Voodoo Ceremony - Haiti Observer Blog

Have you ever noticed that the majority of protests in Haiti often starts one way. Someone will draw in the middle of the street the Voodoo Symbol in Haitian language called Damballah-Wedo, then a campfire will be set right in the middle of the sign where people participate in song turning around the fire. I am trying to understand the meaning of all that. Anyone with some knowledge, please share with us. In Haitian Voodoo, Damballah-Wedo is viewed as a loving father to the world and associated with creation. However, in many protests in Haiti, we find lots of destruction. How do you explain that?

Read more →  

On Thursday, December 10, 2015, Alcénat Zamor, the 60 year old hougan (voodoo priest) with 42 years of priesthood from his hometown Gros Morne, has been unanimously elected as the new Grand Chief Voodoo in Haiti by the representatives of the National Confederation of Haitian Vaudouisants (Konfederasyon Nasyonal Vodouizan Ayisyen or KNVA).

The news came with the announcement by the Mambo Euvonie Georges Auguste, who has been holding the office of 'Grand Chief Voodoo in Haiti' temporarily since the death of Max Gesner Beauvoir, "the Supreme Servitur" on September 12, 2015. Alcénat Zemmour has been elected for a 7 year term and will assume his new responsibility from coming March 7th, 2016. The new Ati of Haiti has invited everyone to remain united despite their differences.

Read more →  

Si ke mwin ape travay nan lakizin, mwe pa ka mouri grangou; si mwen ape travay nan yon faktori kote yo fe rad, mwen pa ka ap mache tottouni. Mwen panse se ta minm bagay pou yon houngan, bokor oubyen manbo an Ayiti.

Eske nou pa janm mande pouki sa yon Houngan, Bokor, ou Manbo kapab by pwin pou moun pou moun gin lajan, min li pa kapab ede tet li? Mwen ouè anpil Houngan an Ayiti, min mwen pa ouè afè yo bon pase sa non?

Sanble mwen prale jete tet mwen nan Paste Leglis pito. O mwen moun sa yo by fidel yo grac, min yo recevwa nan grac sa tou, sitou nan min fidel yo ki kontribye nan la Kolet. Moun sa yo pa minm jan ak Pastè legliz!

Read more →  

Former US President Bill revealed in his new book " My Life" his experience with Haitian Voodoo which he found fascinating, and helped him to understand how different cultures try to make sense of life, nature, and spirit forces

The former US President recalled that back in 1975 after his wedding with Hillary, the couple was awarded a trip to Haiti from a friend David Edwards

Bill Clinton explained in his book that Hillary, his friend Edwards and he went to see a voodoo ceremony near Port-au-Prince. After a brief description of the voodoo religion, later that day, Voodoo priest Max Beauvoir later conducted a voodoo ceremony in their presence.

Read more →  

A prolific figure in what some would call Haitian mythology, Lwa Papa Ghede signifies both death, in his form as Baron Samedi, and eroticism in his general form. What he is, is the spirit through which one crosses into the afterlife. He is said to control its access and is, therefore, cloaked in black.

If one wishes to have communion with the dead, Ghede would be whom one would need to seek contact with as he is the keeper of the cemetery as well as the only source to the dead. This is not to be confused with Legba who must be contacted to cross into the spirit world. More exotically, Ghede is responsible for the world's eroticism. He is not titillated by it, nor ashamed of it, it is merely a part of existence to him. He is said to hold the more puritanical (especially whites) hostage to their sexual desires as a means of drawing them away from their modesty, a feat which greatly amuses him. He accomplishes this by "mounting" the unsuspecting.

Read more →  

The idea of a perfect mother is encapsulated in the essence of the Haitian Vodou Lwa, Ezili Dantor. Known affectionately as Mama Danto, the god is probably the country's most revered deity, as well as a model for the role of matriarch in the culture.

From the family Erzulie among the spirits (Lwa) of Haitian Vodou, Ezili Dantor is looked upon as the spirit of not just motherhood, but single motherhood as well. Seen in most representations as the Black Madonna of Częstochowa, an image believed to have been brought to the country in the early 1800's by the Polish soldiers who had come to fight for France in the revolutionary war, she is considered to be a fierce protector of children, and is the subject of many art forms including the visual, lyrical and musical.

Read more →  

Voodoo is more correctly pronounced as "Voudon". It is an Afro-Caribbean religion originated in Haiti. Voodoo teaches belief in an unknown, uninvolved, supreme creator god called "Bondye" (good god). The believers of Voodoo worship many 'loa' or spirits. Each of these spirits or loa has own domain that represents specific parts of life. A farmer praises and offers to the spirit of agriculture; Erzulie Freda is the spirit of love. Loa are the intermediaries between humanity and Bondye-- the Creator who lives far from the world.

A Haitian professor, Leslie Desmangles who teaches at Hartford's Trinity College has written a book related to these practices named "The Encyclopedia of the Paranormal". He has said that "voudon" in Haiti refers to an assortment of many cultural elements that include folk medical practices, cult of ancestors, many traditional system of ethics, stories, songs, proverbs, folklores, personal beliefs and practices. It is more than a religion or belief; it is a way of life. The followers of this practice can be found in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, United States, Brazil and elsewhere.

Read more →  

Can you think of anyone when Pope is calling right-wing, fundamentalist Christianity an "illness." Does the name "Pat" Robertson ring a bell?

If there is one thing that differentiate the new Pop from his predecessors is the way he preaches his message.His focus is fighting for economic equality. Pope Francis has shifted the focus of the Catholic Church to issues facing the poor and the sick, and away from anti-gay and anti-abortion that have dominated the Catholic religion

Like many other thing, Pope Francis does not seem to be impressed about Christian fundamentalism.

Read more →  

Like 99% of Haitians, I believe in the Haitian Voodoo. I have observed people being possessed by Lwas. On this November 2, this is high time for Ghede tradition where the "Randed-Vous" is at various Cemeteries around the country.

Baron Samedi will be everywhere, dancing, drinking and performing a variety of acts that would only be allowed on this day of Ghede.

One thing that I am always puzzled about during Ghede is the phenomenon of washing oneself with Hot Pepper, In Haitian Creole, "Pimen". Usually, the people who are possessed by "Papa Ghede" or "Baron Samedi" make sure that the Hot pepper is inserted in their sexual organ.