What is the purpose of Vodou?
The primary goal and activity of Vodou is to sevi lwa (“serve the spirits”)—to offer prayers and perform various devotional rites directed at God and particular spirits in return for health, protection, and favour.
What is a voodoo ceremony?
At a voodoo ceremony, believers gather outdoors to make contact with the Loa, any of a pantheon of spirits who have various functions running the universe, much like Greek gods. There is also a responsibility to care for beloved and deified family spirits and to honor a chief god, Bondieu.
What kind of art does Haiti have?
As far as visual arts, painting is one of the most popular mediums throughout Haiti. You can see a concentrated collection of painted Haitian art in the bustling creative district of Jacmel. These expressive and colorful paintings appear on traditional canvas, earthquake rubble, and as murals on walls and fences.
What is LWA Haiti?
Lwa (pronounced loo-WAH), also called loa or loi, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo.
Where is Vodun practiced?
Vodun is an ancient religion practiced by some 30 million people in the West African nations of Benin, Togo and Ghana. With its countless deities, animal sacrifice and spirit possession, voodoo — as it’s known to the rest of the world — is one of the most misunderstood religions on the globe.
Where is voodoo practiced?
But Voodoo – as practiced in Haiti and by the black diaspora in the United States, South America and Africa – is a religion based on ancestral spirits and patron saints. Known as “Vodou” in Haiti, the religion has also served as a form of resistance against the French colonial empire.
What are Vodou spirits called?
lwa
lwa, also spelled loa, the primary spirits of Vodou.
What kind of religion is Vodou?
Summary: Vodou (meaning “spirit” or “god” in the Fon and Ewe languages of West Africa) is a blending (syncretism) of African religious traditions and Catholicism. In the United States, Vodou religious ceremonies are often performed in private group settings where spirits manifest in devotees through posession.
What is Haitian art known for?
The art of Haiti is known worldwide and one of the most unique forms of art is the Haitian steel drum art. Metal drums, once used for transporting oil or other products are purchased near the port in the capitol city of Port au Prince.
Why is Haitian art important?
Haitian art is a complex tradition, reflecting African roots with strong Indigenous, American and European aesthetic and religious influences. It is an important representation of Haitian culture and history.
What is a death Loa?
Mueh’zala. Bwonsamdi (pronounced “BWAN-sam-dee”) is a powerful loa that controls the souls of the dead, primarily of trolls. Bwonsamdi’s temple is the Necropolis, located in Nazmir on Zandalar. He brings the spirits of any who worship him into his realm, the Other Side.
What does IWA mean in voodoo?
Iwa means character among the Yoruba of Nigeria. Iwa refers to a person’s essential nature and psychic self, as well as the origin and totality of what a person is as an individual.