Voodoo gods

The loa, or major divine beings of Voodoo, or Vodun, are spirits who serve as intermediaries between man and Bondye, the supreme Voodoo god. The loa, or lwa, appear in different voodoo gods, including the Ghede, Petro, and Radha. They are typically considered lesser divine figures, with the supreme god being Bondye, voodoo gods, the creator.

Numbering in their thousands, the lwa protect, guide, and heal the faithful followers of the voodoo tradition. Voodoo is a religion relatively unknown to outsiders. Perpetually shrouded in mystery, the small, diasporic religion of African origins is more often associated with devil-worship and witchcraft than it is recognized as a religion in its own right. But voodoo and its deities have been undermined and misunderstood for far too long. It is time to make some introductions.

Voodoo gods

He is one of the mythical creatures who once gave assistance to the Ancestor. He is considered one of the loa masons. It is said that when the earth tremors, Agau is angry. Those who are strong enough to keep him in their bodies are puffing with all their strength and sputtering like seals. One has to be very strong to harbor this spirit. He must be greeted with wet sponges and towels when leaving the water because of the heat. A barque is prepared with all sort of Agwe's favorite foods, including champagne. This barque is then floated over where it is believed the sacred underwater world exists. If the barque sinks, then Agwe has accepted the sacrifice and will protect the water interests of those who have prepared the sacrifice. Were the barque to float back into shore, then the service has been refused and a different manner of placating Agwe would have to be devised. The animals that are sacrificed to him are two white sheep. Depicted as a mulatto with fair skin and green eyes. Services take place near seas, rivers, or lakes.

Create profiles to personalise content.

I know that the loa live in the earth, in the rivers, under the sea, in the waters of the lake, in the sun when it rises or sets, in the seasons, in the harvests, in the smile of the stars…How could they not live eternally in the heart of men? Though it is creolized with elements from Catholicism and other African practices, it has adapted those practices to suit its need instead of adapting Vodou to suit the needs of Catholicism. Despite poverty and colonization, however, practitioners of Haitian vodou continue to maintain their communal practices and adhere to the philosophy that the vodou gods share in their everyday experiences, though the gods of Haiti are always being reborn and reconstructed. Beliefs and Practices. Practitioners of vodou have retained the West African belief of a Supreme God called Le Bon Dieu or Le Grande Maitre who does not require the worship of mankind because he is already predisposed to like man. Instead, worship is directed at loa 2 who number in the hundreds, and who are the primary actants in the day-to-day lives of human beings. Many loa are African in origin, but many also come to be identified with Christian saints and many more were created or modified to suit the needs of the displaced Africans living in the New World.

Vodun cosmology centers around the vodun spirits and other elements of divine essence that govern the Earth, a hierarchy that range in power from major deities governing the forces of nature and human society to the spirits of individual streams, trees, and rocks, as well as dozens of ethnic vodun, defenders of a certain clan, tribe, or nation. The vodun are the center of religious life. Perceived similarities with Roman Catholic doctrines such as the intercession of saints and angels allowed Vodun to appear compatible with Catholicism, and helped produce syncretic religions such as Haitian Vodou. Adherents also emphasize ancestor worship and hold that the spirits of the dead live side by side with the world of the living, each family of spirits having its own female priesthood, sometimes hereditary when it is from mother to blood daughter. There is also an underlying philosophical framing underpinning Vodun which, according to Suzanne Preston Blier, who undertook a year of research in —86 in Abomey and the nearby area, highlights the importance of remaining calm in contexts of difficulty and in life more generally.

Voodoo gods

Enter the mystical world of Haitian Vodou, where powerful gods reign supreme. From the fierce warrior Ogoun to the loving mother Erzulie, practitioners have revered and honored these deities for centuries. But beyond the Hollywood portrayals of zombies and trance possessions, lies a rich cultural heritage steeped in tradition, ritual, and community.

Bloodstained train secret boss

He also watches over the agricultural tools peasants use in their every day activities. She is an agent of the underhand dealings of Kita who is, herself, an outstanding loa sorceress. She is associated with beauty and sexuality, as well as love and pleasure. He has the ability to change people into animals and then control their minds. For my own purposes I will consistently use Vodou because that is the spelling most traditionally used by French writers and the linguistic variations and origins of Haitian Creole are controversial and numerous. See Simpson, George E. He is known for outrageous and lewd behavior, swearing, and fornicating with women other than his wife. Erzulie, the goddess of beauty and love, is the epitome of femininity and womanhood. She fond of men but mistrusts women as rivals. The loa serve as intermediaries between man and Bondye, whose existence is far beyond human comprehension.

Vodou or Voodoo is a monotheistic religion that is often misunderstood. Common in Haiti and New Orleans, Vodou merges Catholic and African beliefs to form a unique set of rituals that include Voodoo dolls and symbolic drawings. However, as with any religion, followers of Vodou cannot be lumped into a single category.

Please check your inbox to activate your subscription Thank you! The poto-mitan is an extremely sacred object. In some places, he is seen as a fertility god, portrayed with a large erect phallus. Vodouists believe that over a thousand lwa exist, the names of at least of which are recorded. Understand audiences through statistics or combinations of data from different sources. She is an agent of the underhand dealings of Kita who is, herself, an outstanding loa sorceress. She is associated with Saint Brigid of Kildare, and like her Catholic counterpart, she is thought to be a powerful healer and protector, particularly of women. He stands for the incest taboo, though, and will not break it no matter how rich he could become. Her favorite tree is the palm tree, symbolizing royalty, though she is often depicted as a shrewd old woman. But beyond the Hollywood portrayals of zombies and trance possessions, lies a rich cultural heritage steeped in tradition, ritual, and community. Ulrich, who is often pictured with a fish in his hand. History of Religions in the Caribbean.