Voodoo Glossary

---

A

          Agwe
          Loa of the ocean, of ships and boats, patron of seafarers. Spouse of          Maitresse Erzulie in her aquatic aspects. Mainly Rada (but see Ge-Rouge           below).

          Ardra
          Locality on the coast of Dahomey, from which Moreau de Saint-Mery refers           to the Dahoman people generally as "aradas," and from which comes the term           "Rada" denoting a main group of Voudoun rites.

          Asson
          The sacred rattle of Voudoun, its typical components being a calabash and           snake vertebrae. To be "given the asson" is to be raised to the priestly           authority (see Houngan, Mambo.)

          Audowido
          The Deity of the Rainbow among the Nago people in Africa, represented as a           serpent surrounded by spectrum colors.

          Ayida Wedo
          One of the revered Serpent-Deities of Rada Voudoun, who represent the sky           powers; the rainbow is her symbol, and as wife of Damballah she shares his           function as cosmic protector and giver of blessing. Her "surname" Wedo may           signify her association (along with Damballah) with the Serpent cult of           Whydah or it may be simply a part of the name of the Nago Rainbow-Deity,           Audowido.

          Ayizan
          The primal or archetypal Mambo, sometimes considered to be the wife of           Loco, with whom she shares the guardianship of religious traditions, healing           powers, and the reverence due to parents and to ancestors. She is           patroness of initiation, and the palm-tree is her symbol.

          Badagris
          Related to Badagri, on the western Nigerian coast; a title and aspect of the           Nago Loa Ogu or Ogoun.

          Bambara
          A Sudanese people represented in Haiti; their cult animal in Africa was the           antelope.

          Baron Cimetiere, Baron La Croix, Baron Samedi
          Intensely powerful (and therefore magical) Loa of the Dead; considered to be           of the "family" of Ghede, but of New World rather than African conception,           Petro rather than Rada

          Bassin
          A pool or tank of water sometimes provided at a hounfor. It is of convenient           size and may be suitably ornamented for its purpose, that aquatic or serpent           Loa when they have taken possession of devotees may enjoy immersion.

          Batterie
          In some contexts this word signifies simply a set of drums; in ritual (and           especially at the point of division between the opening devotions and           ceremony proper) it signifies a specific system of sounding the asson,           clapping hands, and sounding the drums (if used) in an impressive unison           rhythm.

          Benin
          An historically and culturally important regions, river and city which forms           part of southern Nigeria. The craftsmanship of the Beni (or Bini) people in           brass, bronze and ivory is renowned.

          Brigitte, Mademoiselle Brigitte, Madame Brigitte, Grande Brigitte
          A loa whose French-Celtic name evokes European associations of folklore and           myth, "Grande" in Creole signifying "Grandmother." Maman Brigitte, as she is           often called, is the female Guardian of Graves, a powerful magical Loa of           cemeteries, and is said by some to be the wife of one of the Barons. Her           sacred trees are the elm and the weeping willow.

          Cheval
          See Horse

          Cimetiere
          See Baron Cimetiere

          Collier
          A necklace. Specifically, in Voudoun, a ritual necklace given to a person in           token of initiation.

          Commandant-general de la Place
          See La Place.

          Congo
          An important region of equatorial Africa. To Haitian Voudoun it has given -           along with many people - distinctive ritual, drums, dances. The Congo Loa           have been influenced by Petro.

          Couleuvre
          See Kulev.

          Creole
          Pertaining to the people, language and customs of Haiti; also used with           reference to other cultures both West Indian and Latin American. This word           comes through the French from a Spanish word meaning "born outside the           homeland.

          Dahomey
          A region of West Africa, lying west of Nigeria and north of the Gulf of Guinea.           It contains Ardra and Whydah, which were taken over by the Dahomans early           in the eighteenth century. The Dahomey rite is distinguished by the mildness           of its Loa.

          Damballah
          The principal Sky-Serpent Loa of Voudoun, an archetypally wise, loving but           somewhat withdrawn father to his people. His characteristics are his lack of           articulate human speech, his affinity with water, and his preference for white           or colorless fod and drink. By nature a well as historically, he belongs chiefly           to the Dahomey rite (Rada), but it also found in the Ibo and even (as           Damballah-Ge_rouge and as Damballah-La-Flambeau) in Petro. His name is           directly derived from "Danh-Gbwe."

          Danh-Gbwe
          The Great Serpent, so called in the language of the people of Ardra, Whydah           and Dahomey. This name was given to the species of yellow and brown           mottled python there venerated as an intermediary or focus of divine power
          (see Voodoo, Voudoun).

          Danh-hwe
          Literally, a "serpent house;" understood as a shelter for the sacred pythons           and a center for their cult in Dahomey.

          Don Pedro
          The traditional founder of Petro Voudoun; his name is given as Jean-Philippe           Pedro, a Negro of Spanish (that is, Santo Domingo) origin. The rite at first           became known as "a dance, the Don Pedro." He and/or a physical or spiritual           son have become Loa under the names of Jean-Philippe Petro, Ti Jean Petro.

          En Guinee
          See Guinee

          Erzulie, Erzulie Freda, Erzulie Freda Dahomin
          The name Erzulie is sometimes spelled Ezili and with other variations;           generally this Loa is mentioned with the title "Maitresse." Her name appears           to relate to the Serpent-Goddess Ezi-Aku, mentioned early in the present           century as worshipped in northern Nigeria. Maitresse Erzulie, however, has           become an ideal figure of delicate and alluring womanhood. She has an           aquatic form, La Sirene, which may be related to her earlier serpent           manifestations. Apart from this, she has two different traditions: that of La           Grande Erzulie, which shows her as elderly and grief-stricken, and that of           "the Erzulies" who traditionally fought in astral manifestation alongside the           liberators of Haiti - a tradition less astonishingly related to the Loa of Love           and Beauty when the historical fact is recalled of the "amazon regiments" in           the royal army of Dahomey.

          Fer
          A title of Ogoun (Ogu).

          Flags
          See Ritual Flags.

          Flambeau
          See La Flambeau.

          Fon
          A people and a language of the Dahomey and Yoruba regions.

          Ge-Rouge
          Literally "Red Eye." Title indicating a horrific aspect, added to the names of           certain Rada Loa when a particular Petro cult invokes a violent form of their           power. Thus are produced Agwe-Ge-Rouge, Damballah Ge-Rouge, Erzulie           Ge-Rouge, Ogoun Ge-Rouge

          Ghede
          The most benevolent of the Loa of the Dead, powerful in healing and as           protector of children as well as being a great jester. Two of his best-known           titles are Brav' Ghede and Ghede Nimbo. The title Nimbo relates him to the           Ndemba Society, an African cult whose mysteries are concerned with death           and resurrection. The origin of the name Ghede is considered uncertain.           There are a considerable number of Ghedes, and their position is generally           held to be between Rada and Petro.

          Guinee
          The French form of "Guinea," but understood in Voudoun as denoting Africa           generally, or rather, the astral counterpart of Africa as the homeland. Thus a           person's conscious mind, on being displaced by a Loa in the process of           possession, is said to be "en Guinee" - in Africa.

          Horse
          A Loa, possessing a person, is said sometimes to "dance in the head" of that           person, but the more traditional expression is that the Loa "rides" the           person's head. The person is thus regarded as the "horse" (in French,           "cheval" of the Loa.)

          Hounfor
          Strictly, the inner sanctuary or altar-room of a site where the religion of           Voudoun is practiced. In a general sense, it is understood to mean the whole           site: the inner sanctuary, the peristyle, the dwelling of the houngan and           probably some sacred trees, cairns or other landmarks. One must judge by           the context.

          Houngan
          A fully initiated priest of Voudoun, one who has "received the asson." The           basis of this title is the African "Nganga," a chief priest; it is prefixed with the           Fon word "Houn," meaning spirit.

          Houngenikon
          A ritual assistant to the Houngan or Mambo. A houngenikon is normally a           "hounsi canzo"; that is, a woman chosen from among those whose initiatory           status is just below that of the Houngan or Mambo. In a complex ceremony,           more than one houngenikon may be responsible for its smooth running.

          Hounsi
          An accepted devotee at a hounfor. Those not fully trained, and thus charged           with the more mundane duties, are termed "hounsis bossale" (bossale =           "wild," uncultivated). The fully trained endergo the severe "canzo" initiation,           and thus become "hounsis canzo." The training involves every aspect of the           service of the Loa.

          Ibo
          A people from the Yoruba region, who have retained in Haitian Voudoun their           own rite, drum-beat, songs and Loa.

          Ife
          An historic city of Nigeria: the spiritual destination to which the Voudoun           drums are consigned for the renewal of their energies.

          Kalfu
          A Petro Loa of the "crossroads," the Gate between the Worlds. This name is           a corruption of Carrefout.

          Kulev
          A serpent. Some writers restore this Creole word to the French "couleuvre"           from which it is derived; but the French word means "an adder," a poisonous           snake, whereas "kulev" in its Voudoun context signifies the harmless Haitian           serpent which represents Damballah and Ayida Wedo.

          La Croix
          See Baron La Croix.

          La Flambeau
          Literally "The Torch." This title is added to the names of certain Rada Loa           when a Petro cult invokes an especially fiery form of their power. So we have           Damballah-La-Flambeau, Ogoun-La_Flambeau, and the Dahoman Loa           Amine-Gatigal becomes Amine-Gatigal-La-Flambeau.

          Lambi
          A conch-shell. Used as a musical horn, a large conch-shell gives a distinctive           sound in ceremonies dedicated to Agwe.

          Langage
          The strange words in which the Loa are sometimes addressed, and which           traditionally have been used also in oracular utterances from divine sources.           Some meanings appear to have been handed down as priestly knowledge, but           some appear to have been lost. A part of the vocabulary may be made up of           lost or garbled African words, part from other sources; but both African and           Amerindian traditions exist of a secret oracular speech, different from that of           the people.

          La Place
          In full, "Commandant-general de la Place."This title of the Master of           Ceremonies who is also the sabre-bearer in Voudoun ceremonies.

          La Sirene
          See Erzulie.

          Legba
          Derived from a great solar and phallic deity (Legba or Alegba) of Dahomey,           the Loa Legba is one of the principal and most revered in Haitian Voudoun.           Although now transformed to the aspect of an old man, he is still the           powerful Guardian of the Centerpost, and the "Opener of the Gates" to whom           first salutation is due in any ceremony of communication with the Loa. The           main gateway to a hounfor is frequently denoted by two trees sacred to           Legba.

          Loa
          A Voudoun diety: that is, the power of a divine archetype working through a           congenial personality built up for it by human worship and invocation in           Voudoun. The most frequent means of manifestation of the Loa is by           temporary possession of a devotee. (The word "Loa" has but one form for           singular and plural.)

          Mahu
          See Supreme Being.

          Mambo
          A Voudoun priestess who has received the same training as a Houngan, and           likewise has "received the asson."

          Mange Loa
          "A feeding of the Loa." Strictly, every Voudoun ceremony at which offerings           are made - birds, a goat and chickens, even a bull, and always           accompanying offerings such as drinks, syrups, cakes - is a feeding of the           Loa, an augmentation of their powers at earth level. The term "mange Loa,"           however, is most notably applied to a great annual or biennial feasting of all           the Loa, which may well take a week to complete and which involves           numerous offerings and services. If this feasting is held at the harvest time,          it will be inaugurated with the "ceremonie-yam."

          Mange sec
          "A dry feeding." An offering of various foods without animal sacrifice to the           Loa, on a minor ceremonial occasion such as the inaugural baptism of certain           pieces of equipment.

          Marinette
          The principal female Loa of the Petro rite, sometimes said to be the wife of           Ti-Jean Petro. Powerful and violent, she seems to have taken over the           character of some of the Mexican Goddesses. Two of her variant forms,           Marinette Bras-Cheche, Marinette Pied_Cheche, (Dry-Arm, Dry-Foot) suggest           skeletal manifestations. There is also a Marinette Congo.

          Mau, Mawu
          See Supreme Being.

          Monter la Tete
          "To mount the head." A usual expression in Voudoun for the act of           possession by a Loa. See Horse.

          Mystere
          1. A Loa, not a spirit of the dead. 2. As in other religions: a religious           ceremony, the celebration of a deity.

          Nago
          A people of the Yoruba region: in Voudoun, the major Loa Ogoun or Ogu ande           his subsidiary form Saint Jacques are theirs also other Loa special to the           Nago rites and a proud, high-stepping dance.

          Nanchou
          This name is a corruption of Saint Jacques, which name in turn has been           appropriated to the Loa Ogoun.

          Ndemba
          An African cult society of the Congo. See Ghede.

          Nganga
          African word signifying a priest, religious leader. In Africa, this word is           applicable to either man or woman. Another form is "Ngangan." See the           equivalent Voudoun terms, Houngan, Mambo.

          Nimbo
          A surname of Ghede. See Ghede, also Ndemba.

          Ogan
          An important musical instrument of Voudoun, related to the flattened bells           found in Africa.

          Ogan-Sig-Wedo
          The Loa of the ogan.

          Ogoun, Ogu
          One of the great Loa of Rada Voudoun. Primarily a warrior-Loa, he carries all           the "Mars" associations of the male sex, the color red, blood, fire, lightening,           the sword, the metal worker, and thus also the magical connotations           associated in many cultures with the smith. As Ogoun Badagris he is a phallic           and magical Loa associated with a particular coastal region of Nigeria; as Ogu           Fer he is associated with iron, metals, and the sword; this last association           brings in also his identification with Saint Jacques because ecclesiastical           pictures represent this saint as carrying the sword of his martyrdom;           stability, order, authority are characteristic of him, although minor derivatives           of the Saint Jacques figure (for example, Nanchou) while retaining the energy           of Ogu, have not his dignity. As Ogoun Shango, again, Ogu is identified with           Shango the Lightening-God of the Egba people of Dahomey.

          Olorun
          See Supreme Being.

          Onyama
          See Supreme Being.

          Orientation
          One of the typical procedures during a ceremony, to prepare an article for           ritual use, or a victim for sacrifice. The article, whatever it may be, or the           bird or animal, is lifted and swung to each of the cardinal points in turn, the           manner of so doing depending upon its size. (Needless to say, a bull is not           orientated.)

          Pere savane, pretre savane
          When any portion of Catholic liturgy is required in the course of a Voudoun           ceremony - for instance, a healing, or the marriage of a Loa with a human -           this is read or recited by a man who has acquired a special knowledge of it           without becoming an ordained priest. The adjective "savane" means "rural" or           "of the open country" (compare "savannah").

          Peristyle
          A large "porch" or more or less open-sided building adjacent to the           altar-chamber of a hounfor. It is here that most of the public ceremonies of           Voudoun are held, around the poteau-Legba or pteau-mitan. The peristyle           will have at least one, maybe two or three, entrances from the exterior,          besides the doorway to the altar-chamber.

          Petro
          An important New World development in Voudoun, a group of rites           distinguished by the violent energy and earth-level practicality of their Loa,           their purposes, and their ceremonies. It is stated definitely to have been           founded in the year 1768 by one "Don Pedro" and its development           undoubtedly contributed to the subsequent liberation of Haiti from the           French.

          Petro, Jean-Philippe, Ti-Jean
          See Don Pedro.

          Possession
          The characteristic form of manifestation of the Loa in Voudoun. It           corresponds to a particularly deep and complete form of what in Spiritualism           is called "mediumship;" it does not involve interference with the autonomic           nervous systems of the possessed, or otherwise adverse results of what is           known as "demonic possession." Psychologists who reject the reality of           possession by a spiritual entity have not yet come up with an adequate           alternative interpretation of the symptoms.

          Poteau-Legba, Poteau-mitan
          The center-post of the peristyle, the point about which most public           ceremonies of Voudoun revolve. In being sacred to Legba, the post has an           older tradition than the peristyle itself: it corresponds to the post or mound           traditionally set up outside houses in Dahomey as a sacred symbol of Legba.           The center-post of the peristyle is customarily painted with bright colors,           and is surrounded by a step which can serve as an altar.

          Rites of Voudoun
          See Congo, Dahomey, Ibo, Nago, Ge-Rouge, La Flambeau, Zandor. A           complete account would contain a number of others.

          Ritual Flags
          The banners, often beautifully embroidered and adorned with sequins,           showing designs representing the various Voudoun "societes." Usually a           societe has two such flags, which are carried in the ceremonies by specially           designated hounsis. When not in use, the ritual flags are kept in the altar           chamber, resting against the altar.

          Saint Jacques
          An alternative name and form by which the Loa Ogoun can be identified. See           Ogoun.

          Samedi
          See Baron Samedi.

          Savane
          See Pere savane.

          Seh
          See Supreme Being.

          Servir a deux mains
          "To serve with both hands;" said of a Houngan or a Mambo, or a hounfor,           who (or which) serves both Rada and Petro Loa. It can be gathered that this           was at one time more unusual than at present.

          Simbi
          The magical and powerful Water-Snake Loa, who is served with both Rada           and Petro rites.

          Societe
          The association of devotees who support a hounfor. It is a membership in           such a Societe which makes a person a recognized follower of Voudon and           servitor of the Loa; therefore this membership is a first necessary step           towards initiation. On the other hand, many members of a Societe will be           content simply to give their presence at ceremonies, their devotion, and their           monetary contributions when called upon, as in all religious associations.

          Supreme Being
          Despite the emphasis on the intermediate Beings, not only in Voudoun, but in           religious systems which have contributed to it, there has always been a           recognition of the existence of a Supreme Being. The purpose of the           intermediates is seen to be a tempering of high spiritual power to human           needs, and its channeling down into vehicles of human making, for effective           and controlled action at or near earth level. In Dahoman religion, the           traditional names of the Supreme Being are Seh, and Mahou or Mau; in           Yoruba tradition, Olorun and Onyama

          Ti-Jean (Petit Jean)
          See Don Pedro.

          Vever
          A symbolic design, formed on the ground (in the peristyle) by sprinkling           wheatmeal, cornmeal, or some other appropriate powder from the hand, at or           before the beginning of a ceremony. Such a design represents a Loa to be           invoked, and serves both as a focal point for invocation and a kind of altar           for offerings. Several vevers of different Loa may be drawn for one           ceremony. The designs incorporate well-recognized traditional elements, but           reflect also the individual intentions and creative skill of the Houngan or           Mambo.

          Voodoo, Voudoun
          A religious system based mainly on beliefs and practices brought from Africa           into the Western world, although now incorporating other components and           having further developed through time and circumstance. The name "Voodoo"           comes from the Fon word for the system, practiced in Dahomey for example,           of worshipping, and seeking assistance and oracles from divine power, as this           was channeled through the visible presence of a specific kind of living           creature. The astral presence of the Loa, and their manifestation through           possessed devotees, however, now apparently suffices.

          Wedo
          A surname signifying "of Whyday" and so added in one or two cases to the           names of Dahomey Loa; see Ayida Wedo, Damballah, Ogan-Sih-Wedo.

          Whyday
          Before 1727 an independent kingdom; after that date a province of the           Kingdom of Dahomey. In both conditions it was a great center of the serpent           cult; and, being situated on the coast, became (like Badagry) a considerable          center also for the European export of slaves to the New World. These facts           have undoubtedly given Whydah a great importance in the development of           Haitian Voudoun.

          Yam
          See Ceremonie-Yam.

          Yanvalou
          A favorite Voudoun dance; the name means "supplication." The dance is           characterized by the hands being placed on knees or thighs, and has several           main variations: Yanvalou debut (upright), Yanvalou dos bas (crouching),           Yanvalou z'epaules (a "shoulder dance"), etc.

          Yrouba
          A region of Nigeria having a great cultural history, and comprising a number           of peoples who have contributed much to Voudoun: the Bini, Fon, Ibo and           Nago people, among others.

          Zandor
          A Petro rite resulting apparently from a fusion of the Congo rite with the           Mexican maize-cult: characterized by the Loa Congo-Zandor.