kryptos

Great find, thanks for sharing. I had heard about this documentary but had never seen it. This is the Sevis Ginen (African Service) Vodou. The Petro Lwa rites are the core of Makaya Vodou liturgy and are performed the same. The whipping is done to warn the djab and other negative spirits that the temple is being controlled by the Bokor (in Makaya Vodou). In Makaya a Bokor is not required to perform the liturgy, however an Hougan or Mambo in Sevis Ginen must perform these the various liturgy as a core duty of their priesthood. The documentary only shows the liturgy and does not show other important rites celebrated and practiced. There is much more to Vodou than liturgy. I'm glad you found this, I am going to let a vodouisant friend of mine know about it too. -- Blacksmith

Some locations are a gateway or crossroads. The door is open. So, to get rid of the "guests" isn't going to work because the door is still open, more will come and go. The issue is one of taking control of the crossroads, not exorcising the spirits from the house. Once a witch takes control of the gate, the spirits will submit because the witch controls their coming and going. To take the crossroads is an advanced practice that we learn in the Bizango rite. It can only be done with with Djabs (devils, also called wild spirits). The Djabs are dangerous to work with. Pacts must be made with them... committing a taboo against the pact will have serious consequences. A Djab can aggressively control the crossroads and attack with impunity and great force. When I house sat in the haunted house (see Bokor in Action) this was the issue. After placing my Djab at the crossroads the double doors unlatched and opened in the house. It is in my pact that I receive a clear sign when the action is in effect. Other names for Djab include Baka and Nfuri. These are not your friends, they are violent servants that only respond to pacts made with them. They are tricksters and will try to twist the words of the pact. Being a Bokor is like being a spirit lawyer.

There are two methods. In Sevis Ginen (African Service) Vodou in Haiti there are three initiations to connect with the Met Tet. Lave Tet, a head cleansing ritual; kanzo, where you find who the Lwa Met Tet is; and couche (coo shay) is a ritual where the initiate lies on a mat close to natural elements in a pot that contain the essential energy of the Lwa Met Tet. It is a process that helps the initiate to have a smoother transition to being mounted by the Met Tet. In Makaya we must call the Lwa Met Tet ourselves and struggle to find balance in the mount. The first time one is mounted is the moment that a person is deemed to be a Makaya Vodoun. I did this on my own at age 13. We work much harder to accept and know our Lwa Met Tet through a very personal struggle with them, a struggle that is more about overcoming our own weaknesses and misunderstanding in the process. In both traditions the Lwa Met Tet chooses the person, never does the person choose the Lwa. The process may take years to find true balance. It is a different process for people that are "clear eyed" as I am. The difference is that a clear eyed person is fully aware during a mount, others are not, they slip into an unconscious trance. So, it is obvious that our paths are walked in different ways. In Sevis Ginen there are destinations, in Makaya there is only journey. To become a priest/ess in Sevis Ginen one must know the liturgy, the 401 Lwa, traditional prayers, herbal medicines, and the history. In Makaya liturgy service is optional. As Makaya priests (bokor) we must master witchcraft and sorcery, our relationship with the Lwa that have chosen to work with us, and the Bizango rite. The relationship with the Lwa in Sevis Ginen is more religious liturgy. The relationsip in Makaya with the Lwa is more sorcery and witchcraft. -- Blacksmith

In my experience in spirit dream interpretation I would say that the symbol is just a simple note. The cross is the crossroads, the circle indicates "you are here", near the doorway indicates simply the door or gate. Your guests cannot be removed. Your home is a crossroads or gateway. The only thing to do in this case is take control of the gate, not the spirits.

I heard about the episode, but did not get a chance to see it. If I do I will comment on it. The movie Borderland also has this kind of theme. Aside of the fact that human sacrifice is taboo in the tradition, the movie also makes the mistake of the Palero calling on Chango...an Orisha from Santeria, not a Kimpungu of Palo.

Example of steps to cast a spell within the temple (like a coven) (one reason, as you will see, I don't answer related questions in the main forum): Around an old tree we gather. A fire burns, fueled with palo santo (sacred sticks). From cauldrons tree resin incense smoke fills the air overwhelming us. A goat is tied to the tree by a long leash. My assistants prepare the tools and ritually prepared drinks. Everyone is quiet. I crack the ground with a bull whip to warn off the negative spirits. Then I shake my kwa kwa (spirit caller, rosary pea seeds in a gourd) and my brass hand bell. There is clapping and shouting. Ceremonial gestures are made by assistants as a welcoming and salute to the spirits. As I and some others begin to drift into trance the goat is sacrificed. It falls to the ground and a veve (sigil) is made with mpembe (egg shell talcum powder / chalk). I am mounted by the Lwa spirit that has been welcomed. During the mount the Lwa through actions gives guidance to others about the issue, while I learn directly of the nkisi (spirit medicine) required to "cast the spell". After the mounting is over some assistants take away the goat to butcher and cook for everyone present. While the goat is cooking over an open fire grill we discuss (among bokors only) what nkisi is needed and we begin to prepare it together. Powders of human bones, animal bones, soils, sticks, and other elements are mixed together and placed in a bottle with river water. I place the lit end of a cigar in my mouth and blow the smoke into the bottle to breath the spirit life into it. I take my nkisi bottle home to my working altar (badji). I strengthen the nkisi over time and connect with it in dreams. When it is ready then I can "cast my spell". We don't require poetry...we require power, spirit, and knowledge. The nkisi then may be used for any future work that it was specifically created for. I shake the kwa kwa and the bell while smoke rises to carry my magic with the power of my heart and the nkisi. -- Blacksmith

A new student asked me the other day if I would bless a talisman for them. I had to explain that we don't work in that way. This student is coming from a Western witchcraft / pseudo-Wiccan perspective and does not yet have an understanding of what we do in Makaya Vodou. So, I thought I would start a topic on what we do and don't do and why, as well as similarities to Western witchcraft. The basics are this: 1. We work with Lwa spirits, the dead, spirit medicine (nkisi), and earth energies. 2. We make spirit fetishes and send forth spirits. 3. We gain knowledge by being mounted by Lwa and Djab spirits. 4. We divine EVERYTHING. 5. We manifest change and bring to fruition the results of our desires by journeying into the Ocean of Spirit and bridging the gap between that realm and ours. Sticks are used to make powders, add to spirit fetish cauldrons, bottles, bags, etc.. We do not wave or point sticks like wands. We don't make or bless talismans, we make objects that contain spirit medicine, a living spirit energy. We don't pray to gods or God, we manifest change by manifesting spirits, divining, and projecting our kundu (witch-spirit-substance) from the heart. We do not concern ourselves with the four directions, elemental pentagrams, or any other ceremonial representations of natural energy, we work with the energies directly. Everything we do has to do with life's journey and the points of transition and change. We do not have a creed, motto, or written doctrine. Our liturgy is about personal path and growth, not pacts within a coven, except that if you turn on your hounso (temple) or society we will all unite to turn against the traitor with great force and without compassion. That should be a good start I think. -- Blacksmith

The spirit is contained in the object, whether bottle, carving, bag, etc..The spirit fetish is only a problem to move in the sense of placement. The placement of the spirit fetish must be divined. We place the main altar in a closet, but some fetishes hang in trees, are placed under tree roots, etc.. In my current home I live in a secured community that does not have trees directly on the property, so those spirit fetishes that require trees are placed in other areas of the city as the spirit (spirit medicine, nkisi) requires. The main altar (badji) is placed in the closet because of the need for secrecy and for privacy of the spirit fetishes. They seem to dislike being on display for outsiders. All of the photos placed on the forum are from other sources. I do not photograph my altar because it is a taboo in the pact. So, the main issue for me in moving is which closet will be the new badji. In apartments that are not ground floor the spirit fetishes require more grounding energies, such as soils, sticks, etc..

Trance work can help. When in trance the ti bon ange becomes more distant. With consistent trance practice you may be able to connect fully with the rising energy. I can sustain this kundu energy for hours at a time and can access it as needed willfully in addition to the times that it arises as a natural defense. As a side note...pertaining to the question raised about natural witches having more power or not. This "vampiric" energy ability within the ndoki is what tilts that scales more than anything else. This in addition to spirit alliances, spirit fetishes, and life experience on the road less traveled make for a formidable opponent for both negative spirits and negative people.

It's beautiful and a great gift. I have one made by my Great Grandmother for me when I was 7. She was going blind, but was still able to make it. Her blanket is one of my favorite belongings.