April 5, 2008

Voodoo Spirits - The Ancestors

The Ancestors - Spirit Worship in Haitian Voudou Tradition

In the Haitian Vodou tradition, ancestor worship is especially important. Adherents of Vodou consult their ancestors for protection and guidance. Ancestors are those who have passed from this world into the world of the spirits. Ancestors represent the intermediary step between this world and the next, and they can serve as gateways. There are two classes of ancestors, - family members who have passed into the invisible worlds, and an ancient class of ancestors of such great importance that they have become loa.

This special group of spirit is called Les Gede (sometimes Les Ghedes) and Les Barons. Like the loa, these energies of the dead manifest in ritual, called forth by the houngan and mambo, and their behavior is often outrageous. They may beg for money, dress in tattered clothing, or any other kind of wild behavior you can imagine. The Gede have a unique nasal twang that is instantly recognizable in ceremony.

Those that practice Vodou believe that we all have the energy of the Gede embedded in our souls as ancestral knowledge. (And science backs this up, with gene theory.) These energies often invade ceremonies and refuse to leave until some kind of price is paid - financial or perhaps sexual. While rousting about the ceremonies, the Gede make their presence overtly known through grabbing genitals, picking pockets (or noses!), spitting, or cursing.

Some Vodou believers make a distinction between Les Barons as the named dead, and Les Gede as the unnamed dead, but not all follow this. Whichever way they follow, all place great emphasis on revering and giving tribute to the dead.

Baron Samedi is the ruler of all the dead. Like Papa Legba, he stands at the crossroads. Baron Samedi's name could be a corruption of zombie, or based on the French word for Saturday, as many French words were used in Haitian folklore. Baron can be seen as the epitome of stereotypical Vodou style, with his love of rum, cigars, hot peppers, and flashy jewelry. He is also a very sexual spirit, with phallic symbols often associated with him. The former dictator of Haiti, Papa Doc Duvalier, claimed to be a manifestation of Baron. Baron Samedi stands at the crossroads, where the souls of dead humans pass.

Baron's wife is Maman Brigitte. Like her husband, she is partial to hot peppers. Brigitte is represented by a black rooster. She is known as the first woman to be buried in a cemetery, and resides in the cemetery's trees and rock piles and is known to be very sensual. Sometimes her followers stuff their noses with cotton. She presides over a mother's justice and the divine arbiter of justice. In cases of legal arbitration, Brigitte would be petitioned. Other popular Gede spirits are Baron Criminal, who is a force of justice for criminals; the mischievous Ti Malice, or Uncle Malice, and Gede Nibo, the lusty gravedigger. Sometimes he is also called Ti Puce or Uncle Louse.

This gives you a brief look at the Gede. Besides the Gede, Vodou adherents are also careful to venerate the family members that have already passed. This is considered crucial to well-being, and is one of the basic practices of Vodou. It is often done on an altar with photos, objects such as jewelry that belonged to the ancestor, a glass of water and a candle. When honoring the members of your bloodline who have passed, it is also important to take into account individual personalities and tastes, and honor these differences. When asking ancestors for help, they will exhibit the same traits as spirits that they did in life. For instance, if a father was a workaholic, he will work night and day to solve your problem until it is dealt with. One thing that is important to remember when working with the ancestors or Les Gedes, is never to sprinkle salt on any food offering. Salt can make ancestors depart and void their powers.

Now that you have a good grounding of the basics of Vodou and an introduction to the loa and the Gede, its time to learn about making an altar.

If you're as excited as I am and want to know everything there is about Vodou religion and the power of Voodoo, check out the Secrets To Voodoo - a complete guide to Vodou and the practice of Voodoo. This is the only complete guide to Voodoo (Vodou) we know of, and it's available online.