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.

Bokor - A bokor or boko is a sorcerer who performs Spiritual Work for
clients in return for gifts or money. What separates them from other
practitioners is that, in general, they "work with both hands." In other
words, they will perform many rituals involving black magick &
will-control that most other initiated Vodou practitioners will not.

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.

Yoruba - 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.