Haitian Mythology
Vodou (also known as Voodoo) is a religion that first appeared in Haiti. It is a syncretic mixture of Roman Catholic rituals introduced during the French colonial period, and African tribal beliefs, with roots in the Yoruba, Kongo and Dahomey mythology. Another important aspect of the Haitian spiritual life is magic and serpent worship.
Pantheon
- Adjassou-Linguetor - Haitian loa (goddess) of spring water.
- Adjinakou - Haitian loa in the form of an elephant.
- Adya Houn'tò - 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 voodoo evil spirit depicted by the skull and crossbones.
- Badessy - Haitian god of the sky.
- 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 voodoo deity.
- Congo - Haitian voodoo deity.
- Damballa - father of the loa and humankind.
- Dan Petro - Haitian god of farmers.
- Dan Wédo - Haitian loa of the king of France.
- Diable Tonnere - Haitian god of thunder.
- Diejuste - Haitian voodoo deity.
- Dinclinsin - Haitian voodoo deity feared for his severity.
- Eleggua or Eshu - Child trickster deity.
- Erzulie - Haitian voodoo goddess of beauty, dancing, flowers, jewels, love and luxury. Married to Damballa, Agwe and Ogoun. She is depicted as a water snake. Also called Mami Wata in African mithology.
- Gran Maître - Haitian creator god.
- Grand Bois - Haitian loa of creation.
- Kalfu - Haitian god of the night, symbolized by the moon. Thought to be very dangerous.
- Lemba - Haitian voodoo deity.
- Limba - Haitian loa believed to live among rocks. Thought to have insatiable hunger and eats people, even his own followers.
- L'inglesou - Haitian loa which lives among rocks and in ravines.
- Loco - Haitian god of trees, plants and healers.
- Lutin - The ghost of an unbaptized child in Haitian voodoo tradition.
- Mademoiselle Charlotte - Haitian loa who resembles Caucasian women.
- Mait' Carrefour - Haitian god of magicians and lord of the crossroads, also called Kalfu.
- Maîtresse Délai - Haitian loa who is a patron of the hountor or tambourine player.
- Maîtresse Hounon'gon - Haitian loa which chants the canzo or ordeal by fire in voodoo tradition.
- Maman Brigitte - Voodoo death loa.
- Marassa - The twin gods of Haitian voodoo.
- Marassa Jumeaux - The ghosts of dead twins in Haitian voodoo tradition.
- Marinette - Haitian loa, violent and powerful.
- Mambo - Haitian loa who brings storms.
- Mounanchou - Haitian voodoo deity.
- Nago Shango- Haitian voodoo deity.
- Obatala - yoruba creator god.
- Ogoun - Haitian voodoo god of fire, iron, politics, thunder and war.
- Oloddumare - youruba creator god.
- Oshun - yoruba goddess of love, also Erzulie (in Voodoo).
- Oya - yoruba warrior goddess.
- Papa Legba - intermediary between the loa and humanity.
- Pie - Haitian god of floods, soldier loa.
- Simbi - Haitian water snake loa, which is one of the three voodoo cosmic serpents.
- Sobo - Haitian god of thunder.
- Sousson-Pannan - Haitian loa thought to be evil and ugly, with a body covered in sores.
- Ti Jean Quinto - A mean Haitian spirit which lives under bridges and assumes the form of a policeman.
- Ti Malice - Haitian trickster loa.
- Ti-Jean Petro - Haitian snake deity and the son of Dan Petro.
- Yemalla - Yoruban mother goddess, also called LaSiren, Mami Wata
Related notions
- Asagwe - Haitian voodoo dancing used to honor the gods.
- Avalou - Haitian voodoo dance which means supplication.
- Coco macaque - Haitian voodoo implement. It is a stick, which is supposed to be able to walk on its own. The owner of a coco macaque can send it on errands. If it is used to hit an enemy, the enemy will die before the dawn.
- Gangan - Haitian voodoo shaman.
- Ghede - family of spirits related to death and fertility
- Guinee - Haitian afterlife. It is also where life began and the home of their gods.
- Hungan - Haitian priests. They lead the peoples in dancing, drumming and singing to invoke the loa.
- Loa - Haitian god or goddess.
- Mambo - Haitian priestess who, together with the Hungan, leads the voodoo rituals and invokes the loa.
- Petro - aggressive and warlike family of spirits
- Rada - old, benefic family of spirits
- Ville au Camp - The underwater capital of the loa.
- Voodoo
- Vodou or Voudoun
- Zombie
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