The Rite of Baptism in Haitian Vodou
Fiabeth Mealiter
nigh Mach hyo 2008 no a A tin
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‘his worldview we canine ois Dahemsan ots teste Ka. There is
‘ls agent deal of Cathal nuene the lig ad hs cl when He
tans who ae itt Vaou als peste Cato, perm te kta
ents, and msn rel devin othe seine
‘Ao-Hatan liion was unknowns toes eres Sr the 1970
‘sory knw trough the wcrc md deonzed igs of” sen
tn Holywond mis. The way of Haan Vodou ts bec eter know
‘tow tht hundeds of thousands af Hains ave nate tothe Ute
Stas since he 1070. Tete ae lage Hsin cme nM, New Yo
Rosin, Gago, at Morea Mest sas in he United Sates we Cao
ane sete thn ae aa se Gera), who serve the spt Vou
“he religious word of Vodou opel by Huteous wns oes wd
‘giue various Aen an Europe sole. The mos tpn oes
‘dsptely Gon she Cento, who Is elle by i Prec aie, nen te
‘Good Lod) by bi name in Hain Cree, Gon Mer rly de ret er
{Docs Gran Mt seldom reel hielo hams thy yon srs af
oe pital begs: Hatin pray a Jen ry, the Bes Van May. al
allo the Cabo sans, te adam hese hs ies, te a ay
Ta ts, angels who communist with tit though dition, deans
and passion. These fa ave nes sch ight, Mansa, Loko, Dana
El Kouzen Asal, Opp, Jean Peo, won Sans ny oc
The unseen word athe sphs anced a a cabot ee a
rusour wr. The es and the spite septate then by an tes
the body of wae. avast ex tt weal the Ale Ocean het the Aen
anton id css diag the slave rade The span he dead ent
land amb lo unde the se) and clled Gls ayes). ee
‘mony that mus be done tenon yt a aya aso de, press oe
Presses il erect dead back rm tte water a sed eno
God Ancesas who wee particu ingen, power erable ay
‘ore bck again spits, obey in bi, guane, and olen to ake
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vere Ha ty
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ne he mile of oer ena ie ease mh tc een
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ony tigi momen ofmpaarer and orem tha et
{Geo anny tet oe stb eo mor ony wen oe
tual worlds
thes edn We sheen al zie hep
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spas hepato of avrg cpcaly of an, ba scone cance
sa af waa slr, dap sd cg fre Ope
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haces fom nh dvs pes oan Posen ea
shout sounds og and sry oSybody alana wate ey
omni betray ofthe wore ere The stele
‘ome fom he une wold ad mae ine pet wo ose
ney by he woe Air pnt wake bowen
al Haines wort, whee the Bly Sp conc dawn aa pp ea
beter in Clits, whe speaking spc spa aga,
Ines, pt joeson eee eet pron lt,
ect tsool aie ot wo em oes tee
{a fe awh of han cescourgessy con
onsen with people. The mbes of «Wow sey al al
the pi wih spec ital movant an then ey ees
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dic hein th fee naomi ope Wa he A
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str ofS Pack sah ce i ane at of oes oe tO
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rom tcntthon ry eros. tan sees
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sal el Teen ie fon aig ne as Ee
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Fe Sat wont peso fr Sit Cle, og wh 2 ses of
ger te tg would a bol competion As Wns the
Ty gly nde
Stan pn wit sada Cal poyenhe tion the Lacs
prayer abn ne ara Pech of Han Cao wor.
Min, be congepa ong enchant sel psn et le,
‘Rep po tad Ju repress the ay wo prema hie 0
SeaTac ie aly was to yoo en, th neat ke for
‘Satna dese ean ste pe ec
Spon Emma ted othe bby godmote hor he
vuneerstnel om amng the wren yar wh you ae
Tete beaker pe he ld ron pen er
Sy pn mame), le ot anya Chor are) This spect ame
‘cbr osu ond sully a ype pase wth any een
“Xjeningon the coon, These spel usin Vodou set ere on
‘royce gen to but bye al gis Ths the ane that he eso wll
At Son‘ cbmuning ws the spa ol If he eld ows UP 1
‘ome sed, he or he wld be gen flea non van and hi
Ser ae wil the develope a el. Ones me, ke ones te
‘imo land creams ecm change verte ihe voc
ho
Tolling becbaby he woe, whe waster suckeinberbah
antl oa he ae he ci He om ame a Pi he pe
Pot ened the ash che bel ac announce eas. The sme ah
‘Stal athe was ed ob ves ot peop ae eons
‘Movant wer nthe ooanty She wondered wat rare er hid would
epic hans the ode spoke Saves Wyse
tale prmaunoed Headsnaddedstgremene Ths powaent ome csp
or earrisa iv wasrtan vonoy. ser
hot cit
sto eels esppe Kid toe ate
‘ill ehedtabe pesenstiel Thm eao ths
‘hide ne ood mas abd eet hl pope tobe vr
Pag Ops Enamel ped spi oes fst of ly
snl ont ne dps ae he a foes
"ye which ean wh his oun Vodou Rok“ eae
i tie te ew i ea twa
seis of Ac A et Meh tact by he hae
sth abe teu, adhe ly Sp
Innate congenic nex page Wah se rage
in Vado ht mirth frm a he anton oe Nez Cea fe
tne these ck the nay sve of Gala ee
‘he pan ne gl tote en wot we al a et
‘is wr The pe ges oo sia Ue Go tas ws fr ek
petal co Godan nd sy Go veo a fe al
{choose wich ph he oe wi ke Ta stn empl he aay
within vdeu and he et Gal as toed pop te che to ney
toa eo ao mora eos ca hr nin tie mo cea mee
‘hots hen and utente pee dene
“he prayers by he poner lhe eg wu ene, ke
cath thet juget ns The eels eet gue es
ope wl te sb oa he rnd ha te mnt ny ove
tian wondothe wal fe dah coceptajedgem tere
sha othe adgnen Dy ofeach a
tenor wd ew te ais, two ee-Cl p e
‘naib end he payermotes ere othe Cl guage ang,
Sime move mh nom Chae wine tit a oe
‘ris ray the poe yy ches ey fan pp hat es
sh cach nt part ner Thc inven, ln oa
‘egw ws Le the deity who stands at the crossroads, at gates, and in door
waysanl wi stb ue abe vo cots movers tote
tom one wad te mu Loon eit of aclaets wl at
Aah an a oy ed ee A
the er ss the the pe ingrpon wos aed
yn bythe est any hrm oer wa th Cale emtepte
Ths tan Are ta at aed oto he ana Cals apes
da eben tine exch eon au wl ein cca
tie mt ery. the ane ofthe headstone
| tenga goeang tt gence xsl bay des tye 2
fn ang pet oes ol hn oat ech ved
Be and ptes i ay
1stiely that src wil be poses by ne chef ahi pn de
Ing the prea eration hi apts, Pp Open ho ley cn to
ine thea abe pat el ay hve beng at Ppa Ogise to lim he cid hi mw, Gael, homer the me at
‘eve un the psa is mck ole
‘Aten ol th prayers tose ode bps becomes ight and eh
hay Thefol songs happy one the song sissy praethe baby
Stour eo wth sew dpe New Yo, apa Opals Enna
Inde bayer ate of came om hess fm of ong
liso oct be baby othe pce se poco a Ue useen wa
“Te tal eproduce hee was sored y dhe author in Mach 2000 n New
York cy twa keto express my deep tn to Pap Enamel at is
Souda Pear @Or fr ther pension and moitance wah sis esay Much
‘lhe inerpesion ofthe al peed ere rom neve WH Pape
Emme sd with son, "Aprs Die." This easy edted ote wet
Iie boy Sw wt, ea”
Fonte Reading
Keven McCarthy Brown, Mane tle: AY Press Bren (Berkely at
{Ls Aagies: Unive of Callens Trem, 2091; Donal J. Casino, ed
Scr of Haan i La Ange: UCLA Fowler Museum of Cala Hs
tor, 1995), Maya Dern, Dine Hanemen The Lg Gs of Hat (New Yor
‘Geis Howe, 1959), lanith McAiser Yodo sed Choas nthe Ag
Sianratinai The Magonna of 1150 Stet Revised,” Caherins i
‘por: Rls Canes and th New nmin, edited by Rep
‘Wares adel np Univers Pres, 1988, pp. 123-50)
“The Ral of Baptism
“The pest asks the mater bring he hy fora and ash the aah and
note oon them presents the gouher mith canle,which he >
at ought he ceremony
‘ung i French tn these athe Fate the Son, ad the Hely Spe
Sct cra i rend:
‘Our Fates, who atin even
alowed be thy ane
“hy Kingda cone, ty wl be done
Onesies tii heres
‘ive us his dy our dally bred
‘od loge or esses,
fare gv hase wt esas apt te
‘rd ea ot no temptation
re OF parTisn in watrian voooe Me
ut deliver fom il
Hall ay ul Gece
‘he Lod i wih you
Bleed at thou tong women
‘And se he fro thy womb, esas
Hay Mother of God Have mre on seine,
[Now andar the bur ofr deh
[hemes
Suc sings his ym together
‘efor alae thie thom my hao
Aa give poy tomy Goa
Tanto ove you without end
‘More and nore
Accept my proms, Lord Jesus
Ad hen sym
1 pledge my promise tn his bps
Cn my bell thers have sworn
‘this day tpl for myst
‘pledge myst ody eel
1 pledge msl pledge msc, ple myself aay fey
1 pledge mola ey
‘Oungon (i Hatan Cre: What ame do you choose or is dala?
(Goat eal hs "What you sees wha is
‘he omg eso sal bl of hay water (ale avi to Cate
Guha onal rg lee es seca dap fata De ey
ung i Fain Gree
By he power ofthe pea onngan “lg Rock”
Otngat of aca
‘uangat of he ghest rank
(nga who ols the sated ate
‘gweto KG Gwen Bog ual language rasta)
haps yout he name ofthe Fhe the on and the Hel Spit
Suit together chats his prayer n French
‘es God es God
Pelee ta ou ae in your place
Taio tt the mystnes pt; angele ae place
‘sieve hata it lace
(fs Ga ea ny words ar ey eyesx0 uveaneriatcatesre ‘ue aire oF aapriea ie nartiaK voo0u sn
Loe, ys hv rate to rode
reryone has height to take the rad he pleases
‘Wut tere he coies of eters
By the power of God
lia bp ws good
"merino omchody a aching chi
‘Aura short beak le pape adie the by a drink of water he cone
_eation ernst fish he orga, thecelerain ofthe pts Daa
‘doo,
rye contmes, thing Halion Cre
By the poe of the get adge i raven
By the power fee pret judge a eat
‘The grat jude of Alcan Guten
bythe power of San Antoine de Padua Lega Atbon
‘Ag Aust Ago
[hn the there re ake here parts
Maca
woke
Dante
Soho
Bade
Sito
‘poe
trsow
Beebo
Agwe
Mees si eda
Derel
apa Pew
Jem Dio
Maubo Eth Damo
‘ae
‘geo
nse Aza Mee
Spee
‘wo
Grae Ba
Gede
Petwo
A the end of the ong tocaton, the couegaton Becks in celebration, ad
Iepl ake the elbows of the goats godimthe end te mabe holding he
Frdy end pra nce The drnmars preset ply simple beat wie de
tongegton parades sig Haan Chale
‘lis bapi we goed, Yes Gt