Secrets of Voodoo

SECRETS OF

VOODOO Milo Rigaud Translated

from

the French by

ROBERT B. CROSS Photographs by ODETTE MENNESSON·RIGAUD

CITY LIGHTS BOOKS SAN FRANCISCO

French edition by Editions Niclaus English language editions

© 1969.

© 1953 1985 by Milo Rigaud

Lihrary a/Congress Cara/oging.in.Puhli(·(Jtiml Da/a Rigaud. Milo.

1914·

Secrels of Voodoo. Reprint. Originally published: New York. N. Y.: Arco. c 1969.

I. Voodooism-Haiti.

2. Folklore-Haiti.

3. Haiti-Religion. I. Title. BL2490.R53J3

9 1 85

299'6785·19054

ISBN: 0·878 2 6·171

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Contents L Origins and Elements of Voodoo TM Dum'phor... The Pe. . The Peristyle. T1U! Poteau-milan ... The Tree Reposa;rs

31

2. Priests and Priestesses of Voodoo

The Houn'gan and the Mom'ho ... The Asson

... Taking the Asaon

43

3. Gods and Goddesses of Voodoo Summoning the Gods ... what tile Gods Gan Do ... The MagiC Center of Voodoo. . The Voodoo Pantheon... Classifying the Gods. The Roles of the Gods . . . Dan/,/wlall-the Serpent Cod... The Voodoo Virgin ... Other Voodoo Gods

4. Symbols of Voodoo

79

The Veves . . . The Maen . . . Amulet.$' and Talismans ... The loukou;ou... Perfumes. RitW11 Flags ... StCorcl of La Place. . Foods of Voodoo ... The Banana Tree

5. Sounds, Rhythms, Chants, and Prayers The Ogan... The Triangle... The Drum�' The Voodoo Chorus ... Chants . Dances ... Voodoo Prayers

III

. VOD(ioo

6, Performing Voodoo Magic:

147

Procedures to Follow . . . Magic B'Ith$ of Voodoo . . . Bringing Vengeance 0/1 Enemie.v ... Use of Magic Lmnps... Using B/ooll Sac­ rifices , , . Human Sacrifice

7, Rit\lals and Ceremonies of Voodoo Invigorllting tile Gods . .. Sacrificing 1I Bull for tile Simbi ... ,Uam'/,o .\firacia TrClIts tile Sick... Ceremony of the Bark of Agolleh . A Calendar of Voodoo Ceremonies

166

1

Origins and Elements oj Voodoo To the uninitiated, Voodoo has kmg been thought of as a primitive

form of magic and belief in ghosts. Most of what the .tverage layman knows of Voodoo comes only from misleading use of it in Hollywood

horror movies and in paperback thrillers that emphasi:£c "witch doc­ tors" or the sticking of pins in "Voodoo dolls." But the fact is that Voodoo cm.:ompJsses an exceedingly complex religion and magic with complicated rituals and symbols that hav£­ developed for thousands of years-perhaps longer than any other of taday's established faiths. The heliever in Voodoo-and there are millions of blacks and some whites who practice it-tenters his hopes and fears as strongly on it as does a follower of Christi"lliity, Judaism, Buddhism, Of Islam. Indeed, the Haitian atmosphere seems ever im· pregnated with it-as if with a rich, mystical aroma of Africa-to the extent that individuals as well as families :Ire conscious of Voodoo's effect upon their lives with a curiolls mixtme of glory and dread. This book-the result of more th,111 thirty years of shldy-will en­ deavor to bring the reader an understanding of thc innermost se(:reh and mysteries of Voodoo. But, before Llki11.!': you on visits to ('eric mid­ night ceremonies, it is necessary to provide explanations of some of the elements and outward m:lOifcst:1tions of Voodoo-many totally

alien to white culture-so that you can better understand the mean­ ing of what you will see and read. The origin of the Voodoo rites has necessarily two aspects; the rites procced on the one hand from a supernatural origin, and on the other hand from a geographical origin. All aspects of the ritual must above all be considered secondary to the idea of the word Voodoo itself, which is sometimes spelled vo-dou or oo-du, since everything essential to tht! knowledge of the mystery is implicit in this word. The clearest explanation of this essential idea is that vo means "introspec­ tion" and du mt!ans "into the unknown." Consequently, the rituals form the sum total of this introspection; that is, they are the studied accomplishments that proceed from psychological information. Those who indulge in this introspection into the mystere ( mystery) will comprehend not only the Voodoo gods, but also the souls of those who are the adepts and the servants of these gods. This is the only way in which the fruitful practice of the rites is possible to produce su­ pernaturally extraordinary phenomena or magic. The Voodoo rites, derived from the supernatural, proceed from the influence of the sun in the atmosphere. It would be difficult to enlarge upon this fundamental principle of Voodoo since not everyone is en­ dowed with the ability to comprehend the esoterics of magiC. Never­ theless, the effects of this supernatural agency can be observed during the course of Voodoo services, for every trained observer will fully appreciate a spectacle whose entire ceremonial pivots upon certain cult attributes that symbolize the sun. The Simplest and easiest proof that the sun is the axis upon which the entire Voodoo cult turns is the revelation that the principal at­ tribute of solar magic is the post or pole that supports the center of the roof of the structure known as the peristyle of the oum'phor, the Voodoo temple. The peristyle is the covered gallery of thatch or cor­ rugated iron adjOining the holy of holies or oum'phor proper. The roof is supported by a wooden centerpost, called the poteaumitan, which means to the initiates "solar support." This post is the axis of the rites. Everything in Voodoo rites has reference ultimately to the center-post. The post is an architectural representation of the chief Voodoo god Legba. The wood of the post denotes Mercury, the offspring of the stln and the god of the vegetable kingdom and shows that Mercury is at the same time the staff of Legba. Upon this staff the two serpents

of the oum'phor must normally mount so as to be harmonized or be reunited by Mercury. Consequently, the central post of the Voodoo peri-styles is decorated with a spiral band of various colors symboliz­ ing not only the colors of the rainbow but also the serpent gods Danb­ halah and Aida \Vedo. Furthermore, this sacred wood represents the structural material of the Temple of Jerusalem-the wood of Lebanon. Near this post is kept the symbol of the moon, the Voodoo goddess Erzulie. This lunar symbol-a model boat-is suspended in the air from the ceiling to complete the Significance of the planetary origin of the rites. In the practice of Voodoo magic, a lighted candle is often substi­ tuted for the post and the boat is represt'nted by ritual water. The Voodoo pantheon of gods is