 haitian vodou is a syncretic mixture of roman catholic rituals introduced during the french colonial period, african beliefs, with roots in the yoruba, kongo and dahomey mythology, and folkloric influence from the indigenous taino amerindians that once populated the island. the lwa/loa, or spirits with whom vodouisants work and practice, are not gods but servants of bon dye (pronounced bon dieu), an omnipotent and divine being far beyond the scope of human understanding. in keeping with the french-catholic influence of the faith, vodouisants are for the most part monotheists, believing that the loa are great and powerful forces in the world with whom humans interact and vice versa, resulting in a symbiotic relationship intended to bring both us and the loa back to bon dye. "[vodou] is a religious practice, a faith that points toward an intimate knowledge of god, and offers its practitioners a means to come into communion with the divine, through an ever evolving paradigm of dance, song and prayers." ==pantheon== *adjassou-linguetor - haitian loa in the form of spring water (goddess) . *adjinakou - haitian loa in the form of an elephant. *adya houn'tÃ² - haitian loa of the drums *agassou - haitian loa which guards the dahomean traditions. *agwe - loa of fish and aquatic plants. *aido quedo - loa of fertility and snakes. *ayida-weddo - haitian goddess, where she is also known as rainbow snake. she is married to damballa. *ayizan - haitian goddess of the marketplace. *azaka medeh - loa of harvest. *azaka-tonnerre - haitian god of thunder, agriculture and farmers. *bacalou - haitian vodou evil spirit depicted by the skull and crossbones. *badessy - haitian god of the sky. *baron la croix - loa of the dead and sexuality. *baron samedi - loa of the dead. *boli shah - haitian family loa. *bossou ashadeh - haitian loa, king of dahomey. *boum'ba maza - haitian family loa. *bugid y aiba - haitian (and puerto rican) god of war. *captain debas - haitian family loa. *clermeil - haitian god of flowing waters. * conga - haitian vodou deity. *congo - haitian vodou deity. *damballa - father of the loa and humankind. *dan petro - haitian god of farmers. *dan wÃ©do - haitian loa of the king of france. *diable tonnere - haitian god of thunder. *diejuste - haitian vodou deity. *dinclinsin - haitian vodou deity feared for his severity. *elegua or eshu - child trickster deity. *erzulie dantor
Caribbean_mythology Haitian_culture Religion_in_Haiti Vodou