Who is Bridget's mom? Haitian voodoo. Religious practices inherent in voodoo

Bridget's mother is the mistress of the cemetery gates and the patroness of healers. She is the wife of Baron Saturday, master of the cemetery and head of all deceased ancestors. She can resurrect the dead, delay death, and cure some seemingly incurable diseases caused by outside influence (magic).

She, surprisingly for Voodoo, is British by origin. Mama Bridget is an image very reminiscent of the Celtic Triple Goddess, embodying poetry, blacksmithing and witchcraft. In the Afro-Caribbean region, it most likely appeared in connection with the penetration of servants sent to Haiti from Scotland and Ireland into the new habitat. And this “origin” did not at all prevent her from becoming the wife of Baron Samedi himself.

The grave of the first woman buried in any cemetery in Haiti is dedicated to Mama Bridget, and her ceremonial cross is placed at the site. She, just like Baron Saturday, is called upon to “raise the dead,” i.e. to cure and save those who are dying from illness caused by witchcraft.

Bridget's mother, like her husband, Baron Samedi, is not very shy in her choice of expressions and can use coarse curse words. She drinks hot rum with pepper, so hot that a person, if it had not been possessed by her spirit, would never be able to drink it. She loves to dance and the virtuosity of her dancing is amazing.

She patronizes mothers, children and animals, all those who are sick and in need, helps incognito in hospitals and clinics, and conveys the requests of the dying to the Baron. You can turn to her with almost any request. If you are a kind person, not greedy, honest, and most importantly - with an excellent sense of humor, since the Baroness loves to laugh, Mama Bridget will always be on your side.

Voodoo is a traditional African religion that has state status in some countries located in West Africa. Voodoo is a conglomerate of various animist cults, which includes the traditional beliefs of the African (Black) diaspora in the New World, such as Haitian Voodoo in Brazil, Winti in Suriname, Louisiana (New Orleans) Voodoo and Santeria in Cuba and the Dominican Republic . All these directions have a syncretic nature, connecting with Christianity African traditional religions that originated among the Congo people on the territory of the modern Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic Congo and Angola.
Not long ago, Voodoo was recognized by Pope Francis as an official form of Catholicism.

Haitian Voodoo, which is the most orthodox variety of this religion, was formed among West African slaves in Haiti as a result of a mixture of folk beliefs and elements of Catholicism. The main basis for the formation of voodoo were the religions of the Fon and Ewe peoples.

Priesthood in Haitian Vodou

In voodoo, there are several types of professional religious activities, which are distinguished on the basis of gender and specialization.
▪ Houngan (priest) and mambo (female priest) are voodoo priests whose activities are focused on receiving predictions from spirits during possession.
▪ Bokor (sorcerer) - a person professionally engaged in magical activities. Bokors are often understood as people who practice "black magic" and are not always recognized by houngans and mambo as voodoo practitioners. Voodoo priests are divided into several categories depending on the level of priestly initiation.
▪ Hounsi - an assistant, roughly comparable to the Catholic position of minister.
▪ Houngan Si pwen or Mambo Si pwen.
▪ Houngan Asogwe or Mambo Asogwe.

Religious practices, inherent in voodoo

Cleansing sacrifices and talismans save from evil. The most famous type of Voodoo talismans are bags of various objects called gris-gris.
Music and dancing are a key part of voodoo rituals.
Voodooists choose an ordinary dwelling (hunfor - sanctuary) as a sanctuary. Main attributes: mitan (pillar - the road of the gods) and black candles. Five drummers, tapping a clear rhythm, each with their own, announce the opening of the ceremony. After which a song of petition is sung, addressed to Loa Legba: “Papa Legba, open the gate. Papa Legba, open the gate and let me pass. Open the gate so that I can thank the loa."
Dancing around the pole, the mambo (witch), together with her assistant unsi and assistant la place, creates a magic circle around the pole with a stream of water from a jug in honor of Papa Legba and the guardian of the house, Ogou Fer, in order to drive away those present. evil spirits. The houngan or mambo sprinkles flour on the floor and draws veves (loa symbols). Then there is obligatory ecstatic dancing to the sound of drums - women in white dresses and men in suits. When the audience has warmed up enough, the bokor lets loose a rooster, whose head is cut off. After this, the participants in the santeria (ceremony) fall into a trance and the grace of the spirits (loa) descends on them.
Lewd dancing and sexually suggestive antics during the Fete de Gede signal to the loa that people are ready to meet them.

Pantheon of Haitian Voodoo

The Haitian Vodou pantheon includes two main types of deities: Bondye and Lwa.
▪ Bondieu is the supreme deity of the voodoo religion, an omnipotent God comparable to the Christian image of God. However, unlike Christianity, in voodoo there is a concept according to which Bondieu has distanced himself from everything that happens in this world and does not interfere in the affairs of people. The name Bondieu comes from the French bon Dieu, meaning "good God".
▪ Loa are deities of a lower order, with whom, due to Bondieu’s detachment from worldly affairs, followers of voodoo deal. It is with the appeal to the loa that prayers and rituals performed by followers of voodoo are associated.

The main voodoo pantheon
Agwe is the spirit of water, patron of fish and sailors.
Baron Saturday (Baron Samedi, Ghede) - the spirit of death and the underworld. Depicted as a skeleton in a top hat with a cigarette. Possessed by him drinks rum.
Dambala is a spirit associated with snakes (St. Patrick). Great Zombie. The possessed person suffers from thirst.
Legba (Legba) - the spirit of doors (Saint Peter, for according to tradition Peter was depicted with the keys to Paradise). The possessed person cannot stand on his feet.
Erzuli (Virgin Mary) is the spirit of love in the form of a beautiful, immaculate maiden dressed as a bride. Her symbol is the heart. Her colors are red and blue.
Simbi is the spirit of seduction and fertility.
Ogu - the spirit of war and natural disasters.
Bridget's mother is the wife of Baron Saturday.
Marassa - twin spirits.
Mademoiselle Charlotte is the patroness of young girls.
Sobo is a spirit in the form of a French general.
Sogbo - spirit of lightning.
Ti-Jean-Petro is an evil spirit in the form of a one-legged or lame dwarf.

Papa Legba

Papa Legba is the first Loa who is called first during rituals, since without his help it is impossible to come into contact with other Loa. Papa Legba is the guardian of gates and doors, he is the one who opens them. Before the ceremony begins, the Veve Legba should be drawn so that he himself can enter the temple, and then open the door to other Loa.

Legba is a lame old man with a body covered in sores, wearing a straw hat and a cane, and carrying a straw jakut bag on his back. Often these bags can be seen hanging on trees in Haiti, containing offerings to Legbe. Papa Legba was named for his good nature and politeness, but do not underestimate him, since he is a Loa with great strength, a trickster who loves to joke, but Papa Legba does not punish anyone without guilt. Do not neglect to greet Papa Legba, otherwise you may pay dearly for it.

The Christian counterparts of Pope Legba are Apostle Peter and Saint Lazarus.
Papa Legba has many roads and many hypostases and aspects, for example, Legba do Miwa, patron of mirrors, wanderer Legba Avadra, Alegba, Atibon Legba, etc. Met Kafou Legba represents destruction and is a deceiver. Sometimes you can hear the address “Legba Nan Petro”, this is Papa Legba who opens the roads of Loa Petro. An image similar to Papa Legba is found in various Afro-Brazilian religions, known by such names as Eshu and Elegba, but the images of these gods are different from Papa Legba. Among the Yoruba people and their descendants, a spirit named Elegba also acts as an intermediary between the human world and the spirit world, but is depicted as a trickster child.

Papa Legba is presented with rum, tobacco, grain, candy, palm oil, fried chicken, yams, sweets, coconuts, liquor and even popcorn.

Baron Samedi

Day of the week: Saturday.
Colors: Black and White, or Black and Purple. There is only purple.
Area responsible for: Cemeteries, Dead, Black magic, Master of astral gates, Children.
Necklace: Black and White beads are strung one after the other. Those. one black, one white, bring to the required length.
Offerings: Black coffee, Black goat, Black rooster, Roasted peanuts, Vodka infused with 21 peppers, Rum (or moonshine good quality), Cigar.
Symbol: Cross, Skull, also Cane and Hat (cylinder),
Marital status: Married to Mama Brigit (owner of the cemetery gate).

Baron Samedi is the ruler of the cemetery and the dead. The first grave (if the deceased is a man) is dedicated to him. Moreover, this dead person will most likely be the caretaker of the cemetery, and not the Baron himself, but through him the energies of the Baron can freely control other dead ones. The Baron is not responsible for the clan (or deceased ancestors), but with his help you can open the gates to their world. He will help you communicate with them and support you if something goes wrong.

The Baron wears a top hat, is dressed in a tuxedo, and holds a cane (in some interpretations, a crutch) in his hands. He smokes strong cigars, drinks rum and swears obscenely.
Loves children and life as the second component of death. If a child is dying (or is in mortal danger), then you need to contact the Baron. He is merciful to children. Although sometimes in a very different way.

Also in his department is the so-called black magic.
If a sorcerer wants to cause damage or kill a person, then this question can be addressed to Baron Samedi.

To summon the Baron, a prior invitation to the Legba ritual is not always required, because The Baron can open the doors himself and come. But out of respect for Tradition and Legba himself, it still makes sense to call Legba first, and then the Baron. This is simply a tribute to the great Orisha.

When crossing the cemetery gates (entering the cemetery territory), you should ask the Baron for permission, because you enter his house. And you will continue to be under the supervision of his charges.

The Baron is not just the guardian of the cemetery (an entity that looks after the dead in a particular cemetery, each cemetery has its own), but through him the Baron can manifest himself. The Baron is much more than just the dead, he is a very strong Spirit, in whose department is everything that has died and has already outlived its term. Everything connected with death is him.

If your patron is the Baron, then you can easily communicate with the dead. You can easily get rid of connections and habits that you no longer need. With this energy you will be able to heal people, and your curses will have special power. You will be able to see who has already served their term and who has not yet.
The Baron will become a Teacher for you and show you his view of the world, teach you to love life and accept death. And also treat many things easily, sometimes even cynically, because... all of them are destined to someday leave this world and go into oblivion. Even the most important and seemingly insurmountable ones.

Maman Bridget

Maman Brigitte, which is quite surprising for Voodoo, is British by origin. It is derived from Brigid or Saint Brigit, the Celtic goddess of poetry, blacksmithing and healing.

She must have arrived in Haiti in the hearts of the expelled Scottish and Irish servants.

Currently, Maman Bridget is seen as the wife of Baron Samedi, Master of the Cemetery and head of all deceased ancestors. The grave of the first woman buried in any cemetery in Haiti is dedicated to Maman Brigitte, and her ceremonial cross is placed at the site. She, just like Baron Samedi, is called upon to “raise the dead,” i.e. to cure and save those who are dying from illness caused by witchcraft.

Maman Bridget, like her husband, uses a lot of curse words in her speech. She drinks hot peppered rum, so hot that a human Loa possesses could never drink it. She also places red Haitian peppers on the skin of her genitals, and this is the test women are subjected to when they are suspected of faking possession. She dances a sexually suggestive and very artistic dance, the virtuosity of her dancing is amazing.

Maman Brigitte and Baron Samedi - mother and father who transform souls of the dead in Loa Guede, removing them from the mystical waters where they were without knowledge of their identity and their name.

Erzulie

Loa of love, beauty, purity, she is the ideal woman, the moon. The most attractive Voodoo Goddess. She is the heart of Voodoo, Erzulie's aspects include not only love and goodwill, but also jealousy, discord and revenge. She can often be cruel to women and their desires. In the altar room of the temple, she is represented as a ship hanging from the ceiling. As offerings, sweets, pleasant liquors, perfumes, flowers and candles are given to her.

Erzulie has two aspects: Erzulie Dantor and Erzulie Freda. Her field of activity is beauty, love, sex. Like Erzulie Dantor - she is flirtatious and lustful, she is never one hundred percent satisfied and therefore she often cries. Erzulie mourns the short human life and regrets that love cannot be eternal. As Erzulie Freda, on the contrary, she is romantic and innocent. In Santeria she is associated with the goddess Oshun and Pomba Gira respectively. Erzulie has three wedding rings on her hand because she is the wife of three Loa at the same time: Dambala, Ogun and Legba.

How to adopt Erzulie Fred
Erzulie Freda - rich white woman, promiscuous goddess of love, living in an atmosphere of perfume and luxury

Set kout kouto, set kout pveniad,
Prete m dedim a, poum vomi sing you san mven (sing 2 times),
San mven ape kole.

How to Summon Erzulie Dantor
Erzulie Dantor is a black woman who is featured in lithographic illustrations of Catholic books such as Saint Barbara of Africa. Tribal scars are visible on her cheek. She is heterosexual in the sense that she has a child, but she is also a patron of lesbian women.
She is considered the protector of newly initiated Houngan and Mambo, as well as women who are abused by their husbands.

Erzulie fanm Ti-Jan metres kai la (sing 2 times)
Pa relay, seu ou pote houngan nivo,
Pa relay, se ou pote wanga pi fo,
Erzulie fanm Ti-Jan metres kay la,
The Mven package is here.

Associated with death, the dead, as well as sexuality and childbirth.

Baron Samdi is depicted as a skeleton in a black tailcoat and a black top hat (the clothing of a funeral master). Its main symbol is the coffin. The first grave in the new cemetery is dedicated to Baron Samdi. It is believed that the person possessed by Baron Samdi exhibits intemperance in drinking and eating, smoking and sex.

there is one mystical creature, the description of which is similar to either new role Johnny Depp, or another idea from Tim Burton. This creature wears a top hat and a tuxedo, leans on a cane, smokes strong cigars, drinks rum and joyfully swears at everyone in this and this world. Meet Baron Samedi - manager of the cemetery and the dead. By the way, she loves life and children. Married to Mama Brigid, owner of the cemetery gate.

Such a strange and unusual creature was created by the magic of Voodoo. According to Woodian beliefs, the first grave in the cemetery, if the deceased is male, is dedicated to Baron Samedi. This dead man will become the caretaker of the cemetery, through which the Baron's energy will be transmitted. Also in his department is black magic, so sorcerers who are going to get even with their enemies turn to him. The Baron's help allows the sorcerer to kill the victim at a considerable distance. However, her health must be disrupted beforehand with the Mark of Guede. If everything is done correctly, the victim will be struck by a magical disease that destroys the blood and fills it with the energy of death, the body will slowly mummify and the person will die a painful death. But Baron Samedi is a good assistant not only in black magic. He loves children, so if a child is in danger or seriously ill, Wooddists turn to the Baron. He is always kind to children, although not without a bit of dark humor.

If the Baron becomes the patron of a sorcerer, he receives special powers and abilities. The sorcerer will be able to freely communicate with the dead, relieve people from serious illnesses, and will gain the gift of seeing people’s life spans. Baron Samedi will become a teacher for him, who will show that everything in the world can be treated lightly, sometimes even cynically, the main thing is to learn to value life and accept death.

There are three main families in Vodou - Petro, Rada and Gede. They are very different, interesting in their own way, and, of course, all are very important for the service and practice of Voodoo.

Today I want to talk about the Gede family - intermediaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead.

The main difference between Guyanese and African Voodoo is that the Haitians believe in the rebirth of souls - just as the Indians, the indigenous people of Haiti, did. The Indians believed that after death a person's souls were reborn into bats, birds or spiders and remained there until they were reborn as a human.

And Africans believe that the souls of their ancestors, after death, unite into a certain lump, into some ONE great force. They are generally revered as "ancestors" among whom no one is forgotten. Ancestors possess the knowledge of all generations.

So, Gede is a symbiosis of these beliefs. They are all countless souls. And at the same time, as if one spirit - Papa Gede.

The most famous in the Gede family is Baron Samedi - the patron of cemeteries, guardian of the world of the dead. Oddly enough, this is a very cheerful Loa, who likes to pawn his collar (by the way, the truth of the Baron’s obsession is verified by giving the possessed a bottle of rum infused with 40 “fiery” chili peppers, and the Baron easily consumes this drink), joke (often - vulgar and cynical, but very funny), and, finally, he is a passionate dancer.

Baron Samedi is the unofficial patron of children, whom he loves very much. If the Baron refuses to dig a grave, the person will not die. Also, he hates murderers, rapists, maniacs.

There is an opinion (especially among Voodoo charlatans) that the Baron himself never personally communicates with people, using Gede for these purposes. This is stupidity, since it is the Baron who has the right (the only one of the Loa) to come into the world without the knowledge of Legba, the lord of doors and crossroads.

During Voodoo ceremonies, the Baron wears dark glasses and a hat. Prefers dark, formal suits.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Baron is a conductor between the world of the living and the world of the dead, the prince of the cemetery. Usually depicted as a skeleton, dressed in a black tailcoat, top hat, with a cane in his hands and a cigar in his teeth, sometimes dead drunk with a bottle of rum in his arms.

Representing the darker, grimmer aspect of Guede, he himself has many aspects including Baron Cimitiere, Baron la Croix and Baron Criminel. In all his aspects, he appears as a male Loa with a nasal voice, who carries a cane or wand and dresses in black or purple. Having possessed a person, he can spew curses. He is considered the last one to be resorted to in cases of death caused by witchcraft, because even if a witchcraft spell should cause a person to die, if the Baron refuses to "dig a grave", the person will not die.

Baron Samedi, along with his wife Maman Brigitte, is also responsible for the souls of the dead and transforming them into Loa Guede. Baron Samedi can be called upon in case of infertility, he is also a divine judge to whom people can turn.

The grave of the first person buried in any cemetery in Haiti, whether the person participated in Vodou or not, is dedicated to Baron Samedi and a ceremonial cross is placed on it.

IN rural areas families can erect their own cross dedicated to Baron Samedi, and no temple can be completed without installing a Baron Samedi cross.

Baron Samedi can be summoned at any time. He can appear without asking, he is so powerful. He drinks rum in which twenty-one hot peppers have been dipped and which no mere mortal could swallow. His ceremonial food is black coffee, roasted peanuts and bread. He dances wonderfully.

Fet Guede, the Feast of the Ancestors, symbolizes the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, which is similar to the European witchcraft tradition. Whatever a person owes to Baron Samedi, Maman Brigitte or Guede, he must pay by this time

Maman Brigitte, which is quite surprising for Voodoo, is British by origin. It is derived from Brigid or Saint Brigit, the Celtic goddess of poetry, blacksmithing and healing.

Maman Brigitte is the wife of Baron Samedi, Master of the Cemetery and head of all deceased ancestors. The grave of the first woman buried in any cemetery in Haiti is dedicated to Maman Brigitte, and her ceremonial cross is placed at the site. She, just like Baron Samedi, is called upon to “raise the dead,” i.e. to cure and save those who are dying from illness caused by witchcraft.

Maman Brigitte, like Baron Samedi, is a rough-talking Loa who uses a lot of swear words. She drinks hot pepper rum, so hot that a person possessing Loa could never drink it. She dances a very artistic dance, the virtuosity of her dance is amazing.

Maman Brigitte and Baron Samedi are mother and father who transform the souls of the dead into Loa Guede, removing them from the mystical waters where they were without knowing their identity and their name.

She patronizes mothers, children and animals, everyone who is sick and in need, helps incognito in hospitals and clinics, conveys the requests of the dying to the Baron, and simply helps. You can turn to her with almost any request. If you are a kind person, non-greedy, honest, and most importantly - with an excellent sense of humor, since the Baroness loves to laugh - Mama Brigitte will always be on your side. But playing bad jokes with her or deceiving her is very dangerous for life. She is, after all, a black goddess. When angry she can be scared to death. Loves sacrifices in the form of perfumes, flowers and sweets.

By origin, Mama Bridget is an image that very much reminds us of the Celtic Triple Goddess, who embodies Poetry, Blacksmithing and Witchcraft. In the Afro-Caribbean region, it most likely appeared in connection with the penetration of servants sent to Haiti from Scotland and Ireland into the new habitat. And this “origin” did not in any way prevent her from becoming the wife of Baron Same-di (Samdi or Lwa Gede). She can resurrect the dead, delay death, and cure some seemingly incurable diseases caused by outside influence (magic).

 

It might be useful to read: