I spent the entirety of my language class today asking questions about Vodun (you may know it as voodoo but it is not like Hollywood propaganda painting black culture as demonic) the local religion/lifestyle before Christianity. They now exist side by side without conflict. I asked about gods. As my tutor explained (there may be many differing points of view) there is Dieu and dieu. God and god. Dieu is our all-knowing created everything, bible God. dieu is/are the smaller gods that still have power in this world. Of course, I asked many questions. Here is what I learned. Also, keep in mind this is what I learned from two people who are in the Vodun community but have to use basic language to talk to me so I could be missing big chunks of information. Thanks
Dan, the mystical snake of the river - Dan exists in water, you can not see him but I am told he is a white snake. A person can make a small shack for him and place sweets, biscuits, and sodas there to ask for something. If these things are gone in the morning the god has come by.
Zangbeto Guardian of the Night - Zangbeto is something I have seen for myself three times now. It lives in my village and is a protector. It is a cone of hay in some design and it moves and circles around then tips over and there is nothing inside. I saw it flip over with no one in it and I am still curious. The Zangbeto is also called a spirit because they call the god and it comes and takes over the shape. It comes out during the day for everyone to see. Adepts are there to guard and guide the zangbeto. At night you can hear the music but NOT go to see it. IF you go out and see the Zangbeto as a woman, you will die.
ORO - Now this one I know the least and most about. It is completely forbidden to women. There are sacred forests where adepts go and summon the god Oro and dance and party. BUT one other thing, my community is an Oro community and here in August they close down the town for 3 day periods and all women have to be behind locked doors while the Oro runs wild in the village. I have heard they have sacred music and dances and if I as a woman were to see it they would have to kill me. I was told this by an adept which made me a bit more scared. But it is harmless if I just listen to the rules.
Zakpata god of the earth - I didn't get to know much about this god but it was one of the gods that allowed women to be adepts. The god of the earth can do many things and can be a powerful ally. Also, this god can talk to people through possession. There are many rules for a person who is the god's host, like not wearing a certain color, eating certain foods, and so on. They can be possessed at any time and tell the future, warnings, or messages from the gods.
god who returns things - I didn't get the actual name of this god, but it lives in a big rock and if someone has stolen things from you you go and tell it you just want your possessions back and if you get them back you will sacrifice some animal. The spirit will go and harass the person who stole from you day and night until the person returns the things. Then you must make the said sacrifice as promised or else the balance is off and the god will take from you instead.
This rule seemed pretty common, if you ask something of a god you have to make an offering, the bigger the ask obviously the bigger the cost. If the cost is not paid it will be paid by your own blood.
I also asked about the will of the gods. the gods are not bad or good, they are tools for humans to do bad or good with. You want to kill someone, the gods can do it, you want your stolen belongings, okay, you want to protect your children, yes they can do it.
Protections. There are MANY protections in Vodun. Newly born babies will get these tiny three-black lines tattooed on their hands, chest, back, and possibly more places. The plant they use to make the black coloring has protection in it. Many people I see have these marks on them. There is also a plant you grate and drink like tea and it is supposed to make you unkillable. This has been told to me by MANY people. They said I could shoot them with a gun, stab them, cut them and they will not have a scratch because of this magical plant. My next goal is to find this plant if anything just to see what it looks like. I asked my tutor if he has had it and he said many times they all have drank it. Plants are very important here and can cure many things but also protect or harm someone. If you mix certain plants and say incantations you can cast spells and step out of normal human form.
For my final story, I heard this one has the least factual evidence. Sorcerers are people who sold their souls for power. They come out in the early hours of the morning and cast spells on humans to turn them into animals then eat their flesh and souls. The sorcerers can also travel to the land of the dead. The person who is a sorcerer looks just like a human but when he sleeps he travels into the land of the dead and out in the village to find victims. The one giveaway I was told is they have all-black long nails.
I hope you find this interesting, as this is the reality here. I have never met a single person here who does not believe in Vodun, even the Christians and Muslims all know it is true. And from what I believe, the believing is what gives something power. Colonization, modernity, globalization, nothing has taken Vodun away from Benin.
French phrases of the week
c'est doux ! - it tastes good
comment vous allez? - how are you (formal)
Weme phrases of the week!!
Nayi ley oh - I am going to wash myself (I say this to make the kids leave)
Mau ni fo mi - god wills it / if god wills it / good bye see you again
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