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Erzulie Dantor
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. Her color is pink, her animal a
white dove. She is associated with the Lukumi Orisha Oshun, and sometimes Chango
(as Erzulie Dantor).
Erzulie Dantor
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.Erzulie Dantor 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 invoked 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 use an Erzulie Dantor Devotional
Altar Doll
Ideally, you will begin at your altar. It is advisable to have altar candles and
spiritual incense burning at the time of use.
To begin, you will need to ask
Papa Legba to open the gates to the spirit world so that you can ask Erzulie
Dantor for a favor. To do so, recite the following three times:
Odu Legba, Papa Legba, open
the door, Your children are waiting. Papa Legba, open the door, your children
await!
You can now use your Voodoo doll as a focusing tool
for creating the change you seek. Erzulie is particularly useful for improving
love, happiness, and emotional strength. Concentrate on the outcome you wish to
occur.
You may now ask her for assistance in creating the change you seek. You may
write a petition if you wish. Make an offering for three days following your
request. Appropriate offerings include lighting a special pink candle, placing a
small plate of food from your dinner on her altar, or flowers. Erzulie is
particularly fond of French perfumes, honey, oranges, pumpkins, gold, mirrors, and
French pastries. Her favorite color is pink, and her favorite animal is the
white dove. Be creative!
When you are finished, place Erzulie Dantor in your kitchen or in the bedroom as
these are the best places in the home for her. Finally, be sure to thank her for
the favor, and be sure to thank Papa Legba for connecting you to her.
The following is from The VODOU Page -
http://www.rootswithoutend.org/racine125/index.html
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 independant 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.
To serve Erzulie Dantor, here is what to do:
Prepare an altar draped in navy blue and yellow. Provide offerings of Creme
de Cacao and cooked pork. You can offer her cooked sweet potatos as well.
Put the food offerings in bowls or plates that you only use for Dantor. In
each food offering place a small dark blue or yellow candle. If you have
more than one food offering, use both colors.
You may also place on your altar silver chains, daggers, and rich perfumes
such as Amarige, since Reve d'Or is unavailable in the USA except in Haitian
botanicas. If you are an initiate, do NOT use your asson, Erzulie Dantor is
a Petro lwa and is therefore served with a maraca, which even non-initiates
may use.
Light a dark blue or golden yellow candle, spray yourself and the altar with
perfume. Say the Lord's Prayer or some other appropriate prayer. Then
invoke the lwa Legba in the Petro branch with the following words:
Legba, Papa Legba, open the gate for the lwa!
Open the gate for the djab, Papa Legba!
Open the gate for the lwa!
We have arrived, we wait 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 call on Dantor! If you know the songs for Dantor above, sing them, if
not, repeat the words. Shake your maraca and call Dantor. Say this:
"Erzulie Dantor, strong and fierce! Make magic for me. I offer you these
things to eat and drink, these beautiful objects for you." At this point,
present each thing you offer Dantor to the four directions, that is, lift
them to the east, west, north and south.
"Erzulie Dantor, wife of Ti-Jean, wife of Simbi Makaya, mother of a child, be
my mother too! Help me, protect me, fight for me!" Then name your specific
requests. If there is a person or a problem which is particularly bothering
you, write down the person's name or a description of the problem on a piece
of rich paper decorated in blue and gold. Fold the paper several times.
When you fold it, fold it away from you, rather than towards you. Then place
the paper on the altar and STAB IT! Stab it seven times, and say, "I win! I
overcome! You can't beat me, you have no power over me! Erzulie Dantor is
my mother, and you can't hurt me any more! Down with you! DOWN WITH YOU!"
After this is done, sit quietly in front of your altar for a time, then leave
the room and let the candles in the food offerings burn out. Watch and see
what happens, and especially pay attention to your dreams and to your
relationships with other women.
...do this ceremony alone in your own house or together with others.
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://www.rootswithoutend.org/racine125/index.html
VooDoo Priestess Sallie Ann Glassman leads a voodoo ceremony in New Orleans
to ward off dangerous hurricanes the July before Hurricane Katrina struck.
This is a clip from Jeremy Campbell's "Hexing A Hurricane." For more info visit www.ten18films.com
Erzulie Dantor's Favorite Perfume
Erzulie Freda
Erzulie Freda is the loa of
romantic love. She is invoked to help find a lover, or renew a love
relationship. She is also a powerful magician whose very presence nullifies poison and
evil magic, and she can offer wealth and luxury to those who serve
her.
Non-Initiates' Service for Erzulie Freda
To purchase an Erzulie Freda Voodoo Doll,
click here.
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Erzulie Freda Devotional Altar Doll
Erzulie Freda Bracelet
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