Reading by MELBA FARRELL of TRUE TALKS

Essence of Vodoun
Supreme Vodoun: The Spiritual Renaissance of Africa
- By Prince Randy K. Alam-Sogan

What is Vodoun?

Vodoun, often spelled Vodou, Vaudou, Vodu, and Vodoum is a Complex Universal System of Divine Practices, Traditions and Science.

It is very hard to evaluate its age, but according to the most ancient scriptures, it is as old as Mankind. Vodoun has been practiced in Africa for over 200,000 years. Others claim it has been around for 750,000 Years. in any case, it s really old!

There is no mainstream definition of “Vodoun”. Those who claim to know what Vodoun is might as well claim to understand the Essence of The Ultimate, Absolute source of Creation. Western Scholars and Academics, Religious Fanatics and Theologians have all tried to explain Vodoun, often depicting it as an Evil, Satanic, and Luciferic Religion. Well, it is none of that.

The reason why The Keepers of the Secret Ancestral Knowledge have kept it Secret is because of all the prejudices, persecution and misunderstanding that our traditions have suffered for hundreds of Years since the era of Colonisations and Empiric Invasions have started.

However, with the approach of the Age of Aquarius, which translates into Love, Spirituality, Esoterism, Healing Magic, the understanding that we are all one, “Vodoun” has in the recent years been the Center of Interests of many races and Nations across the World, as it is the only Set of Traditions which have remained intact throughout the Millennia.

Adepts of Vodoun Kokou

I will attempt to give a definition of Vodoun based on the Oral Traditions we have jealously kept and transmitted from Generations to generations, from the Kemet & Nubia to the Kingdom of Dahome (Danxome), the Kingdoms of the Niger delta, The Congos etc.

The etymology of the word “Vodoun” comes from the expression “Vo Bo Doun” which means: “Do not fear anything or anyone before drawing water from the Source” or in other words, “Adore your Creator fearlessly!”

This is the closest definition of Vodoun, from the High Initiates themselves, from the Cradle of Vodoun in Southern Benin.

Since the Dawn of Times, Human Beings have been amazed and puzzled by all their surroundings and all of creation. They were intrigued by the complete Harmony of Nature…The Sky, the Birds, the Oceans and its marine Universe, the Forest and all its animals etc…. They were also intrigued by Natural Phenomena and their own origins (why things are the way they are, how things work, etc…).

The Farmer who harvests his lands and benefits from Nature blessings such as rain, the Sun and also the mechanism of seeds germination…was intrigued and amazed.

The Hunter, running after his game in the jungle…was intrigued and amazed.

The Fisherman was intrigued and amazed

Mankind has always wondered about its identity, origin and essence as well as the origin and essence of nature itself and their Creator. Therefore, to acknowledge this “Force” of Creation, this “Source” of all things that Are, Mankind has created a “Religious” System to worship, thank, connect and communicate with the Source.

This is how “Vodoun” was born in Native Africa.

The Farmer, the Hunter, the Fisherman all realized that there was a superior entity that governed the different aspects of nature.

So the Vodoun System was designed to acknowledge each Entity according to their functions/roles in Nature or the Universe. In other words, Mankind realised that Earth, the Oceans, The Sky, Rain, Lightning, Fire, Illnesses, Animals, any Natural phenomena was ruled by a complex yet harmonious divine system: Vodoun. It could have been called something else, and it has, in other parts of the world, from Lemuria to Atlantis, to Babylon, Mesopotamia, Kush, Ancient Egypt, the Mayan Empire the Chinese Empire….all these Ancient Civilisations practiced Vodoun, the Ultimate Universal System of the Hierarchy of the Elements, all governed by One Source..

The Absolute, Ultimate Source of Creation who we refer to as Mawu…

But it gets more complex than that. However, it could take at least 20,000 pages to explain Vodoun in the most accurate way possible, so for the purpose of this note, I will focus on the essentials.

Dahomean Vodoun and Nigerian Orishas are the 2nd Evolution of Vodoun. The first one being the Kemetic & Nubian forms of Vodoun which has been transferred to West Africa and the rest of the continent via two streams. One via the Niger Delta by migrating groups who left Egypt as a result of Arab and Roman Invasion, and the other stream down through Kenya into Southern Africa etc…

Vodoun as you may know is the oldest known form of Pantheonic Divinity System where the central belief if that there is an Absolute & Ultimate Source of Creation which encompasses everything including the understanding of its creatures and governs all Universal Systems from the Super Universes down to a tiny atom.

This Supreme God however also designed a hierarchical system where different lower levels of its manifestations govern all the elements of the Universe and of Nature.

So if we focus on Earth, Fire, Water, Air and also all the Natural Phenomena, all these are considered Vodoun Deities with different properties and strength and require different forms of worship to harness their powers. There are all sorts of rituals, ceremonies, sacrifices that are performed to communicate with, ask favours, appease or unleash the wrath of these entities.

A cult is dedicated to each one and a secret system of initiation.

Here is a list of some of the most powerful Vodoun Deities (all part of the One Ultimate Source, God):

Nana Buluku: this is the Cosmic Womb, the Mother of the Entire Cosmos, of all the Universes and everything that exists in it. It is also known in Dahomean Vodoun as Minonan, the mother of all Creation and of all Humanity.

Mawu: This is an adjective describing the Ultimate God of our Universe): Mawu encompasses all other Deities and everything else. Before any Vodoun Ceremony or prayer, we invoke Mawu.

Segbo-Lissa: The Supreme, the twin-sister of Mawu and child of Nana Buluku (The Cosmic Mother, the Universe itself, associated to the Female Consciousness but also one of the two creators of our Solar System together with Gbadu. It also governs colours, emotions, feelings, Seduction, etc…And even Sound. It is often represented as the Chameleon.

Sakpata Agnigbanto: The Deity who governs the Earth, this is the Earth Entity, referred to as Gaia in some cultures. Sakpata is also a Biological and Physical Being. The entire Earth and its Ecological System is Sakpata. It governs all things on earth including illnesses, cures, plants, etc…Sakpata is invoked to create powerful cures or lethal illnesses.

Ogoun: this is the God of War, Technology, Transformation, Iron and Metals. Ogoun or Goun is an Extremely Powerful Deity which is widely worshipped in West Africa. Goun can create great Havoc as he is the God of Weapons but also the God of Builders etc…

Dan: This is the most Complex Deity with regards to its essence. Dan is also the Snake, the Rainbow and Air. It governs Happiness, Wealth, Peace, Prosperity etc…. But when associated with Agbeta, it creates Mamiwata (The Goddess of the Sea).

* Dan is also the Essence of the DNA.

Agbe: This is not really a Vodoun per se, Agbe represents all the Oceans of the Globe, and it is the Water as a Chemical Element. Agbe is the Birth Place of all Sea Creatures and the Kingdom of the sea Goddess, Mamiwata. All the Deities meet in Agebta once a year (in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean or Pacific Ocean) and massive ceremonies are performed to ask for their favours.

Keviosso (Ji-Vodoun): (pronounced Heviosso or Hebiosso): this is the God of Thunder, Lightning and Rain. It is known as Sango as well. Keviosso is the most dangerous and fastest deity to invoke and Vodoun Masters with negative intent often use its power to create climatic havoc or send lightning remotely. On the good side, it can be used to precipitate rain when needed or to protect against Dark Sorcerers.

Mamiwata (Toh-Vodoun, Sin-Vodoun): this is the common name of all Water Entities/Deities that regroups and Governs all the Oceans, Seas, Rivers, Lakes Deities and Entities…Mamiwata is an actual Entity who incarnates into mermaids (yes they do exist).

Minonan: This is the Mother (often represented by the Woman, the Virgin Mary holding her Child- More than Isis, she is actually Hathor). Minonan is the Goddess of With-Craft but also the Goddess of Nurturing and can be invoked for Magic Spells, it is the Mother Deity of all Nature entities, the Spirits of Nature that existed even before mankind. She is also Nana Buluku in a sub-manifestation of Herself.

Legba: The Protector and the Guardian Angel (often depicted and associated to Archangel Michael or St Peter). Legba is the One who holds the Key to the World of Gods/Deities and is used as the intermediary between the Material World and the Spiritual World. Legba is also the trickster and can be very wicked. To-Legba is the Ultimate Legba in the main Vodoun Temple of Ouidah. This one was created for my Ancestor King Gbehanzin…I won’t get into this extensively at this moment.

Agossou (Venavi): The Twins. Venavi are represented by Twins, and governs all who are born twins.

Gambada: The God of Speed. Gambada is used for all urgent matters. It can be used to accelerate any demands or make someone who you have not seen or heard from in ages, suddenly come see you.

Abikou: Alien entities of inner Earth, The Forests, etc. Abikou are little Genies, often called Jinns in Arabic and extensively spoken about in the Quran. They rule material wealth and extreme Intelligence and can make those who are initiated to them very Rich or very Poor. There is much more to the Abiko