Voodoo Loa

Loa (also spelled lwa) are the spirits of Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. They are also referred to as "mystères" and "the invisibles" and are intermediaries between Bondye (French: Bon Dieu, meaning "good God")—the Supreme Creator, who is distant from the world—and humanity.

Unlike saints or angels, however, they are not simply prayed to, they are served. They are each distinct beings with their own personal likes and dislikes, distinct sacred rhythms, songs, dances, ritual symbols, and special modes of service.

The word loa (or lwa) comes from the French "les lois;" the laws in English. The enslaved Fon and Ewe in Haiti and Louisiana syncretized the loa with the Roman Catholic Saints—vodoun altars will frequently display images of Catholic saints.

For example, Papa Legba is syncretized with St. Peter or St. Lazarus. Syncretism also works the other way in Haitian Vodou and many Catholic saints have become loa in their own right, most notably Philomena, St. Michael the Archangel, St. Jude, and John the Baptist.

Contrary to popular belief, the loa are not deities in and of themselves; they are intermediaries for, and dependent on, a distant Bondye

Since Bondye (God) is considered unreachable, Vodouisants aim their prayers to lesser entities, the spirits known as loa, or mistè.

The most notable loa include Papa Legba (guardian of the crossroads), Erzulie Freda (the spirit of love), Simbi (the spirit of rain and magicians), Kouzin Zaka (the spirit of agriculture), and The Marasa, divine twins considered to be the first children of Bondye.

These loa can be divided into 21 nations, which include the Petro, Rada, Congo, and Nago.[29] Each of the loa is associated with a particular Roman Catholic saint. For example, Legba is associated with St. Anthony the Hermit, and Damballa is associated with St. Patrick.

The loa also fall into family groups who share a surname, such as Ogou, Ezili, Azaka or Ghede. For instance, "Ezili" is a family, Ezili Danto and Ezili Freda are two individual spirits in that family.

Each family is associated with a specific aspect, for instance the Ogou family are soldiers, the Ezili govern the feminine spheres of life, the Azaka govern agriculture, the Ghede govern the sphere of death and fertility.

There are many families or "nanchons" (from "nations") of loa: Rada (also Radha), Petro (also Pethro, Petwo), Nago, Kongo, and Ghede (also Guede, or Gede), among others.

Rada loa
The Rada loa are generally older, as many of these spirits come from Africa and the kingdom of Dahomey. The Rada Loa are mainly water spirits and many of the Rada loa are served with a water. The Rada are "Cool" in the sense they are less aggressive than the Petwo.

They include Legba, Loko, Ayizan, Dhamballah Wedo and Ayida-Weddo, Erzulie Freda, La Sirène, and Agwé. Many of these spirits are served with white (as opposed to the specific colours of individual loa).

Petro loa
The Petro loa are generally the more fiery, occasionally aggressive and warlike loa, and are associated with Haiti and the New World. They include Ezili Dantor, Marinette, and Met Kalfu (Maitre Carrefour, "Master Crossroads"). Their traditional colour is red.
Kongo loa

Originating from the Congo region, these loa include the many Simbi loa. It also includes Marinette, a fierce and much feared female loa.

Nago loa
Originating from Yorubaland, this nation includes many of the Ogoun loa. Ghede loaThe Ghede are the spirits of the dead.

They are traditionally led by the Barons (La Croix, Samedi, Cimitière, Kriminel), and Maman Brigitte. The Ghede as a family are loud, rude (although rarely to the point of real insult), sexual, and usually a lot of fun.

As those who have lived already, they have nothing to fear, and frequently will display how far past consequence and feeling they are when they come through in a service—eating glass, raw chillis, and anointing their sensitive areas with chilli rum, for example. Their traditional colours are black and purple.


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