use a homemade oraison for a very modern purpose: keeping myself and my family safe while travelling in our vehicles. I tear a piece of brown bag into a relative square and then write a prayer to St. Radegund in black ink. Radegund was a Frankish princess that renounced her possessions and dedicated her life to serving God and the poor. She eventually became an anchorite, walled up in a small cell where she experienced Divine visions particularly of Purgatory. Here is the prayer:

Radegund, Baron Samedi, guardian of the cemetery,
You who have the power of going into purgatory,
Give my enemies something to do
So they may leave me alone.

Writing with intention – and sincere faith in Radegund and the Baron – is important. When you’re finished, fold the paper in half and the hide it somewhere in your car, boat, motorcycle, RV, airplane, etc. to protect you from accidents and mechanical failure. This particular prayer is unusual for calling on a specific lwa, Baron Samedi, as well as the Saint. This may indicate that Radegund is syncratized to some degree with the Baron’s wife Maman Brigitte. This is especially interesting to me as Maman Brigitte is not generally paired with any specific Saint in Haiti but I have seen her prayed to as Saint Brigit and even Saint Jeanne d’Arc in NOLA and elsewhere.

Something to think about while you consider the beautifully simple tradition of the oraison. Bon Samedi ~

Header: Medieval statue of Saint Radegund from Poitiers, France

Samedi: Prayer to St. Expedite

We've talked about the Roman soldier born and bred in New Orleans, Saint Expedite, before. As we discussed, he is the saintly alter-ego of the Lord of Ghede, Baron Samedi in New Orleans Voodoo. That post is a consistent favorite here at HQ as is the Saint. Anyone who can help you find a solution to a problem quickly is sure to be popular.

Prayer cards are available with the Saint’s likeness – he is invariably shown as a Roman clad in the uniform of a legionnaire and holding a cross, palm frond, or both – on the front and his invocation on the back. The words are curious among prayers to Catholic saints as they specifically mention St. Expedite being able to achieve for the supplicant what his or her abilities cannot. I find this particularly comforting and encouraging; perhaps because I am a writer.

Today, three versions of the Prayer to Saint Expedite from my own prayer card which comes from lovely NOLA herself. Light a red candle (preferably dressed with an oil to match your need as in clove oil for protection, rose for love, cinnamon for money) and recite the prayer that most resonates with you. Allow the candle to burn out completely and then put what is left of the candle – still in its holder – in your freezer. Leave it (and try not to think about your request) until your desire has manifested, then remove the candle from the holder and bury it on your property or in a house plant before making a thank you offering to St. Expedite (try rum; he loves it).

May the intercession of the glorious martyr Saint Expedite, recommend us, O my God, to Thy goodness, in order that his protection may obtain for us what our own merits are powerless to do. Amen.

We supplicate Thee, Lord, to inspire by Thy grace all our thoughts and actions, that Thou being their principle, we may, by the intercession of Saint Expedite, be conducted with courage, fidelity and promptitude, at the time proper and favorable, and come to a good and happy end through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Saint Expedite, honored by the gratitude of those who have invoked thee at the last hour and for pressing cases, we pray thee to obtain from the all-powerful goodness of God, by the intercession of Mary Immaculate, the grace we solicit with all submission to the Divine Will. Amen.

Use any or all of these prayers, but always remember to thank the Saint when your request is fulfilled. Bon chance ~

Header: Saint Expedite niche at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, New Orleans

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

Samedi: La Tribu de Ghede

Though Baron Samedi is King of the Ghede and Lord of the Cemetery, he has a number of associate and cousin Ghede who rule over other aspects of Death and Sexuality. Here, for your perusal, is a by no means all inclusive list of the Barons and the Ghede as they were taught to me during my time in Les Cayes, Haiti:

Linto ~ an unusual Ghede child who represents the lost children among the dead, those aborted, miscarried, still born, or neglected or abused until they died. Frequently represented as a skeletal child dressed in rags.

Maman Brigitte ~ first among the Ghede lwa as wife of Baron Samedi, she is the just judge and wise cracking mother of the Dead.

Ghede Loraye ~ frequently described as a little woman who appears near shore before a storm, she is the keeper of the Dead at sea and a particular concern of sailors. I find it interesting that her name is similar to Lorelei, a legendary European mermaid and former storm goddess.

Ghede Masaka ~ another female Ghede, she is usually given a wide berth by all but the darkest sorcerers. She is considered an angry spirit that represents women who died in childbirth. She carried a gris-gris bag with poisons and the umbilical cord of her lost offspring in it. Rarely, she is pictured holding the hand of Linto.

Baron Samedi ~ as noted previously, the Lord of the Ghede.

Baron Cimetière ~ the Lord of the Cemetery who decides who is welcome among the Dead and who must remain alive.

Baron Le Croix ~ represented by the main cross in any cemetery, he is the keeper of the community of the Dead.

Ghede Brav ~ the Lord of the Penis, he is usually represented by a phallus or as a skeleton with an obvious aura of excitement in his genital area.

Ghede Double ~ the giver of divinatory talent, those who read fortunes will call on him.

Ghede Fouye ~ upon the order of Baron Cimetière, he digs the grave of the newly dead.

Ghede Lorage ~ I was told that this Ghede is relatively new to the pantheon and that he specifically deals with those who die by gunshot. He may be an upshot of the violent times surrounding the Dictatorships of the Duvalier family, but that is speculation on my part. Ghede Lorage is mentioned in the brilliant documentary Cite de Soleil about the large slum in Port-au-Prince by the same name, which I highly recommend.

Ghede Nivo ~ who tends the tomb.

Ghede Souffrant ~ the Ghede who suffers, a patron of those who die after protracted illness, torture or other long suffering.

The Ghede, like death itself, are innumerable, but this list gives you an idea of the care to detail that has been taken by Voudon in the land of the dead. In a place where suffering and death have always stalked the people, it is little wonder that the Ghede are everywhere.

Header: Ghede Barons by Voodoomama

Samedi: Of Children and the Dead

For the most part it is understood, in “orthodox” Haitian Voudon, New Orleans Voodoo and Hoodoo that the Barons and the Ghede are the keepers of the cemetery. There is a saying that if the Ghede in general and Baron Samedi’s aspect of Baron Cemetere specifically will not dig the grave then a person cannot die. Though it seems contradictory in modern cultures that keep death at arm’s length, it is a perfectly natural thing for a voudoisant to go to a cemetery and ask the Baron for the life of a sick or injured loved one.

Even more odd to certain minds is the connection between the Ghede and children. Women who have trouble conceiving will frequently make offerings to the Baron and sometimes to his wife, Maman Brigitte. There is a fine line here, however, as Maman Brigitte is at times called the protectress of sex workers who come to her for the blessing of avoiding conception. Either way, Maman Brigitte tends to be thought of as a frank and even filthy talking lady who keeps up with her brother Ghede as far as her openness about sexuality.

The Barons are relied upon as lwa who will listen to and aid the childless. For the most part this is due to their place in the undeniable circle of all things: birth leads to adults who will procreate and procreation leads to death. The Ghede will be left forgotten and alone without the birth of new little humans who will one day join them in the cemetery.

By the same token, many who practice voodoo in all it’s permutations make offerings to the Ghede for the recovery of their sick children. Though the Ghede may seem like the hungry dead to unstudied eyes, they are far from it. These souls would far prefer to see a child grow, succeed, marry and have a family of their own than take them young. The cycle continues and life, in the end, goes on. Bon Samedi ~

Header: Baron LaCroix by Andre Pierre via Haitian Art

Samedi: The Barons' Song

Papa Gede bel garcon!
Papa Gede bel garcon!
L’habille tout ennui!
Pou’l monte au palais!

Papa Ghede is a handsome man!
Papa Ghede is a handsome man!
He is wearing all black!
And he is going to the palace!

The song of the Barons, in Haitian Creole and English, from Harold Courlander’s book The Drum and the Hoe

Header: A New Orleans Mardi Gras voodoo doll guised as Baron Samedi

Samedi: Saint Expedite

All lwa in Voudon belief have a corresponding Catholic Saint. This had to do with the African religion being practiced openly under the nose of Catholic slaveholders in what is now Haiti and what was then Saint Dominique or San Domingue. A statue or picture of the Blessed Virgin in her guise as the Stella Maris would be set up as the centerpiece for an altar to the mermaid La Siren and who would be the wiser? As the process of assimilation continued, the Catholic faith leaked into the African religion. Many voudonisants and rootworkers call themselves Catholic. The famous Marie Leveau, Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, stopped practicing hoodoo all together and “became a Catholic” in later life.

In the case of the Lord of the Ghede, Baron Samedi, the corresponding Saint is known as Expedite. This was not always the case, however, and is in fact not generally the case in Haiti. In Haitian Voudon the Ghede tend not to be represented by Saints. A cross will do nicely, particularly if it is painted black or purple. The association with St. Expedite (shown above on a prayer card) came out of the Crescent City and the story is not only amusing but a true tale of cultures mingling while they are still at crossed purposes.

In Catholicism proper there is no St. Expedite. Believe me. I was raised Catholic, did my time in CCD and have not only my jumbo book of saints for all things and days but my mother’s family Bible with the “Names of the Saints” section that includes such obscure entries as St. Cleopatra and St. Mel. Mom consulted it to come up with my name and never forgave Dad’s Creole kin for giving me a second, French version. “There is no St. Pauline,” she’d say. “She’s not in the book.” And, like Pauline, if there was a St. Expedite he’d be in one or both of these handy references.

The story goes that after the Louisiana Purchase but before Louisiana became a state, a package was shipped to St. Louis Cathedral from a Catholic Diocese in New England. The crate was stamped with the word “Expedite” as so frequently happened when mailing items to the unknown frontier but the Creole speaking Haitian men who were opening the mail had no idea what that meant. They read the word though and when they opened the crate they found a beautiful statue of a Roman soldier with golden armor, a gold halo and holding a cross. Surly, they agreed between them, this must be St. Expedite (pronounce “Ex-pa-DEET”).

The word got out and people began lighting candles before the new statue in the Cathedral. When it seemed that rootwork would be more successful and that success would come faster if St. Expedite was invoked, he got a reputation for helping things along. This, in turn, began his association with the lwa who watches over NOLA then and now, Baron Samedi. And all because of a stamp on a crate.

Is the story true? I would never be so bold as to say definitively “Yes!” because that would be foolish. As Hamlet told Horatio, there are more things in … Well; you know the rest. So for now, Au revoir ~

Samedi: The Baron

Baron Samedi is the Lord of the Dead in Haitian Voudon, New Orleans voodoo and American hoodoo. He, along with two other lwa known collectively as “The Barons”, is the leader of the spirits of the dead who are called the Ghede. Samedi is the word for Saturday in French and Haitian Kreyol so today is the Baron’s sacred day.

When speaking of the lwa (or loa), which roughly translates to English as “spirit” but can also mean “law”, it is important to be clear on what they are. The lwa are not gods in the way that Neopagans and Wiccans refer to Brigit or Athena, Lugh or Oden. There is only one God in Haitian Voudon and related practices, the Bon Dieu: Good God. The lwa are more like powerful thought forms or even ancestors in some cases. I personally think of them as akin to Roman Catholic saints probably because I was brought up in the Catholic Church and because each lwa has a corresponding Catholic Saint (more on that another time).

The Baron is a dapper dresser who, like many of the Ghede spirits, is bawdy in his speech and appreciates fine food, drink and cigars. He seems like fun guy to be around and he can be, but it is important to remember that he is a powerful and sometimes angery spirit that must be treated with all due respect. The Baron is the voice of the ancestors as well. If he visits your dreams he is probably coming with a message from your people. Many times he brings word that you are neglecting them and should get right by your ancestors as soon as possible.

Baron Samedi is also the patron spirit of the city of New Orleans. You will see his veve (the sacred symbol shown at the header) his image and so called “voodoo dolls” representing the Baron all over NOLA. You might have seen him at televised Saints games – or a man taking on the persona of the lwa – his face painted like a skull, his clothing black and a top hat on his head. Saturday will be devoted to the Ghede in general and Baron Samedi in particular here at HQ. Come back tout Samedi for more and I’ll see you next week with herbs, cards and a healthy does of fun. Aurevoir ~