Get to know a Lwa: Kouzen Zaka

Many Haitians are farmers; it’s a very agriculturally based economy. Back when the slaves freed themselves from their French owners, many went up into the mountains and began sustenance farming on small plots of land. This is where the Kouzen family of spirits came from.

Kouzen just means “cousin” in Kreyol. It’s a familiar term of address for anyone regarded as a friend, not just a family member. You could translate it to “friend” or “man” or “dude.” There are many Kouzen spirits (Kouzen Zaka Mede, Azaka Tonne, Minis Zaka); the most well-known of these is Kouzen Zaka.

kouzen

The saint image commonly used for him is St. Isidore the Farmer, as illustrated above. This saint was so devoted to God that God sent His angel to plow Isidore’s fields so he could pray.

Kouzen is an agriculture spirit. He makes his living off the land. He is a “work lwa”. He loves to work on just about anything, and he likes to be busy. He is a bit shy and suspicious of outsiders, but once he gets to know you you are a member of his fami (family) and he will work so hard to provide for you.

His color is blue, especially blue denim (the outfit of a Haitian peasant). He will take white rum as an offering but his favorite liquor is made with white rum and wormwood.

He is excellent to talk to in regards to herbs and herbal medicine. Since he is a work lwa, he is excellent to talk to if you’re having trouble at your job. However, you have to pay him for his work (well, you have to pay all the spirits for their work in some way or another) and he can drive a hard bargain. Remember, you have the right to bargain with your spirits for a fair price.

His favorite food is a stew called tchaka. It’s made with pinto beans, corn, beef, and chayote squash. Recipes may vary but here is a good one. BIG IMPORTANT WARNING; when you cook for Kouzen it is VITALLY important that you do not taste his food. If you do, he will think you are stealing from him, and Kouzen hates thieves.

Kouzen has a special bag (note he has a bag over his shoulder in the above picture) where he keeps all his things. When I work with him and I put things in his bag, I tell him before hand, “Kouzen, I’m opening your bag to put this in.” I also tell him when I’m closing the bag. That way, he knows I’m not stealing from him.

Kouzen loves women, and he is a commonly married spirit. He is also good to go to in regards to marriage and relationships. Surprising, I know, but when he finds you a partner the relationship is solid and “grounded” and it will last.

Alasso Kouzen!

 

Example of Hoodoo Candle Work

Below is a picture of some candle work I’m doing for a friend who’s ill. I took a female figure candle, dressed it with Healing oil (you can get it from Khi Armand; thanks, Khi!), and rolled it in a mixture of healing herbs like Lavender and Althea. The spell was then activated with prayer. I will pray over it every day until it’s burned out. Then I will bury the remains at a crossroads so it can manifest out into the world.

 

figurecandlework0516

 

I do custom candle work like this for my clients. Contact me for more info!

Testimonial on a mojo bag/oil I made for a client

“When I opened it, I was very surprised to see a full half-ounce of dressing oil to feed the bag with. I didn’t expect that at all and had planned on asking her how she prefers her mojos fed, but it was a really nice inclusion and assures that I feed the mojo correctly every time.

The oil itself has a mild scent and the bottle includes bits of the herbs and curios appropriate to the cause.

The mojo is great and I love it. It came in a hand-sewn red flannel bag, as is traditional and it smells delicious. I can’t even explain how delicious it smells. If the scent could be bottled up (and it probably can….), I would wear it every day.

Opening mojo bags is not recommended, but a quick grope gives anyone who has done work before an idea of what might be inside. It is small enough that I tuck in my bra every day before heading off to make some damn money, and I have grown quite attached to it very quickly. I feel as if I am missing something if I don’t have it, and I’ve sort of bonded with it, if that makes sense.

If you are in need or desire a mojo for your cause, Manbo Mary does good work and I highly recommend her.” – Alex

Vodou Reading Times available this weekend

Bonjou friends! I have a few spots available for readings this weekend:

Saturday afternoon after 1pm US EST

Sunday afternoon after 12 noon US EST

Vodou readings are available for $60 US, payable to Paypal. Please send payment to manbomary at gmail dot com and then I’ll email you to set up a time for the phone call. Thanks and I’ll speak to you soon!

Your First Vodou Party: Do’s and Don’ts

Bonswa, everyone; it’s your friend Manbo Mary. Today we’re going to talk about Vodou parties, or “fets”, as they’re called in Kreyol.

A fet is simply a party for one or more spirits, or lwa. Each Vodou sosyete has several fets per year, but each house may have different spirits that they honor. In my house, Sosyete Nago, we have about 3 fets per year: one in March for Papa Damballah, one in May for Kouzen, and one in November for Gede. This is for us in Boston. Our brothers and sisters in Haiti will have a couple more fets than we do. Sometimes we’ll add a fet to our schedule up here; it really depends on time.

Let’s say you’ve been learning about Vodou. You’ve gotten to know a Haitian person and/or someone affiliated with a house. You may politely enquire as to when a fet will next happen. So you get invited. Woohoo!

Now what?

Here are some guidelines for being a good guest at a fet and to help you get invited back J

 

DO’S

  1. Wheaton’s Law is the first thing to remember: Don’t be a dick. If you were going to a non-Vodou party at someone’s house, you wouldn’t act like a dick, now would you?

 

  1. Find out the time to arrive. Haitians tend to be flexible with time. If they tell you to show up at 9pm, the party won’t probably start till around 11pm. Still, try to be there as close to the time they give you.

 

  1. Dress appropriately, for the love of God. You are not going to the club to sip some bub. This is a religious ceremony. You don’t have to wear a suit or anything like that, but looking nice and dressing a bit conservatively shows that you have respect. If you can wear all white, that’s great. If you don’t have white clothes, don’t stress. Just wear something other than black or purple (unless you’re going to Fet Gede, where those colors are appropriate). Ladies, it’s not required that you cover your hair but it is an additional mark of respect. Bring a headscarf and we’ll show you how to tie it if you don’t already know.

 

  1. Get someone to introduce you to the head manbo or houngan. Thank them for allowing you to attend their party. Again, it’s about respect.

 

  1. Bring a little something. You don’t have to spend a lot of money. You could give $20 to help pay the drummers. You could bring a bottle of rum for the table. You could bring a bit of fruit (any kind is acceptable EXCEPT lemons or limes). Again, it’s not required that you bring something, but it’s a nice gesture and if it’s your first time in this community, it will establish your reputation.

 

  1. Turn off your cell phones/pagers/little electronic doo-dads during the opening prayer! The opening prayer, or “priye Ginen”, takes about an hour to complete and someone’s cell phone going off playing “Anaconda” as the ringtone will not help the mood.

 

  1. If you are menstruating, or have an open wound, try to stay away from the altar during the first half of the party. It’s not that blood is “impure” but some of the Rada spirits (who are saluted in the first part of the party) don’t like the smell of blood. Also, in the same vein, avoid sexual activity 24 hours prior to coming to a fet.

 

  1. Just enjoy the experience. It will be very different from any party you’ve ever been to, but we’re there to worship and enjoy the spirits. It’s supposed to be fun!

 

 

And now for the DON’TS:

 

  1. Don’t bring along extra people without asking the priest or priestess. Always ask first.
  2. Don’t take pictures or video without asking first. Some people in the community are not “out” about Vodou to their family, friends, or employers. It wouldn’t be good to have someone get in trouble because your pics wound up on Facebook.
  3. Don’t come stoned or drunk. Seriously, I’ve seen this happen. You won’t be able to control your actions and you’ll behave badly which will make you a dick, and you remember Wheaton’s Law, right?
  4. Don’t use drugs or smoke cigs during the party. If you have to smoke, do so outside. Some of our spirits don’t like smoke.
  5. Do NOT get in the way of any possessions that may occur. The first time you see a possession, it may scare you. That’s OK. You can just watch. But don’t try to stop one or touch the horse (the person being possessed).
  6. If a spirit comes to you and wants to speak, do NOT be disrespectful. Flag someone in the house down to translate for you; the spirits speak Kreyol when they come. The spirit may give you advice or warnings. After the party, you can discuss this with any of the priests/priestesses of the house.
  7. Don’t touch any of the food on the table until you’ve been given permission to do so. We set out food for the spirits for them to feed off the spiritual energy. After the party is over, usually we can eat the food and it’s OK. But during the party, it’s a huge no-no to touch it.

Follow these guidelines and I guarantee you’ll have a safe and memorable time!

A letter of appreciation for Manbo Maude and Houngan Matt

 

First off, @rockofeyeblog I’m totally stealing your idea and writing my own thoughts about the people in the house who’ve influenced me 🙂

My involvement with Vodou all started with a book.

I was living in Jacksonville, FL about 7 years ago. I was a semi-practicing pagan/witch/whatever, but it was hard for me because I always felt something was missing. I’d been a practicing Catholic all my life and I always found myself returning to the old prayers and thinking about the saints. Really, the only reason I went towards witchcraft was my belief in tarot cards and magic, and I didn’t see a way I could continue to practice Catholicism and do magical work.

I was in the local library and found this book by a gentleman named Kenaz Filan called (appropriately) _Haitian Vodou_. Now, I’m someone who likes to read about new and interesting spiritual practices, so I checked out the book. I read it, thought, “Well that was interesting,” and moved on.

But sometime later I happened to find the book again. I was at a point in my life where I had a good job as a nurse but I was deeply in debt and I couldn’t get a handle on it. In the book I read about the spirit named Agwe, the king of the ocean, and his wife La Sirene. The book said that these spirits were very wealthy. In my pagan way of thinking, I thought “I can call on these spirits just like any other god and work with them.”

Ha ha ha.

I set up an altar to both spirits with the things that the book said the spirits liked: champagne, cake, fruit, candles. I bought La Sirene some jewelry. I bought Agwe some cologne. I prayed to them and said “Hey, could you bring me some money?” I did not know if they would respond or just ignore me.

They responded, but not like I thought. They started talking, and they haven’t stopped since.

When I say “they”, I mean the spirits just started coming out of the woodwork. I had dreams about Gede showing me his offering bottles. I had dreams of Ti Jean Dantor. Ezili Dantor. They just kept coming. By this time I’d made contact with Kenaz and he was helping me understand some of the dreams.

Jacksonville is not known for its Haitian population so I didn’t have any in real life contacts there. Then my life changed.

Due to some trouble at work where someone hexed/jinxed me, I left that job and decided to move back to Massachusetts, my home state. My parents were already living back there. When I moved back I did a Web search for Vodou in Boston. I found a mailing list for Boston Vodouisants and then I met a man named Adam, a houngan in a local sosyete. I knew by then that I needed a reading to determine where and how to go in this tradition. Adam said, “I can give you a reading but you should really go to my mother because she’s the best.” He gave me the number for Manbo Maude.

The day I met her was the day of my grandmother’s wake. I went to see her on a very cold December morning; I was all dressed up to go to the funeral home right after our appointment. Maude was warm and welcoming. She read my cards and looked at me and said, “You have a lot of spirits!”

Thus began a beautiful relationship, myself and Maude. She invited me to my first fete. She spent many hours on the phone with me, reassuring me that my experiences and dreams weren’t crazy. She was endlessly patient.

When I did my spiritual marriage to the spirits, she walked me right through it and helped make it a beautiful ceremony.

When I hit my lowest point and wound up in a mental hospital, wondering if the lwa had abandoned me due to my own stupid actions, she spoke to me even though she was hurt by my actions. She forgave me and prayed for my recovery.

When I was studying to do kanzo, she was a patient and thorough teacher. When I made it to Haiti she welcomed me and made my visit (at least the part before kanzo) comfortable and hospitable.

I can’t talk about what happened during kanzo, but my respect and love for Maude tripled during that process. She is a juggernaut and so worthy of respect. She walks in power and yet she has not a shred of arrogance in her.

She inspires me to become a leader. That is the mark of a true leader, IMHO; someone who creates more leaders.

On a different note, I also have to talk about my brother Houngan Matt. I can’t even begin to tell you how much I love this man. He is patient, creative, and hilariously funny. I can’t believe how much I’ve learned from him, whether it’s how to decorate a beautiful altar or the finer appreciation of shoes (omigod SHOEZ). He reassures me when I’m feeling insecure, encourages me when I’m hesitant, and reminds me to pull my head out of my ass.

Much love to both Manmi Maude and Houngan Matt. I hope to be 25% as awesome as you both are one day.

Get to Know a Lwa: Papa Damballah

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! While those of Irish descent (and I’m included in that category) celebrate today by drinking green beer and wearing shamrocks (I am currently wearing shamrock earrings that have flashing lights), Vodouisants are also celebrating one of the most beloved lwa in Vodou: Papa Damballah.

 

Snakes and their worship were very important to the people of west Africa, such as the Fon and Dahomey. Temples to snake gods still exist there and large pythons gracefully glide through them and worshippers come to ask for protection and prosperity.

Keep in mind that every lwa belongs to a family or “nachon” (nation). My manmi says that every lwa has seven spirits standing behind it. There is more than one Damballah and they all have different names: Damballah Wedo, Damballah le Flambeau, and so forth. The Damballah that is most well-known and served in the Rada rite is Damballah Wedo.

Damballah is ancient; some say he was the very first lwa that God created. The saint with which he is associated is St. Patrick of Ireland.

Saint%20Patrick%20pic

The picture is of an old white man in green garments with snakes at his feet. St. Patrick was pictured as a wise old man, so he became associated with the wise old lwa Damballah.

In some houses a picture of Moses is used.

Moses is another old white man with great wisdom. It’s easy to see how he could become equated with Papa Damballah.

Damballah’s feast day is on or around March 17. My house, Sosyete Nago, had his party this past weekend. It was a beautiful event: my brother Houngan Matt was in charge of decorating the altar in green and white, Damballah’s colors. Often at our fetes, we set a second table for a lwa that is closely associated with the main lwa being honored. For example, in the last few years we’ve set a table for Damballah’s wives, Ezili Freda and La Sirene (his main wife, the one he’s most associated with, is Ayida Wedo, who represents the rainbow). However, this year Damballah made it clear to Manmi and other house members that he wanted this party to be for him alone. The whole altar was just for him.

We did decorate the Poteau mitan (the pole which signifies the way in which the lwa arrive at ceremonies) in yellow and green. These are the colors of Papa Loko, the lwa of priesthood. His feast day is March 19, so it’s common for Papa Damballah’s fet to include Loko as well.

Damballah’s colors are green and white, like I said before. His preferred drink is orgeat syrup, a thick white almond flavored syrup that’s used in coffee shops to flavor your latte. Damballah does not like alcohol. His preferred food is two white eggs set on a saucer with some white flour. White birds such as chickens can be sacrificed to him, but they aren’t killed in front of him because he doesn’t like the smell of blood. In fact, if you are a menstruating woman or have an open wound you shouldn’t approach Damballah or touch his things.

When he comes in possession, Damballah Wedo slithers on the floor like a snake. We cover him in a clean white sheet for his privacy. People will use their little fingers to grasp his little fingers in salute. We also give him his eggs and syrup, which he will eat and drink without using his hands. For our fete, we got him a rocking chair to sit in. Manmi does that sometimes when she has fetes in Haiti; it’s more comfortable for Damballah and he’ll stay longer than if he was on the floor.

Damballah doesn’t speak when he comes in possession. He will speak out loud in dreams (he has for me several times).

He is one of the most commonly married spirits in Haitian Vodou; women come to him for protection, wealth, and cleansing.

Papa Damballah has done so much for me. He is my husband and protector and he works to keep my head calm and cool (not an easy task! *grin*)

Ayibobo, Papa Damballah!

 

Intro to Haitian Vodou: What it Is, and What it Definitely Is Not

When someone says “voodoo” to you, what do you think of?

Zombies? Blood sacrifice? Moonlight orgies? That James Bond film where the pretty white lady is tied up as the scary Haitians invoke their nefarious Baron Samedi?

This is the image of Haiti and its religion that has been portrayed in pop culture. It’s bloody, it’s scary, and frankly, it was invented by white people who didn’t understand.

(Yes, I know Not All White People, etc, etc, blah blah. This is my blog and I’m going to call it like I see it. I’m white, by the way 🙂 )

I am not Haitian or black. I never will be. I came to this religion as an outsider and, in a way, I will always be a bit of an outsider. That’s OK by me. Haitians have every reason to distrust outsiders. Outsiders have this bad habit of being “seagulls”. As in, they fly in, shit all over everything, and fly out again.

So how to explain this beautiful and complex faith? Let’s start with some basics about what Vodou is and isn’t.

  1. Vodou is a monotheistic faith – Vodouisants (pronounced “voo-dwee-ZANT”, people who practice Vodou) worship one God, the same God that Christians worship. He is Bondye (bohn-DYAY), or “Good God”. He created the universe and everything (and everyone) in it. However, He is so busy running life, the universe, and everything that He doesn’t have much time to deal with humans. So Bondye created the Lwa.
  2. Vodou believes in many spirits, called Lwa – Lwa is single and plural (one lwa, two lwa, etc). The word means “spirit”. Lwa are the intermediaries between Bondye and humans. There are hundreds and hundreds of lwa. They come from all different places: some from the Dahomey people of Africa, some from the Congo, some from Benin, some from the native Arawak Indians in Haiti. They are vast and powerful, yet they will readily come down to interact with and help humans.
  3. Haitian Vodou started in Africa – It started with the Fon and Dahomey people in what is now the country of Benin. It has Congo and Ibo influences. African Vodou became Haitian with the arrival of millions of slaves in the Western Hemisphere. They were forced to practice Catholicism, but they secretly maintained their beliefs in spirits.
  4. Haitian Vodou does involve spirit possession and animal sacrifice – Possession and animal sacrifice are going to each take up at least one blog entry, but these two components are definitely a part of Haitian Vodou. But it’s not as scary as it sounds!
  5. Haitian Vodou is a community faith, a family faith – You cannot practice Vodou on your own. You need a community to back you up. The pain and torture of slavery tore apart many families, so Haitians banded together into Vodou houses (a house, sosyete, and family are all synonyms for a group of Vodou practitioners of a particular lineage) which became the only families these slaves had. The tradition continues today where member initiates of the same house will call each other brother and sister, and the head of the house will be the mama or papa.

Let’s look at a few of the things that Vodou is NOT.

  1. Vodou is not devil worship – The Devil is a Christian invention. The lwa are not “evil” or devils. Vodouisants worship God and God alone.
  2. Vodou is not Hoodoo – Hoodoo is a magical practice based on African-American Protestant Christian beliefs. It is not a religion; most practitioners of Hoodoo have Christian beliefs.
  3. Santeria, Lukumi, Wicca, Witchcraft – Those are all separate religions and practices. Lukumi (or Santeria, as it’s been called) is an African diasporic religion, which means it was brought to what is now Cuba by African slaves, in the same way slaves brought Vodou to Haiti. But the lwa and the orisha (Lukumi spirits) are different spirits from different parts of Africa.
  4. Vodou does not practice human sacrifice – Vodou is about healing humanity; how can you do that through killing people? Human sacrifice belongs in horror movies, not Vodou.
  5. Vodou is not necessarily a democratic faith – There is hierarchy and rank in Vodou, amongst the spirits and amongst the human participants. This isn’t like Wicca where everyone can become a priest. Initiation and priesthood is not for everyone in Vodou; indeed, most practitioners are not initiates. Just like anyone can be a Catholic but not everyone can be a Catholic priest, it works the same way in Vodou.

Those are some basics. I will be expanding upon many of these points in later blog entries, but feel free to ask questions in the comments or you can email me: manbomary at gmail dot com.