Erzulie Dantor
Fierce
Protector of Women and Children
Goddess of
Love
In the Voodoo Pantheon, there
is an important group of female loa (goddesses) whose first name is Erzulie.
While all of them share in their role as Goddess of love, art, and sex, each has
additional areas of life which is theirs to defend and assist. Erzulie is three in aspect:
she can be
Erzulie Freda, a virgin goddess likened to the Virgin Mary;
Erzulie Dantor,
loa of jealousy and passion; or La Siren, a personification of the sea and
goddess of motherhood. As Freda, her color is pink, her animal a
white dove. As Dantor, her colors are blue and gold. She is associated with the Lukumi Orisha Oshun, and sometimes Chango
(as Erzulie Dantor).
Erzulie
Dantor is the Voodoo goddess of love, romance, art, jealousy, passion, & sex.
Erzulie Dantor is the patron loa of lesbian women, fierce protector of women
experiencing domestic violence and patron loa of New Orleans. Beauty, love, and
sensuality are her Creations. Fiery emotions are what link her to the endless
reservoir of universal creativity. Erzulie Dantor offers to you protection and
possibilities beyond the imagination.
Erzulie Dantor is a mulatto woman who is
often portrayed as the Black Madonna, or the Roman Catholic "Saint Barbara
Africana". She has tribal scars on her cheek, and is considered heterosexual because she has children, but she is also the patron loa of lesbian women. Thus,
she loves women fiercely, and will defend them to the death. She loves knives
and is considered the protector of newly consecrated Voodoo priests and
priestesses, as well as of women and children who are victims of domestic
violence, and women who have been betrayed by a lover. She is highly respected
and much feared due to her Woman Power. Most Haitian women serve Dantor, and
she
is also the patron loa of New Orleans and so she is served by many there as
well. She also supports independent business women and is the patron of women's
finances. Many women invoke Erzulie Dantor against their partners (male or
female) should they become violent. And enlightened men also serve
Dantor, especially men who honor, love and respect women.
Erzulie’s personal story is
a tragedy. She was a warrioress who fought with her people during the Haitian
revolution. However, her own people cut out her tongue so that she would not
tell their secrets should she be captured. Thus, she is mute and can only speak
a stammering monosyllable, "ke-ke-ke-ke-ke!" This is the sound of her tongue
clicking on the roof of her mouth. She is often
pictured with her daughter
Anais, who serves as her translator and interpreter.
To Petition Erzulie Dantor
You can perform this ritual alone or with your
family.
Begin at an altar you have prepared especially
for Erzulie Dantor. Drape your altar with navy blue and gold cloth and place
some silver jewelry, knives, and perfumes on the altar. Place offerings of
cooked pork, Crème de Cacao, and sweet potatoes in special bowls reserved just
for Erzulie Dantor. Place a blue or yellow in candle in each plate; use both
colors if you have more than one food offering. You may use this image of
Erzulie Dantor's veve for her altar.
It is advisable to have blue altar candles and
spiritual incense burning at the time of use. Floral incense is best. Also, if
you can procure a maraca to shake while petitioning her, all the better.
Erzulie Dantor is a petro loa and is considered a djab. As such, you will have to invoke Papa Legba in
the Petro branch to open the gate for you so you can communicate with her.
Start by saying the Lord's prayer and Hail Mary three times each.
The Lord's Prayer - 3x
Our Father, who art in heaven
Hallowed be thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive those who trespass against
us
And lead us not into temptation
and deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and
the glory,
Forever and ever. Amen.
Hail Mary - 3x
Hail Mary, full of grace
The Lord is with thee
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb,
Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for our
sinners
Now and in the hour of our death, Amen.
Now, invoke Legba with the following words:
Legba, Papa Legba, open the gate for the loa!
Open the gate for the djab, Papa Legba!
Open the gate for the loa!
I have arrived, I am waiting for them.
Let us go, Papa Legba, let us go!
Let us go, Papa Legba, let us go!
We will go see what is happening in that house,
We will go see where Legba commands.
Now you may communicate with Erzulie Dantor. Say the following:
"Erzulie Dantor, you are strong and powerful! Do you see these offerings I have for you?"
Pick each offering up and holding them above you, present each item to the four sacred directions.
"I offer some of your favorite things to eat and drink and these beautiful objects for you.
Erzulie Dantor, I am in need of your protection and intervention. Help me, defend me,
fight for me and my family!
You are the mother of the child Anais, I need you to be my mother too!"
Now you must be specific with what you need her to do for you. Talk to her and tell her about your problems.
Write down your request on a piece of blue and gold decorative stationary paper. Fold the paper away from you,
several times. Place the paper on the altar and stab it seven times with a knife.
Each time you stab it say something to the effect of:
I win!
I am empowered!
I prevail!
You no longer affect me!
You can't beat me!
My mother is Erzulie Dantor, and you can no longer hurt me or my family!
Away with you! Down with you! Be gone!
When you are done, sit quietly in front of your altar. Thank Erzulie Dantor for her help.
You can use this time for divination if you would like. Allow the candles in the food
offerings to burn down.
Now all you have to do is wait and see her at work. Pay attention to your dreams, and pay
attention to and be most respectful of the women and children in your life.
Your request will be answered.
About Erzulie Dantor
Erzulie Dantor's colors are navy blue and golden yellow. She is represented by the image of
Santa Barbara Africana (not the Santa Barbara used to represent Chango in the Lukumi tradition).
She is depicted as a black woman with tribal scars on her cheeks, a boy child in one arm, rich
robes and a crown.
Dantor loves silver chains and other items of silver jewelry, Creme de Cacao,
black female pigs, Reve d'Or perfume, and daggers. When she possesses a
person she is all but mute - she points at what she wants and she says
"Ke-ke-ke-ke-ke-ke!" and "Te-te-te-te-te-te!"
Here is a song about Dantor which describes her affinity for knives and her
indestructibility:
Set kout kouto, set kout pwenya,
Prete m dedin a pou m al vomi sang mwen,
Set kout kouto, set kout pwenya,
Prete m dedin a pou m al vomi sang mwen,
Sang mwen ape koule.
Seven stabs of the knife, seven stabs of the dagger,
Lend me the basin so I can vomit my blood,
Seven stabs of the knife, seven stabs of the dagger,
Lend me the basin so I can vomit my blood,
My blood is pouring down.
She is a Petro lwa, but she is not served with red. Erzulie Dantor offers her devotees her protection,
but more than that she is a capital magician! She has two husbands, Simbi Makaya and Ti-Jean
Petro, both important magicians in their own right. Because of her fierce nature, although she is a
lwa of orthodox Vodou, she is frequently referred to as a "djab".
Here is another song for Dantor which points to her magical abilities:
Erzulie fanm Ti-Jean metres kay la,
Erzulie fanm Ti-Jean metres kay la,
Pa rele, se ou pote Houngan nivo,
Pa rele, so ou pote wanga pi fo,
Erzulie fanm Ti-Jean metres kay la,
Paket mwen a tout mare.
Erzulie Ti-Jean's woman, mistress of the house,
Erzulie Ti-Jean's woman, mistress of the house,
Don't cry out, it's you who carries the new Houngan,
Don't cry out, it's you who carries the strongest spells,
Erzulie Ti-Jean's woman, mistress of the house,
My paket is all tied up.
A paket is a power object made during the bat guerre, the opening ceremony of Vodou
initiation. Interestingly, pakets are among the very few Petro-related objects permitted in
the initiatory djevo.
Most Haitian women serve Dantor. She is the patron of women's finances, and supports
independent businesswomen. She is also the defender of women against violence by men, so
Haitian women invoke her against their domestic partners should they become violent.
Lesbian women in particular are considered to be under the patronage of Dantor, but of course
one need not be a lesbian woman to serve her. And men also serve Dantor, especially men who
really love to be with women.
Peace and Love,
Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen
"Se bon ki ra",
Good is rare - Haitian Proverb
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