Anaisa Pye

*Queen of Love*

**Classification:** Lwa; Metresa

**Origin:** Dominican Republic

Anaisa Pyé is among the most beloved of the spirits of the Twenty-One Divisions, a beautiful, laughing, joyous, flirtatious spirit of love. Although she and Anaïs may originate in the same spirit, they are different paths who manifest and behave very differently. (Some consider them to be completely independent spirits.)

* Anaisa Pyé may be a Dominican or Gaga variant of Ezili Dantor or her daughter, Anaïs. (Gaga is a Vodou-derived spiritual tradition brought by Haitian sugar-cane workers to the Dominican Republic where it further evolved and transformed.)
* Anaisa Pyé may be an avatar of Taino Queen Anacaona.
* Anaisa Pyé has seven paths: in her Indian path, she is called Anacaona.

Although Anaisa may be identified with Ezili Danto or her daughter, she is not identified with the Black Madonna of Czestochowa. Instead she is closely identified with the votive image of Saint Anne with her small daughter, the future Virgin Mary. Anaisa is officially syncretized to Saint Anne, but it’s the small girl in the picture (sometimes called “Little Anne”) with whom she’s really identified. According to myth, Anaisa, Ezili’s daughter, was sent to convent school at age three where she was raised by strict nuns. She rebelled at age thirteen, leaving the convent. (This echoes Mary’s presentation at the temple at age three and marriage at age thirteen.)

Anaisa Pyé is a jealous Metresa who demands total devotion. She resembles a jealous, possessive lover. Make that a dangerous, jealous, possessive lover: you can never leave or abandon her. Anaisa Pyé is an exceptionally generous, responsive spirit with a tremendous number of devotees. She has the capacity to serve many people, but don’t start with her unless you are willing to totally commit to her. She takes disinterest from former devotees very personally.

Communicate with Anaisa via perfume. She frequently signals her presence via fragrance. Consecrate a bottle of perfume to her—buy a bottle for her altar and a matching one for yourself to wear when you wish to invoke or communicate with her.

In general, she is more willing to share altar space with male spirits than with female. The feeling is mutual: it’s best to keep her away from other female spirits under the assumption that she’s openly flirted with all their husbands. She has a particularly tense relationship with Metresili (echoing the rivalry between Ezili Freda and Ezili Dantor). Snake spirit Lubana, with whom she works closely, is the exception.

Anaisa prefers men but serves women. She heals female reproductive disorders. Devotees petition her for enhanced beauty, sensuality, and desirability. (Just being in Anaisa’s presence on a consistent basis may result in these gifts. Simply making consistent—and continual—offerings to her may help even without any direct contact from her.) She is invoked for all domestic, romantic, and marital issues.

Invoke Anaisa Pyé by pouring beer into a champagne flute (or other fancy glass) and adding seven drops of Florida Water or other perfume.

**Feast:** 26 July (Feast of Saint Anne)

**Day:** Every day! Anaisa Pyé expects total around-the-clock devotion, none of this once-a-week stuff.

**Consort:** Belié Belcan. (Venerate them together by placing an image of Michael Archangel beside that of Saint Anne.)

**Element:** Water

#### **Colours:** Spectrum of yellow to gold. (She allegedly wears pink when she visits the cemetery; she would probably appreciate a pretty rose-gold.) Her colours aren’t flat but shimmery, sparkling, radiant, and vivid.

**Number:** 7 (the number of days in the week)

**Altar:** Make sure it’s beautiful. Light yellow candles and bring her lots of flowers.

**Offerings:** Champagne, beer served in an elegant champagne flute, sweets, delicate fruits like miniature bananas or champagne grapes, marzipan fruits, chocolate-dipped fruits, cigarettes; also jewellery, perfume, scented soaps and cosmetics

**See Also:** Anacaona; Anaïs; Belié Belcan; Black Madonna of Czestochowa; Ezili Dantor; Ezili Freda Dahomey; Lubana; Metresa; Metresili; Twenty-One Divisions

## Information Source

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses by Judika Illes