oum'phor----temple
poteau-mitan----center-pole
djevo----antichamber for initiates
pe----altar stone
pots-de-tete----jars contain part of spirits of worshippers
govis----jars where gods descend for consultation
Danbhalah Wedo Ye-H-we----center of belief, the sacred serpent
peristyle----courtyard of holy of holies, place for rituals and treatment of sick
forge of the Ogous----perpetual bonfire w/ iron bar in center
socle----side of poteau-mitan pedestral
Aida Wedo----second sacred serpent, represents all knowledge of gods
Legba Ati-Bon----wood of justice----god of sun
repooirs/arbresreposoirs----trees in oum'phor courtyard
houn'gan----priest
mam'bo----priestess
Agoueh----marine husband of Erzulie(boat? Haitian)
Erzulie----Mawu----the virgin goddess of moon, boat
veve----(a kind of?)ceremonial diagram
asson----symbol of office, a calabash rattle
apprentice houn'gan----confiance; man'bo----mam'bo caille
superintendent of the place----houn'guenicon caille
chorus leader----houn'guenicon peristyle
person separates portion of sacrificial food not for gods----houn'guenicon quartier-maitre
master of ceremonies----la place
ogan player----ogantier
triangle player----trianglier
drummers----houn'torguiers(manmanier, secondier, boulahier)
person keeps order----reine silence
who acquires sacrificial animals----houn'sihventailleur
cook----houn'sih cuisiniere
ritual chorus----houn'sih.s
not full initiates----bossales
clochette----magical powers of the Occident, Ethiopia----bell
calebassier ordinaire/courant----lesser officiants/hung'gan, mam'bo
Ife----astral city where spirits abide
Papa Loko Ati-sou Poun'goueh----another surname of the center post
poun'goueh----abyss
Baron Samedi----lord of the cemetery
Dan Gbe----lord of the astral
houn'ior----candidate
cheval----horse of the god
koheleth-a-dan
*Ife actually exist (a replica) in Yoruba of southern Nigeria
manman bagaille-la----ritual water
Loko Ati-Sou----guardian of asson handle/poteau-mitan; treasurer of oum'phor
Grande Ai-Zan----astral powers of poteau-mitan; wife of Papa Loko
Ogou Ferraille----general （of gods）
Azaca Mede----minister of the interior and of agriculture
Silibo Vavou/Schibhlo Vavau----science, ominiscience, prescience, holy spirit of initiation
Marassah----sun as magic regency of sky through birth and rebirth
List of loas:
Atin-Gbi-Ni-Mon-Se (omnipotence of Ati-G-Bo Legba)
Ye Dan-Gbe
(list of 240+ in 6pgs)
(scarcely 100 pgs woould sufice)
The Rada Mysteres: (in ex. ~=100)loas of intelligence
Mysteres belonging to all rites: (in ex. 23)
The Rada-Dahomey Mysteres: (in ex. 17)
The Rada-Nago-Congo-Dahomey Mysteres: (in ex. 2)
The Nago Mysteres: (in ex. 15)
The Pethro Mysteres: (in ex. 61)rather violent rites
The Dantor Mysteres: (in ex. 5)
The Kitha Myteres: Ti Kitha Demembre, Quita
The Zandor Mysteres: in ex. 2
The Ibo Mysteres: in ex. 6
The Congo Mysteres: in ex. ~=20+
The Boum'ba Mysteres: in ex. 2
A Canga Mystere: Zoclimo
The Guedes: in ex. 15 (gods of the death/grave)----many classical Guedes belong to the Rada Mysteres
Danbhalah----return of animal/bossale matter tothe sum thru initiation
Ogou Fer----logic, reason,wisdom, philosophy, intelligent intercession
Can-zo----the power which directs bossale matter towards solar regions
Sim'bi Y-An-Pha-Ca----cosmic culture
Nago Oyo Mysteres----voluntary reflection of initiated matter in lunar constellations
Agoueh R Oyo----will relfected in socle/ritual waters
Guede Houn'sou----gound of oum'phor & asson; virgin &child; sun&moon
Quebiesou Dan Leh----Supreme justice, thunderstone of the bagui, religious morality
Bay-cou/Bha Ya Chou -Ye-ch-ou----cosmic of day and night
Bha-ca/Ba-Ka----science of talismans: BHA=orient阳; KA=Occident阴
Mavangou Mysteres----loas of necromancy
Houn'guenicon----ritual prayer and effects; stellar mercy
Oum'phor----holy city, jerusalem, zodiac, gates of zion, astral light, cabalistic abodes of Erzulie(?)
Legba----centralization/consolidation of dispersed powers of astral space
Africa----galaxy, system, etc.
Ati-Dan I-Bo Loko----tree-principle, of good and evil, poteau-mitan
Guede Ni-Bo/Ra Nibbho----risen Christ, sun, verticcal line of poteau-mitan, oriental Voodoo priesthood
RADA----star, upper air
NAGO----metal
CONGO----water
PETHRO----fire
IBO----The Word
MINE/AN-MINE----Earth
Erigone----constellation of the virgin
Erzulie----the woman, jealousy & love, help, good will, health, beauty, fortune, vengeance, discord
Mademoiselle Charlotte, Dinlcinsin----european mysteres
clairin----key ingredient in Pethro offering
veve----designs traced upon ground, on objects, or on food
traced w/ wheat flour, corn meal, wood ashes, powdered leaes, red brick powder, rice poweder, gunpowder, powdered charcoal, bark, roots, etc.
mild rites: lighter (rice, wheat)powders, flammable rites: darker (gun, brick) powders, colder rites: leaves, wood--to cool down fiery rites
3 sources of energy: invisible stars/sun, visible stars, physical cosmos: inexpressible, invisible, expressible
SOD----loas
THO-RAH----letter
MI-CH-NA-as----spirit
THA-EL-MUD----ritual
GUE-MA-RAH----complement
before writing a veve: "By the power of the Loa LETE-MAGIE, Negre Danhome, all the veves, Negre Bhacoulou Thi-Kaka"
assen: iron, rod surmounted by round plate fastened horizontally
ouangas/amulets, bakas/talismans: guardian
baka represents two forces: terrestrial/aerial
Joukoujou----tree of good and evil
sacrificial food:
Ai-Zan----green bananas, white flour-things &syrup, clear, sweet liquids, pumpkin, yam, cinnamon, star anise, vanilla, poultry, fruit of lianas, assorossi, calebassi grenadines
Danbhalah Wedo----flour, oil, cola nuts, fruits, liquor, sweet coffee, milk and desserts, sugar, yam, spinal column&marrows, snake bones--east
ogan----chief of the magic circle, ruler of the ceremonial material, persistent piercing sounds of continuous beat
triangle----'opens' the abyss
*drumsticks have curious shapes....triangular, D
*****side note: IEVE tetragrammaton of masonry
eye in triangle----astral casual----abyss filled w/ water
drums: Pethro, Rada, Congo
Rada: Manman, Second, Bou-Lah
Pethro: Quebieou Dan Leh, Sakbha Lah Tha Vovo Lih Vo
Congo: Manman, Grondez, Ka-Tha-Bou
Assato: largest drums, beat by "a thousand people", possessed by loas
First drum----1st skin----NECHAMAH(soul-spirit)
Manman drum----2nd skin----NEPHESCH(soul-Liver)
Boulah drum----3rd skin----ROUACH(soul-heart)
combines divine and human act
TYPES of RITES:
Rada, Pethro, Congo, Ibo, Mahi, Nago, Dahomee, Asson-Rou(Yan-Valou), Banda, Crabignin, Nago, Congo
dances, music, chants are changed very much in the great assimilation after the slave trade.
prayer concerns: faith, hope, charity
Priere Djor: syncretism
Djor: pure African loas
****************************************************************
priere dior recited
1. draws veve w/ diagram
2. celebrant crosses himself on forehead(East), saying Linsah; on breast(w), saying Mawu; on left shoulder(N), saying Voo-Lin-V-Hwe (Sakpata=impurity); on right shoulder (s), saying Hevio-Zo (Ku-Ji=purity)
3. says clearly, loudly, with determination, three times/ spirit
by the powers of Grand Maitre: Ategbinimonse Odanbhalah Wedo Dangbe Tau-Can Zo A-Gla Ye-We/Aida Wedo/Tsillah Wedo/Loa-can Lih-Can Legba Ati-Bon, to whom I say "Ke, Ecu-Male, Gba, ke dounou nou Al Pha. Voudoun Yeke, hen-mi ace."
4. celebrant orients a candle and some matches; he lights the candle and places it on the table/inside the circle
orients water E, W, N, S
1.Apolihsahgbadya
3.Sih-Ye To Menan{}4.Bo Dan Guimin
2.Ahouengan
5. calls out name of each oas 3x, then drop 3 drops of water on ground in form of tirangle
"by the power of ....."20+loas
6.oriented pin(like above) placed on or in table, stone of socle, or within circle of veve; to the pin he attaches a gold/silver chain(also oriented)
7. sprinkles water upon area of operation in triangular pattern saying:
Bolou
Boye Bocice
8.celebrant announces what he wish the loas to do, as following
Ku Dyo,
Ategbinimonse,
Legba,
Agoo Di Pha Hwe,...
or
Siloe
Aei-Lih
Aei-Lih
Aei-Lih
Lamma
Sah-Bha-K-Tha-Ni(to establish fluid circuit of the transubstantiation of power)
9. assists in lieration of the "volatile" by sprying out of his mouth water, which he took in three draughts
10. sprinkles w/ perfume all ceremonial facilities to aid the transmission of power further
11. dispatches loas with:
Yeke = ensemble of loas
Mar-Ch-Allah! = "Peace be with you!"
Ku M Bha-Lah Dya = "Withdraw into the light."
magical baths in sea: mondays & fridays
of christmas, of new year's day
dive in with 7, 10, or 21 pieces of lime
***Danbhalah plunged into "abyssal waters" to induce the "abysses" to "give birth to the world"
