Category: Haitian Vodou
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I wanted to share this because many people outside Haitian Vodou have never heard of Makaya or understand why this time of year is so important to us. I sat down with Houngan Samba’L of Lakou Cecile to talk about “What Is Makaya?” In Kikongo and Swahili, the word kaya refers to a single “leaf”…
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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,…
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Have you ever felt called to explore the rich spiritual traditions of Haiti? Or perhaps you’ve wanted to understand Haitian Creole, the language that carries the songs, prayers, and wisdom of the ancestors? This unique live Zoom class with Papa Mystique is your opportunity to step into a world where language and spirituality come together.…
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In Haitian Vodou, spirit possession is not a spectacle of terror as often mischaracterized by Western media, but rather a sacred and transformative experience at the heart of religious practice. Far from notions of affliction or coercion, possession is understood as a divine communion between the Lwa—the spirits—and their devoted followers. When a Lwa “mounts”…
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Haitian Vodou is a rich spiritual tradition deeply rooted in African heritage, blended with Indigenous and Catholic influences. It is more than just a religion—it is a way of life, a connection to the divine, and a means of honoring the spirits known as Lwa. These powerful entities serve as intermediaries between humans and Bondye,…
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Haitian Vodou, with its deep-rooted traditions and spiritual wisdom, continues to shape modern spiritual practices around the world. As more people seek holistic and ancestral-based spirituality, Vodou’s emphasis on honoring spirits, ancestors, and nature resonates deeply. Concepts such as spirit possession, ritual offerings, and sacred drumming have found parallels in other spiritual movements, from neo-African…