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Haitian Vodou
Vodou,
as a tradition, is an ecstatic initiatory religion. That is to say, it is oriented towards
initiation as a process in human development and spiritual evolution, and in this, Vodou
is no different from countless other spiritual traditions and disciplines throughout
history. Initiation is defined as a process (as opposed to an event) whereby the initiate
exits the realm of consensus reality to travel to the world of Spirit in order to undergo
a rebirth, which alters the character of the initiate in some fashion. This rebirth of
course must, by its very nature, entail a “dying”. The reentry of the initiate
into the mundane world is accomplished with the help of those who remain behind, the
assembled community. This model has historical and metaphysical precedent in every
culture, which has existed or continues to exist on the Earth. Initiation in Vodou follows
this precedent in both form and function.
Many
people in the West mistakenly think that initiation, as a concept, is the end rather than
the beginning of a journey. Those who have undertaken this passage know it to be a
beginning of a process, not the end or consummation of one. It is only after the
initiation that growth begins. In Vodou tradition, initiation is a rite of passage that
indicates to the assembled community that the initiate has accomplished “what is
necessary” in order to pass to the next stage. The Vodouwizan has passed his or her
tests, and thereby has received authority to begin the next phase of the journey. This
authority may allow them to bring others along on this journey, which is why there is such
importance placed on having an adequate number of competent houngan and manbo who also
have authority, and who can validate one’s initiation process as authentic and
complete.
The
cycle of initiation in Vodou is properly referred to as kanzo, a Fon-Gbč word translating
roughly as “to tie fire”, or “the tying of fire”, and this is in fact
a very accurate description of what transpires in this process. The word kanzo is used to
describe the entire cycle of initiation, a complex process made up of many attendant
sub-rites, and which entails a minimum of nine days (sometimes much longer) of continuous
ritual. The initiate is also referred to as kanzo, but this does not define the grade that
they will have received through this process. The act of initiating is also commonly
referred to as a kouche (from the French verb, “to lay down”) and references the
novitiates period of seclusion during the weeklong kanzo. Following this, the new initiate
maintains 41 days of strict taboo including sexual continence, dietary, hygiene, and other
taboo. During this time they also adhere to a strict regiment of prayer and communication
with their lwa.
During
the initiation, besides being given grade specific knowledge that can only be acquired by
passing through the cycle of kanzo, certain things happen to the initiate. Certain
“medicines” are given to them, and certain areas of power are manipulated, which
would otherwise be impossible for them to accomplish for themselves. These processes bring
about the direct communication and alignment between the initiate and the lwa who owns
their head (called the Lwa met tet), infusing them both spiritually and bodily with the
nature and essence of this lwa. That is to say, it infuses the initiate with the power of
the spiritual force that they were born into this world with, and with whom they are/
should be most connected. This is why in pale Ginea (“African speak”, the
language of the initiate), Vodouwizan speak so fondly about “houn djo mi ta”
(literally, “the spirit who dances in my head”).
Further,
initiation transmits to the initiate the power of the lineage (clan) ancestors of the
house in which they have been made kanzo. Through this, the new initiate is validated and
granted authority by the same. In other words, just as the living community of priests in
attendance validates the authority and authenticity of the initiates kanzo services by
their witnessing, so do the ancestors of the house recognize the initiate as
“authentic” or as “correctly made”, and thus the initiate receives
their support and blessings as well. To put it succinctly, the new initiate is now
supported directly by not only their own community and lwa, but also by the power and the
knowledge of every ancestor of the Vodou society into which they are initiated backwards
in the lineage not only to the original ancestor in Haiti, but to the primal root ancestor
who begot the original lineage in Africa. Thus, the initiate has potential access at any
given moment to this entire collective of power, knowledge, and authority!
Initiation
into the Vodou further bestows upon the recipient several things. It bestows clarity,
balance, protection, good health, and good luck. Initiation at any grade also allows for
the recipient a firm place within a family of like-minded people. It creates for the
recipient a “father and mother”, their initiating houngan and manbo, as well as
“siblings” that function exactly as such, as a sort of familial support network
within the Vodou society. The houngan or manbo who is the head of the hounfň, and who
directed the kanzo services, is referred to as the papa fey or mama fey (or occasionally
as papa kanzo or mama kanzo). If the initiate takes the grade of asogwe however, the
houngan or manbo who initiates them is then properly called papa ason or mama ason after
the sacred rattle they now hold as a symbol of their office as priest.
Grades
of Kanzo Initiation in Vodou...
There
are three grades of kanzo initiation as practiced in traditional Vodou. They are
asogwe, soupwen, and kanzo sinp. The grades of initiation are open equally to men and women of any
race, age, or sexual orientation. These are considered by the lwa to be non-issues, and
thus, as to the lwa Ginea, who is anyone to question?
The
grade of asogwe is the highest grade of initiation, which the religion may bestow.
Recipients are now priests of the tradition, and are fully vested with the liturgical
authority necessary to conduct the full range of services that the community may require
though this fact in and of itself speaks nothing of their potential level of competency.
The initiate is now titled houngan (or ahoungan) if they are male and manbo if they are
female. Both of these titles find their origins in Old Dahomey. The word houngan comes
from the Fon-Gbč language of Dahomey, houn, meaning “[of the] Spirit”, and
gan,
meaning “chief”. The word manbo is an apparent Haitian creation but like the
title houngan, is made up of two words derived from the Fon-Gbč language, nan, meaning
“mother”, and (g)bo, which references those traditions of power and power
application in Dahomean Vodun. Thus the word manbo would seem to translate literally as
“mother of [the knowledge of making or manipulating] (g)bo”.
Following
their initiation as asogwe, the initiate should then ideally serve a further
apprenticeship, traditionally set at three years, though this may vary from one Vodou
hounfň to the next. During this time they learn “all there is to learn”,
mastering the liturgy, the prayers, the key songs, the language of the sacred rattle
(ason), the use of leaf medicine, treatments, workings, etc. Usually after a suitable
time, their papa or mama will lead them to other trusted houngan and manbo, to learn from
them as well. This is because, as is traditional, no Vodouwizan will ever tell “all
that they know”. Some hounfň in the Diaspora allow the novice houngan or manbo to
take the grade of soupwen only and then, only after a period of training, are they allowed
to take the grade of asogwe. The grade of asogwe is where the children of Ginea learn to
“take care of others”.
The
grade of soupwen (literally, “on the point”) is the second highest grade of
initiation. Recipients are considered junior priests, or as is often the case, priests in
training. The titles houngan and manbo are also used here because these initiates have
been “put to bed on the houngan or manbo point”, though the have not yet been
fully vested with it. Houngan and manbo soupwen may conduct most liturgical functions, but
they cannot assist in the initiation of asogwe grade priests because they are not privy to
the knowledge that is imparted at this level. Most dignitaries of the Vodou temple such as
the laplas (master of ceremony) and hounjenikon peristil (chorus leader) will likely be
drawn from the ranks of this grade. The grade of soupwen is where the children of Ginea
learn to “take care of the spirits (the lwa, the dead, etc.)”.
The
grade of kanzo sinp (literally, “simple kanzo”) is the first, and arguably the
most common, grade of initiation. Recipients are considered to be full servitors of their
own met tet. They are in fact “married” to this spirit, as their title hounsi
(or vodousi) implies. The term hounsi, like that of houngan and manbo, also arises from
the language of Old Dahomey, houn, meaning “[of the] Spirit”, and si, meaning
“wife”. The term hounsi is unisex in application. According to Vodou thought,
the lwa are all “male” in relation to their servants who are all considered to
be “female”. This is because Vodouwizan are possessed by their lwa. A common
euphemism among the faithful used to describe the phenomenon of possession is
“mounted by the lwa”. Hence metaphors used to describe possession tend to be
submissive in nature.
The
hounsi who have passed the kanzo are often called by the proper title hounsi kanzo to
distinguish them from the recipient of the kouche lave tet, called hounsi lave
tet, or
from the uninitiated, called bosal. The hounsi kanzo is considered to have greater mastery
over their mysteries by virtue of their initiation to his or her met tet. That is to say,
they have greater knowledge of, and thereby control over, the lwa who dance in their head.
The grade of kanzo sinp is where the children of Ginea learn to “take care of
themselves.”
The
Call to Initiate...
Understand
that initiation at any grade is a serious undertaking. In order to be initiated in Vodou,
one must be prepared properly, and able to accept the authority and power, which will be
received through this process. Those who are not properly prepared may be unable to
control this force, which will then “whip them around”, doing damage to them and
further disrupting their lives. A kanzo is never undertaken for frivolous reasons. In
order to be kanzo, one must have a mastery of their self, be prepared to receive the
lwa,
and most of all, “to localize and control what for the uninitiated remains vague or
unreal."
There
are properly only two circumstances under which a person should be advised to undertake
initiation. The most common is because the person is “called by the Spirit”.
This calling may have been articulated through the mouth of someone possessed, through
dreams, or even as evidenced by (often-severe) hardships and/ or protracted illnesses, as
may be diagnosed by an houngan or manbo. The other consideration is that of healing, which
may in fact tie into the first reason. Occasionally the houngan or manbo will find that,
in order to heal a particularly troubling case, the only recourse is initiation.
Vodouwizan consider the kanzo itself to be the highest form of re-balancing, and therefore
healing. According to the Vodou system of holistic medicine, this would then be wholly
appropriate.
Some
people take the kanzo initiation for reasons of prestige, or to otherwise enhance their
social standing. Others take it because they feel it will make them rich. These are not
proper motivations, the reason being because they are based purely upon ego gratification
rather than on a desire for spiritual development or advancement.
Finally,
there is the issue of ones grade of initiation. People are born into this world with
certain fate. Not everyone who enters the Vodou will be, or even should be, able to enter
into the priesthood as houngan or manbo. Further, while many people move straight away
into the role of priest, this will have depended entirely upon their spirit, their own lwa
and ancestors who should naturally be consulted prior to beginning the process of
initiation. It is at this time that the initiating houngan or manbo should have determined
not only the appropriate grade for the initiate to receive, but also any other information
needed to proceed safely. In all cases, it is necessary that the candidate be able to
prove him or herself suitable for the particular grade to which they aspire before they
are allowed to initiate. It should be remembered that in Haiti, natif-natal Haitians
probably grew up in the religion and its cultural traditions. Because of this, they are
always far better equipped (at least practically) for initiation than a foreigner.
However, any candidate who can show sufficient maturity, knowledge and understanding of
the concepts needed to hold a specific grade might aspire to that grade.
- Article Provided by Houngan Aboudja
of Kay Aboudja
For
more information on initiation into the Vodou, please see Initiation
FAQ, or you may contact us at info@vodouspirit.com.
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