Fèt Gede, the Festival of the Ancestors, is celebrated each November in Haitian Vodou as a time when the boundary between the living and the dead grows thin. It marks the moment when the Gede spirits the Lwa who are the guardians of the graveyard, masters of life, death, and rebirth, come forward to warn, guide and party with the community. Families clean cemeteries, light candles, make lamps and prepare the altar with photos of the departed. In Vodou tradition, death is not an ending but a continuation of life in another form, and November is the sacred season where the living reconnect with that eternal cycle under the watchful eyes of the Gede.

The ceremonies of November often include being mounted, healing, and divination, guided by the transformative power of the Gede.

During Fèt Gede, the lwa known as Bawon Samdi, Gran Brijit, and the Gede family take center stage. They are playful, wise, unpredictable, and brutally honest. These are the lwa who see all illusions and strip away all masks. Their presence is felt in the rhythms of the drums, the smell of white rum or kleren mixed with hot peppers, and the unmistakable sound of laughter rising from the peristyle. The Gede do not fear death; they mock it. Their energy helps people confront difficult truths, release burdens, and remember that life is meant to be lived fully.

Vodouwizant dress in black, white, or purple, sometimes with dark glasses or cotton in the nostrils. We use symbols of the cemetery. Offerings such as spicy rum, black coffee, or cigarettes invite the Gede to join the celebration. But above all, Fèt Gede is a spiritual communion: a moment when the people call the dead by name, honor their stories, and ask for their blessings in the year ahead.

Fèt Gede is also a time of deep reflection and renewal. As the year approaches its end, the Gede help reveal what must be released ie. old habits, unresolved pain, broken relationships, or paths that no longer serve. Their humor is not meant to insult, but to open the heart, shake the ego, and bring clarity where confusion once lived. Many vodouwizant seek guidance from Houngans and Mambos during this time, as the messages that come through the Gede tend to be direct, powerful, and life-changing.

Above all, Fèt Gede is a reminder that the dead are never far from us. In Haitian Vodou, the ancestors walk with the living every day, offering protection, wisdom, and strength. November simply heightens this connection, bringing the community together in celebration, remembrance, and spiritual transformation. Through dance, ritual, and prayer, the people reaffirm the sacred truth that life and death are intertwined, and that the Gede stand as guardians of both worlds, guiding us forward with laughter, mystery, and unwavering love.

KWASEMBO! KWASEMBO! KWASEMBO!