Untitled Document

[Espiritismo Cruzado ceremony. Used with permission of K. Wirtz.]

Historical Content in Haitian Vodou

"Healing is at the heart of the religions that African slaves bequeathed to their descendents" (Brown, 1991, p. 4-5) and, "Vodou is the system they have devised to deal with the suffering that is life, a system whose purpose is to minimize pain, avoid disaster, cushion loss, and strengthen survivors and survival instincts" (Brown, 1991, p. 10). Possession by Vodou spirits is in essence the embodiment of historical struggles and lessons learned over time. A few of the main spirits that possess Mama Lola (Karen McCarthy Brown's main informant) encompass some of these lessons.

Kouzen Azaka is a peasant farmer whose humble disposition is a reminder to Vodou practitioners of where they come from and the importance of family. He puts tension between simple values and the creation of elaborate hierarchies and rituals, urging people to hold on to old relationships. (Brown, 1991) While hosts don't remember their actions during possession trance (as with Zar possession) the observers inform the host of Azaka's (and the other spirit's) lesson of, "The generosity and concern that prevail within a family group" (Brown, 1991, p. 69) along with the hesitation and suspicion of those outside it. These actions of the possession ceremony mirror reality in the relationships and actions between community members and family members.

[Drawing of Ogou. Used with permission.]

The lwa Ogou is a warrior spirit who represents the lessons learned from Haitian military history; he is also known by the Catholic name Saint James. (Hardships during slavery resulted in the blending of many African religions with French Catholicism. It's hard to say whether Haitian ancestors truly believed in the Catholic saints or just pretended to assimilate into the religion for safety. Regardless, each Vodou spirit has a Catholic name. This is one of the reasons for previous misunderstandings of Vodou as a demonic cult. Researches failed to note the characteristics of Vodou spirits and the reasons for their part Catholic entities. Spirits are not supposed to represent the perfect life (as saints do) but instead the multitude of ways individuals can choose to live their lives) During ceremonies dedicated to Ogou the possessed embody the memories of the hero Toussaint L'Ouverture, his assassination after leading a slave rebellion, and Francois Duvalier, who betrayed the Haitian people by using Vodou to control them and the political and military leaders. These embodied memories are applied to everyday life in situations of power and struggle. "Ogou teaches that to live one must fight. Pride, endurance, self-assertion, discipline, and a firm commitment to justice are qualities that bring success" (Brown, 1991, p. 97).

Additional Groups of Lwa

The female spirit group Ezili embodies the forces that shape Haitian women's lives. As with the beliefs of Hofriyat women, the Ezili refer to the home (a more flexible area) as a woman's realm and outside the home as a man's realm, where they are expected to act according to public standards. By embodying their hosts, the Ezili act out "the conflicting feelings and values in a given life situation" (Brown, 1991, p. 221). They present creative ways women can live within the confines of a once male dominated society.

Gede is the lwa of death and has two Catholic counterparts, Saint Gabriel and Saint Gerard. Although he represents death he is not always a negative spirit. Gede brings humor and energy to painful times, soothing and entertaining the people. Someone embodied by Gede is provided with a way to protest a life of constant oppression.

Website designed by Abigail Franklin, Anthropology 5450, Spring 2007