Vodou is a traditional religion that was born in the west provinces of the Mother Continent, Africa. Vodou became widely recognized because of the well known African slave trades that occurred many many years ago.
The correct spelling for the cliche term voodoo is actually Vodou. Vodou was born in west Africa and during the importation of slaves it gave birth to Dominican Vodou, Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo.
Some believe that Dominican Vodou is basically Haitian Vodou, practiced in the Dominican Republic. The difference is not much. Dominican practitioners use most of the same Loas and most of the same ceremonies, but with a slight difference. The major difference is the language, of course.
The Loas, when mounted on a horse's (person's) head and regardless of whether the horse speaks Kréyol or not, the Loa in the head will speak certain words in Haitian Kréyol.
French is also a language spoken by some Loas. However, once again, the same applies regardless of the horse's first language - the Loa in head will speak French.
Contrary to popular belief, like Haitian Voudoun, practitioners of Dominican Voudoun believe in one main God, the Creator, Papa Bon Dyé (The Good God). Although Papa Bon Dye is no longer physically on earth, he is still good to us all. In Haiti He also goes by Gran Met (the Great Master).
Very rarely will one go to a party of the spirits and not hear the Loas and all those present mention this name. As, when these Loas enter they usually say:
"Bonswa a la societé! Gracia a la Mesericordia de Papa Bon Dyé y Las 21 Divisiones!"
In english this translates to: Hello (good evening) to all (the society)! Thanks to the Mercy of The Good God and the 21 Divisions/Nations!
The Lwa, also known as Loa or L'wha, are the spirits of the African traditonal religions of Vodou, Haitian Vodou, Dominican Vodou and Sanse Vodou practiced in Haiti and all over the world.
The Lwa are part of nation or division of entities and these divisions are commonly referred to as 21 Divisions, or 21 Nations.
Bonswa a la societé is the general greeting given to all by these Loas when they arive. When the lwa says -“Bonswa a la societé!”, all respond: “Bonswa!”. Once these Loas arrive, they ask for their things (fula, drinks, cigars, and what ever else they might want to wear or to use). These material things are given to the Loas by La Place, this is the person responsible for giving them all of the above.
All of our ceremonies involve first and foremost the invocation of Bon Dyé and then the Loas. It is Him and Papa Legba that allow these Loas to come to us through the possessions of the "horses". We do this because we know that without God, nothing is possible.
Article provided by Secrets2Voodoo.com
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Vodou Initiation
Formally Joining the Religion through Vodou Initiation Ceremony
A houngan or mambo will take the believer who is ready to become a full Voudouissant through initiation ceremony, where he or she will symbolically die and be reborn. This initiation cleanses and prepares the believer to live within the new framework of the Vodou religion. Many secrets, symbols, and crucial aspects of Vodou are imparted during initiation, and it is not to be taken lightly.
It is also important to note that there is no self-initiation into the Vodou religion. The tradition of the solitary practitioner is not well established in Vodou, mostly because Vodou is an oral tradition, passed on from one person to the next through storytelling and oral imparting of knowledge of the religion's traditions.
In the tradition of Haitian Vodou, initiation occurs in three stages. All are open equally to men and women - Vodou is an egalitarian religion, with women bearing at least equal importance to men.
The first degree of initiation is kanzo, and it defines a person as a part of the spiritual lineage of the houngan or mambo who is doing the initiating.
The next level is sur point, which places the initiate on the level of junior priest or priestess. At this degree of initiation, you can use herbal magic, lucid dreaming, spell casting, invocation of the loa, and various divination systems. This is an appropriate level of initiation for those who plan to practice the Vodou religion without becoming a full priest.
The final level of initiation is called asogwe, and this degree confers senior priesthood upon the initiate, who then is fully trained and eligible to be called a houngan or a priest.
Some people will go through the levels of initiation in steps, with time for study and practice in between. Others will earn the full level of priesthood all at one time. It all depends on what is the right path for you, and this can most easily be learned in discussion with the houngan or mambo you wish to initiate you. The houngan or mambo will do divination to help see the correct path, and he or she will also know which loa you will be working with.
The initiation period varies from priest to priest, but all follow a similar path. You will be required to spend up to two weeks at the location of the houngan or mambo's home, usually in Haiti. There will also be a period preceding the initiation during which you will need to follow strict dietary guidelines. You will also need white clothing and various other items, which you will learn about in consultation with your houngan or mambo.
If you do not feel quite ready to commit to Vodou initiation, there are ceremonies that are commonly done that can serve as a preliminary step while you learn more about Vodou. These include the lave tet, or ritual head-washing, which clarifies the initiate, removes negativity, and strengthens a connection with the loa. This can result in a feeling of freedom from old, constricting beliefs. Another ceremony you might consider is the garde, which will place you under the protection of a certain loa. Often the lave and the garde are undertaken at the same time.
Initiation into the Vodou faith is not something to be taken lightly, or done on a whim. It involves much responsibility and some sacrifice, and once you have been initiated, you have made a lifetime commitment to celebrate, practice, and uphold the tenets of this unique and profound religion.
For more information check out the complete guide, our popular Vodou ebook at Secrets2Voodoo.com
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