Vodou Deities or Lwas

Brought to Haiti by the French, African slaves melded the symbolism found in the African traditions and religions of multiple tribes with that of the Catholicism of their colonial masters in order to peacefully practice their faith. That is why so many lwas have Catholic counterparts and associated imagery. There are hundreds of lwas in the Vodou Pantheon. Below is a list of some of the major lwas — some serious, some saucy, some fierce — and what they represent. Their names are spelled out in Kreyol (Creole), the language most widely spoken in Haiti, followed by the traditional French spelling in parentheses.

Agwe (Agoué)

Male spirit of the oceans. His symbol is a boat, which protects passages through water. He is served lamb, white chickens, cakes, and champagne. His color is green. His Catholic counterpart is St. Ulrich.

Ayizan (Aizan)

Lwa of the marketplace and herbal healing. She is also protector of the ounfò (temple) and religious ceremonies. She never possesses anyone during ritual. Her symbol is the palm leaf, and her colors are white and silver.

Azaka/Zaka

Male spirit of agriculture. He is a farmer, who smokes a pipe, carries a machete, and wears blue denim and a red scarf. His symbol is the hand-woven straw bag he carries. He likes corn, bread, tobacco, and rum. His Catholic counterpart is St. Isidor.

Bawon Samdi (Baron Samedi)

Spirit of death and sex. Represented by a black cross, skeleton, and phallic walking stick. He lives in cemeteries, where he oversees the cycle of regeneration. He helps those leaving their bodies enter the afterworld, and helps those entering this world into their new bodies. He loves to laugh (at death), dance, drink rum and smoke a pipe. He likes to wear black, purple, a top hat, and sunglasses. Haitians love the Bawon and his family of spirits (gede). His Catholic counterpart is St. Gerard.

Bosou (Bossou)

Male spirit of fertility, creativity, and protection. Usually represented as a bull or horned animal. His favorite colors are red, black and white. His Catholic counterpart is St. Vincent de Paul.

Danbala (Dambalah)

Considered by many to be the most powerful of all the lwas, he is the Great Life Spirit or god of power, knowledge and wisdom. Typically represented as a snake and/or St. Patrick. He likes white chickens, rice, milk, and the color white.

Ezili Freda (Erzulie Freda)

Female spirit of love and feminine attraction. Usually represented by a filigreed heart and/or the Virgin Mary. She is light-skinned, loves flowers, perfume, and the colors pink, white and light blue. She likes to smoke Salem Lights.

Ezili Dantò (Erzulie Danthor)

Warrior female spirit of mothers, protector of women and children. Usually represented by a heart with a knife and/or a dark-skinned Virgin Mary with her baby daughter. She bears two scratches on her face as a result of a run-in with her cousin, Ezili Freda. She lives in the forest, likes black pigs and smokes unfiltered Camel cigarettes.

Gran Bwa (Grand Bois)

Ruler of the forests and patron of healing with medicinal herbs. Usually represented by a tree or forest creature with fingers that are like branches and toes that are like roots. He likes leaves and flowers as offerings, and his colors are brown and green. His Catholic counterpart is St. Francis.

Lasiren (La Sirène)

Female spirit of water, love, and good fortune, the enchantress. Her symbol is the mermaid. She likes offerings of fish, perfume, and sweet wine. Her colors are blue and blue-green.

Legba

Spirit of the crossroads. He is usually represented by a cross as well as St. Lazarus or St. Anthony. Legba opens the doorway between the physical and the metaphysical, linking heaven to the earth below. He is known for facilitating communication and opening doorways to opportunity. Likes rice, green bananas, and bones, and the color red.

Marasa (Marassa)

Sacred twin spirits, protectors of children, associated with procreation. Their offerings are usually an abundant feast. Catholic counterpart is St. Damian.

Ogou (Ogoun)

Haiti's warrior god, who bestows the power to survive. He carries a sword, which symbolizes the strength of metal. He is a soldier who believes in the might of man. His colors are red and blue. His Catholic counterpart is St. Jacques or an archangel who slays demons and flames from hell.