Saut d’Eau : Vodou’s Sacred Water Flows in Haiti

July 26, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Rush photo by Vikram Vetrivel. Licensed under CC 2.0, photo cropped and text added.

Born in fire and blessed in water the religion of Vodou is strong . Each year between July 14th and 16th thousands of Haitian practitioners of Vodou make the pilgrimage to the waterfalls called Saut D'eau, known in Kreyol as Sodo. July 16 is the Catholic feast day for the Virgin of Mount Carmel, who is often associated with the Vodou Lwa Erzulie, patron of love.Legend has it that the waterfalls became sacred after the sighting of the Virgin Mary, who appeared on a palm tree there in the … [Read more...]

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Fire Fire FireSide Chats: Voodoo Vs. Hoodoo

June 5, 2014 by Leave a Comment
FireFireFire Side Chats by Lilith Dorsey.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding what exactly is Voodoo and Hoodoo. Yesterday's post explored the origins of the word Voodoo, and today I hope to present you with my own opinion on the difference between Hoodoo and Voodoo. I would really like to hear what other people have to say about this topic, the Hoodoo movement has grown in leaps and bounds over the past 15 years, and each new day brings a new experience. Please leave your thoughts in the comments below, or get really ambitious … [Read more...]

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Voodoo Definitions: More Than Just A Word

June 3, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Voodoo Sign02 photo by Dan Merino. Licensed under CC 2.0

These days there is Voodoo Economics, Voodoo Doughnuts, Voodoo Football, and last, or maybe first, we have the Voodoo Religion. The etymology of the word is almost as dangerously complex as the practices themselves.Many people hate the word Voodoo, even though they may have beliefs that others would describe that way. No doubt Voodoo has gotten a bad rap in the media, in the papers, in the minds of most people. In Haiti the tradition is properly referred to as Vodou, or Vodoun. The practices … [Read more...]

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My Rituals Got Referred To As “Wicca-Themed” and I’m Not Happy

May 16, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Veve for Maman Brigitte photo by Lilith Dorsey

Today I got a mention by another Voodoo author on their blog and it's all I can do not to write a rant. I don't have anything against this person, I'm not sure I've even met them. I believe he was doing his best to survey the current state of New Orleans Voodoo and the practices that occur in the Crescent city. As far as I am concerned I think he was incorrect in his description of my rituals as “wicca-themed.” They could have been called lusty, insane, or bizarre and that would have been a more … [Read more...]

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ForeMama Said: Wit and Wisdom of Maya Deren

April 27, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Homage to Maya Deren photo by Derrick Tyson. Text added. Licensed under CC 2.0

Maya Deren, was a visionary, an author, a filmmaker, a Voodoo priestess who supposedly got possessed at cocktail parties. I too am an author, a filmmaker and Voodoo priestess, but I hope I handle my stuff better at cocktail parties, but maybe not. Deren was an inspiration to many, not just with her films, but with her words.  Maya Deren Quotes  “Myth is the facts of the mind made manifest in a fiction of matter.” - Maya DerenAbout her first film Meshes in the Afternoon she … [Read more...]

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Maya Deren: Art, Magic, and Voodoo in Transfigured Time

March 28, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Witch's Cradle by Maya Deren with Marcel Duchamp photo by SLPTWRK. Licensed under CC 2.0

The true beauty of Maya Deren is that she was a renaissance woman. Most people never get past the required freshman film viewing of Meshes in the Afternoon ( a film which she shot in two weeks on her honeymoon,) but her work is so much more. She was a legend, film theorist, poet, journalist, dancer, photographer, filmmaker, and Vodou priestess. Maya Deren's innate spirituality shone through in all that she did. The L.A. Weeklydescribed Maya Deren as “Fellini and Bergman wrapped in one gloriously … [Read more...]

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Creating Ancestor Altars in Santeria, Vodou, and Voodoo

March 23, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Energia y Espiritu Altar #5 photo by wendEwho! Thompson. Text added. Licensed under CC 2.0

Ancestor Altars and shrines are a part of many different religions. They are present in Christian homes, Buddhist homes, Pagan homes, and even in Atheists' homes. They can be as simple as a glass of water and a picture of Grandpa, or given an entire room to spread out in. Let me begin by making the distinction that altars are usually created for a specific purpose, while shrines are generally set up as a way of honoring what is represented. A ancestor shrine is a site to honor those who have … [Read more...]

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