My Trip to New Orleans, from Mambo Racine
Mambo Racine Sans Bout
As most of you know, I recently went to New Orleans
to conduct a lave tet ceremony there. I took advantage
of the trip to meet as many practitioners as I could while
I was there, and to look around the city to see what
"voodoo" was about down there.
I was very lucky to have two active members of the Roots
Without End Society already living in New Orleans: Houngan
Lance Love and Houngan Steven Denney. Mambo Tamara
Siuda and Houngan David Golding came in from out of town,
so it was a big party! I was very gratified that initiates from
different kanzos got to meet each other and work together.
New Orleans is a remarkable town - as soon as you get
off the plane, the humid, silky air seems to promise a very
different sort of environment from other American cities.
We drove through the French Quarter on the way from the
airport, and I was struck by the tinsely, tacky merchandise
sold from storefronts with lovely architecture, flowered
balconies, narrow streets... it was quite a mix of the
ridiculous and the sublime.
I visited a few "voodoo shops" in the Quarter, and it is clear
to me that "voodoo" is a tremendous tourist draw. But the
shops... well, I didn't find anything that was useful to me.
There were scary statues and wooden masks, all sorts of
keychains and "spell kits" and stuff, mostly junk. I was
disappointed, I thought that in a city that is reputed for
voodoo, there would be at least one store that would serve
the needs of Vodouisants and offer genuine ritual articles
of the sort we actually use.
I finally found a place like that, though - the Island of
Salvation Botanica! They have every herb and image
and candle that a Vodouisant could ever need, really,
and they have T-shirts with vevers, art objects, all sorts
of things. This botanica is run by an American
Mambo asogwe of Haitian Vodou, Mambo Sallie
Ann Glassman - more about her later!
I also searched for the F & F Botanica, which I am told has
authentic supplies for practitioners of Santeria, but I couldn't
find it and we were running late, so that will be first on my
list for my next visit.
The New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum now has two
locations, and since the lave tet was to be held at the new
location I went there early to have a look around. I know
that the Voodoo Museum is sometimes criticized for being
touristy and so forth, but I found the new location to be...
well, new! Upstairs are interesting altars and drums and
other objects, and downstairs is a large meeting area and
a store.
The store most impressed me with some remarkably
beautiful glassed seven-day candles, decorated with
correct vevers and in the proper colors for each lwa. They
weren't cheap, I think they were about $15, but they were
worth it! The Museum store also had art objects and a
good selection of books.
(In the meanwhile, of course, I was sampling the
gastronomic delights of the town - hush puppies with
tartar sauce, seafood gumbo, excellent beer from the
local microbreweries... )
My contact at the Voodoo Museum was a lovely
woman named Darla, and she did everything in her
power to make me comfortable and happy. She held
a reception for me, and put out a really generous spread
of food and drink.
We had all sorts of interesting people present for the
reception - including some of the most notable practitioners
of New Orleans! I was truly honored. Mambo Sallie Ann
Glassman came, also Mambo Ava Kay Jones. Priestess
Miriam unfortunately was out of the country - rumor has it
that she is in Russia, working for a client! But some of her
people came. There were other folks, too, people who were
affiliated with the Vodou scene but not yet initiated, people
just getting started.
I spoke a bit about contemporary Vodou in Haiti and
about the Roots Without End Society, and I was of course
very proud to be able to introduce my initiatory children,
present at the reception. Then we had group discussion -
and group munching on all the wonderful delicacies provided
by the Museum!
Drummers were present and gave us a bit of a concert.
Teddy, son of the famous "Chicken Man", was with us,
also Rich Spirits, and I would like to particularly mention
one drummer named Clarence, who was very skillful. He
assisted me to schedule rehearsal, and was in all ways
most professional. We hope to find a way to fund a trip to
Haiti for him, so he can sit in with our drummers down there.
Next, I did readings for the three people receiving a lave tet.
These readings were instructive, to say the least! One of the
three had also requested a garde and some wanga to be done
for him, so we did those services at a private home.
On Saturday morning, December 8, we began the lave tet.
(The program of this service is available on the Vodou Arts
discussion board, http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Vodou_Arts ,
in the Files section.) I had printed 50 copies of the program
and set them out for participants and observers, and they
just went like hotcakes!
From the moment we began the service, I felt unmistakably
the force, the energy of the lwa. I felt so "on", so charged
with energy, as I ended the Priere Guinea and began the
washings. The second washing was for Ogoun, and lo and
behold! The Nago Man himself appeared, both in my head
and in the head of a lady named Demaris, who was observing.
According to what I am told, he did that washing himself.
Another woman was possessed by Ayida Wedo, and I am
told that La Sirene also came during her songs, washed the
people, and sprinkled the whole area with water in which her
sacred herbs were soaked.
I sang and sang and SANG! Because I had printed out song
lyrics, people were able to join in. Before each washing, we
did a ritual salute, and watching my intiates charge the drums
before performing the intricate turns of the salute was
something I will never forget.
When the washings were over, we put the three recipients
in a separate consecrated area, on white sheets, dressed
in white, heads wrapped in white. They lay down and rested
for a time. Later, when they got up, they were sent back to
their hotel rooms with very specific instructions.
Saturday night I was thrilled to be invited to a Vodou ceremony
at Mambo Sallie Glassman's house. She has a beautiful
hounfor, and about twenty people were present for the ceremony.
Mambo Sallie knows the Vodou liturgy, and she speaks
French and some Creole. All her people know the songs,
and she has good drummers.
The ceremony was for Legba, and as we danced in a circle,
Legba came! First he appeared in Mambo Sallie's head, then
he moved on to a few other people. Houngan Lance became
the horse of Ogoun, and apparently Ogoun induced possession
in me too. The three hour ceremony was not tedious, it was
invigorating, very authentic, and wonderfully complete.
Afterward people remained in the house and socialized. I
was privileged to meet Elly, who has a Vodou discussion
board humorously titled "Scully Elly's Voodoo Joint" at
http://forums.delphiforums.com/Vodou/messages . I met a
charming African-American woman named Valley, and also
Shane, and others. They were all very warm and pleasant
to me, and I loved their company.
The next day, Mambo Tamara and Houngan Dave had to
return home. Although I was hoarse as a trout, I recorded
more Vodou songs for Houngan Steven Denney, who is
producing them on CD. Houngan Steven also makes painted
photographs of Vodou ceremonies, and he made me a gift of
a really beautiful image from our last kanzo - the sea service
for La Sirene, with the initiates climbing into the boat in the
background, and myself and my partner Houngan, Houngan
Fritzner "Po Pwa" Georges, in the foreground.
Monday, with great regret, I took my leave of Houngan Lance,
Houngan Steve, and the city of New Orleans. But I plan to
return in May 2002 for another lave tet, and another bowl of
gumbo!
Peace and love,
Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen
"Se bon ki ra" - Good is rare
Haitian Proverb
The VODOU Page - http://members.aol.com/racine125/index.html