Mama Lola

1. Vodou is a living, adaptable religion deeply intertwined with Haitian life and survival.

Vodou works within the realm of the possible and practical.

A religion of survival. Haitian Vodou is not an abstract belief system but a practical, dynamic response to the harsh realities of life, particularly for the poor and oppressed. It emerged from the fusion of diverse African religions and French Catholicism under the brutal conditions of slavery, adapting to new environments and challenges. Its purpose is to minimize pain, avoid disaster, cushion loss, and strengthen survival instincts.

Adaptation and change. Vodou constantly evolves, incorporating new elements and responding to social shifts. Spirits adapt their personalities and roles to fit contemporary life, whether in rural Haiti, urban Port-au-Prince, or immigrant communities like Brooklyn. This flexibility allows Vodou to remain relevant and effective for its practitioners across different times and places.

Beyond stereotypes. Contrary to popular, often racist, caricatures portraying Vodou as barbaric or evil, it is a complex system focused on navigating the vicissitudes of human existence. Practitioners see no conflict with being Christian; they view the spirits as intermediaries or "angels" of God, who is seen as too busy with the universe to handle daily human affairs.

2. Spirits (lwa) are active participants in daily life, offering guidance and power.

The spirits talk with the faithful.

Intimate and present. Unlike the distant Christian God, Vodou spirits (lwa) are intimately involved in the daily lives of their devotees. They are not abstract deities but tangible forces that speak, interact, and even possess individuals, using their bodies as "horses." This direct communication allows practitioners to address problems and seek help in real-time.

Mirrors of humanity. The lwa embody the full spectrum of human experience, including contradictions and flaws. They are not moral exemplars but reflect the complexities of life domains over which they preside.

• Ogou: Warrior, but also drunkard and liar.
• Ezili Danto: Nurturing mother, but also prone to rage.
• Gede: Master of death, but also playful and sexual.
  This complexity makes them relatable and provides a rich symbolic language for understanding human nature.

Mutual relationship. The relationship between the living and the spirits is reciprocal. Devotees "serve" the spirits through offerings, rituals, and living according to their principles. In return, the spirits offer protection, guidance, and the power to navigate life's challenges. This mutual dependence is the engine of Vodou practice.

3. Family, including ancestors and spirits, is the core unit of identity and support in Vodou.

For Alourdes, family is a continuum running from the disparate group who attends Vodou parties at her home to the most elemental family, that of the ancestors and the spirits.

Extended kinship networks. Family in Vodou extends beyond living blood relatives to include deceased ancestors and the spirits they served. This creates a vast, interconnected network that provides identity, security, and support in a precarious world. Ancestors are believed to return through the lwa they favored in life, maintaining a continuous link between past and present generations.

Spiritual inheritance. Serving the spirits is often a family inheritance, passed down through generations. This lineage provides access to specific lwa and their powers, forming a spiritual patrimony. Maintaining these ties through ritual is crucial for the well-being of the living family.

• Mama Lola inherited spirits from both her maternal and paternal lines.
• Her mother, Philo, inherited spirits from her mother and acquired new ones.
• Mama Lola's daughter, Maggie, and granddaughter, Marsha, are also initiated, continuing the lineage.

Creating family in the diaspora. In urban and immigrant settings where traditional extended families may be fragmented, Vodou temples and spiritual communities function as surrogate families. Priests and priestesses are called "mother" (manbo) and "father" (oungan), and initiates are "children of the house," recreating the essential bonds of kinship and mutual support.

4. Haitian women, like the Ezili spirits, embody resilience, hard work, and complex emotional lives.

These female spirits are both mirrors and maps, making the present comprehensible and offering direction for the future.

Strength in adversity. Haitian women, particularly those in poverty, are often the primary providers and heads of households. They are known as Madan Sara (after busy finches) for their tireless work ethic and ability to piece together livelihoods from multiple sources. This resilience is mirrored in the powerful female spirits, the Ezili.

The Ezili sisters. The three main Ezili spirits represent different facets of womanhood:

• Lasyrenn: The elusive mermaid, linked to African origins and hidden power.
• Ezili Danto: The hardworking, single mother, fierce protector, but also prone to rage and silenced by betrayal.
• Ezili Freda: The elegant, sensual, but often frustrated figure associated with romance and upper-class ideals.
  These spirits provide a complex, non-idealized portrayal of women's lives, reflecting their struggles, desires, and contradictions.

Empowerment through Vodou. Despite a misogynistic cultural backdrop, Vodou offers women significant roles and power, particularly as priestesses (manbo). In urban settings, women often head spiritual "families," providing leadership and support. The visibility of women's experiences within Vodou, reflected in the Ezili, allows practitioners to understand and navigate the forces shaping their lives.

5. Healing in Vodou addresses relational and spiritual imbalances, not just physical ailments.

There is no Vodou ritual, small or large, individual or communal, which is not a healing rite.

Holistic approach. Healing is the central function of Vodou, encompassing physical, emotional, social, and spiritual well-being. Problems are often diagnosed as disturbances in relationships, extending beyond the living to include ancestors and spirits. Illness or misfortune can be a sign of spiritual neglect, jealousy from others, or unfulfilled promises.

Diagnosis and treatment. Healers like Mama Lola use various methods to diagnose the root cause of problems, including card readings and communication with spirits through dreams or possession. Treatments are tailored to the specific diagnosis and may involve:

• Herbal remedies and baths
• Ritual offerings and feasts for spirits
• Creating protective charms (pwen)
• Addressing interpersonal conflicts

Science of the concrete. Vodou healing often involves making abstract problems tangible. Relationships are represented by objects that are ritually manipulated (e.g., binding dolls). Baths infuse the body with symbolic properties. This concrete approach allows practitioners to actively engage with and transform their difficulties.

6. Dreams and intuition are vital channels for communication with the spirit world.

My mother start to show me; then, after that, I dream and the spirit finish . . . they finish show me how to read card in that dream.

Spiritual communication. Dreams are a primary means by which spirits and ancestors communicate with the living, offering guidance, warnings, and instructions for healing. Mama Lola and her mother, Philo, both relied heavily on dreams for diagnosing illnesses and prescribing treatments.

Intuitive knowledge (Konesans). Beyond dreams, healers possess konesans, an intuitive knowledge or "gift of eyes" that allows them to sense spiritual presences or diagnose problems in others. This is not merely psychic ability but a deep, embodied understanding cultivated through experience and connection with the spirit world.

Promises and obligations. Dreams can also convey promises or obligations between the living and the spirits. Philo's dreams led her to promise service to Ezili Danto, and Maggie's dream involved a solemn oath to Danbala. These spiritual contracts are taken seriously and are believed to have real-world consequences if neglected.

7. Navigating life requires constant spiritual "work" and building "confidence."

Look at me, Karen," she said. "I got plenty confidence in myself. You want some, too?

Spiritual labor. Life is viewed as a constant struggle requiring active effort, not passive reliance on fate or divine intervention. Maintaining good "luck" (chans) and fending off misfortune involves ongoing spiritual "work" (travay), including rituals, offerings, and living in right relationship with spirits and others.

Confidence as a tool. Mama Lola emphasizes "plenty confidence" as a crucial survival skill. This is not arrogance but a deep self-respect and belief in one's ability to navigate challenges and advocate for oneself. It is fostered through successful spiritual work and navigating difficult social interactions.

Self-reliance and resilience. While family and spiritual support are vital, individuals are ultimately responsible for their own well-being. Vodou encourages self-reliance and resilience in the face of hardship. Mama Lola's life story exemplifies this, as she consistently took action to improve her circumstances, even when facing immense obstacles.

8. Gede, the spirit of death, sex, and humor, teaches resilience and truth-telling in the face of hardship.

Gede's humor denies no reality; he is funny precisely because he tells the truth.

Master of transformation. Gede is a trickster spirit who presides over the realms of death, sexuality, and humor. He is a powerful healer because he can transform the most painful or taboo aspects of life into sources of energy and laughter. His presence eases tension and helps people transition between the sacred and the mundane.

Truth and satire. Gede has license to break social rules and speak uncomfortable truths. His humor is often satirical, mocking authority figures and societal pretensions. This provides a vital outlet for protest and commentary in a culture marked by political repression.

• Mocking Catholic priests and their teachings.
• Satirizing the military and political elite.
• Using explicit sexual humor to challenge norms.

Balance and life energy. Gede embodies a dynamic balance between life and death, seriousness and playfulness, control and chaos. His sexual energy is linked to the life force itself. By confronting death and taboo subjects with humor and vitality, Gede helps people embrace life fully and find strength in vulnerability.

9. Immigrant life challenges traditional Vodou practices but also fosters adaptation and new forms of community.

Creoles ask for change, truly.

Loss of land and context. Immigration to places like New York disrupts traditional Vodou practices tied to the land and specific family cemeteries in Haiti. Rituals must adapt to urban environments, such as pouring libations on concrete floors or using city parks as sacred woods. This loss of physical connection to the homeland presents a challenge to maintaining spiritual ties.

New communities. In the absence of traditional rural compounds, immigrant Vodou practitioners form new spiritual families and communities in urban centers. These groups provide mutual support, recreate ritual spaces, and adapt practices to the new context. Mama Lola's "Vodou family" in Brooklyn is an example of this adaptation.

Cultural negotiation. Immigrants navigate multiple cultural worlds, balancing Haitian traditions with American life. This can lead to tensions, such as the need to hide Vodou practice due to prejudice or the differing perspectives between generations raised in Haiti versus the U.S. Vodou itself adapts, incorporating new elements and addressing the unique challenges of immigrant life.

10. The relationship between the living and the spirits is one of mutual obligation and reciprocity.

Moral persons are thus those who give what they should, as defined by who they are.

Giving and receiving. The core of the relationship between devotees and spirits is a system of mutual obligation and exchange. The living offer gifts (food, drink, rituals, service) and respect to the spirits. In return, the spirits provide protection, guidance, and assistance. This reciprocal flow maintains balance and well-being.

Defining morality. Morality in Vodou is not based on abstract rules but on fulfilling one's obligations within this relational network. A "moral person" is one who gives appropriately to family, community, ancestors, and spirits, according to their position and capacity. Neglecting these duties can lead to misfortune or spiritual harassment.

Spiritual economy. This system of exchange creates a spiritual economy where resources (both tangible and intangible) circulate between worlds. Even the poor can participate by offering what they have, such as small coins or simple acts of service. This ensures that everyone has a means to engage with the spiritual forces shaping their lives.

11. Vodou provides a framework for understanding and navigating power dynamics, both human and spiritual.

Ogou teaches that to live one must fight.

Power and vulnerability. Vodou acknowledges the pervasive presence of power dynamics in life, from the oppression of slavery and political tyranny to interpersonal conflicts and the influence of spirits. It provides tools and strategies for navigating these forces, recognizing both human vulnerability and the potential for agency.

Spirits as models. Lwa like Ogou and Gede embody different aspects of power and how it can be used or misused. Ogou represents the power to fight and assert oneself, while Gede uses humor and satire to subvert authority. These spirits offer lessons on strategy, resilience, and the consequences of unchecked power.

Spiritual protection and agency. Vodou rituals and charms (gad) are used to seek protection from harmful forces, whether human or spiritual. However, this protection is not passive; it empowers individuals to act and fight for themselves. Mama Lola's confidence and willingness to confront challenges are rooted in this understanding of spiritual support enabling human agency.

Last updated: May 16, 2025