, 1872-08-15
Voudouisrn.

A correspondent of the New Orleans
Times thus describes the Voudou festi-
val in that city;
On Monday morning. I went to the
French market for the express purpose
of ending out from an old negress, who
s. lis in the market, and whom l have
known for years to be well posted
''she is one of them the exact spot
where the Voudou festival would be
neld this year. Knowing that had at
tended many Of them before she told me
Immediately. She made me faithfully
promise that would tell no one.
Thus posted, took the eight o'clock
P. NJ. train on the lake Pontchartrain
railroad. Arriving at the lake, I fooled
around a little; saw great crowds, all
looking for the place. but very few, if
any, knowing where it would be. l
made up my mind not to walk or rid
to the scene, SO I hired skiff and
pulled to the mouth of Bayou st. john
the best way of getting there from the
lake end--ihe festival took place near
Bayou Tchouitoulas. Upon arriving at
the shanty. found congregated about
two hundred persons, mixed colors-
white, black and mulattoes. I knew
the larger portion OF them, aud Was re-
ceived with pleasure. The ceremony
had MT begun.
A few moments after my arrival, a
large crowd arrived in IA lugger, say
about one hundred more. making to-
tai of three hundred. Soon again there
arrived a skiff containing ten persons,
among which was the Voudou queen.
Marie Lavoux. She was hailed with
| hurrahs.
The people were about equally divi-
ded, male and femal "a few more fe-
males; the larger portion of the crowd
negroes and quadroons. but about one
hundred whites, say thirty or forty
men, the remainder women.
Upon the arrival of Marie Lavoux,
she made a few remarks in Gumbo
French. and ended them by singing
"Salya ma coupe ca, to which all
hands joined in the chorus of @ Nam
selle Marie chauffez ca
1t was then about eleven O'clock
The song ended. orders were given by
the queen TO build IL fire rs near the edge
of the lake As possible. which was did
every one being compelled to furnish
"A piece of wood for the fire, making a
wish as they threw it on. Then large
cauldron was put on the fire; it was fill
ed with water. brought in a beer barrel;
then salt was put in by an old man, who
jabbered something in Creole; then
black peper was put i'll by young quad
room; she sang while putting in the pep
per; then u box was brought up to the
fire, from it was taken black snake, he
was cut in three pieces (the Trinity,
one piece was put in by Marie Lavoux,
one piece by the old man who put in
the salt. and one piece by the young
girl who put in the pepper; then ali
Joined in chorus of same song :
Nam 'selle Marie chanffez ca" then
the queen called for "a cat" It
was brought. She cut its throat and
put it in the kettle.
Another repetition of the same chorus,
then black rooster was brought to the
queen. She tied his feet and head to-
gether and put him in the pot alive
Repetition OF the chorus. Then came
an order from the queen for every one
to undress, which all did, amid songs
and yells. The queen then took from
her pocket shot-bag. full of white and
colored powders. She gave orders for
every one to join hands and circle round
the pot. Then she poured these pow
ders into the pot, sang a verse from
some creole song, to which all Joined in
chorus while dancing around the, C'est
Vaasostr; oui naman c'est Famour," &c.
She then looked at her watch. and
shouted :" Ii ninuit ious moune a.leau :"
it is twelve o'clock, all hands in the
water-and everybody went into the
lake, remaining in the bath about half
an hour. Upon coming out began sing
ing and dancing for another hour, when