I love the sigings, so when I immersed myself in the magical world of voodoo and discovered that it is a belief strongly based on symbols and voodues sigils I was so intrigued! That is why today I want to share with you some of the best symbols to connect with the Loas, the voodues.

The tradition of symbols and stealth

In Haiti Voodoo Tradition, each LWà is represented by one or more esoteric signs drawn on the ground with different powders. These signs are called Vevè.

Each vevè stylized graphically the attributes of an LWà and its ritual signs. The use of graphic patterns and ritual stealth comes from the African African tradition and we find it in other African -American religions such as the Palo Mayombe in Cuba and the Brazilian Umbanda / Quimbanda.

However, the use of ritual designs can be found in many other cultures: in Hinduism, we found Kolamsse used to honor the gods and attract prosperity and well -being.

The Hopi and Dinè Indians (Navajos) did glyphs on the floor with colored sand to call divinities.

In the 21 divisions, the use of Vevès, sometimes called sigings, is less frequent than in Haitian voodoo, however in recent decades, due to the constant migratory flows, more and more consolidated in Santo Domingo is being consolidated more and more.

What are the Vevè?

The vevè are a spiritual and astral writing, they are not stylized symbols intended to refer to a complex iconography, but rather an alphabet that composes mystical phrases suitable for summarizing a metaphysical concept.

In fact, in addition to the symbols of the different lwàs, other elements that are inserted to give a dynamic meaning or action to a spiritual current appear.

Vudúsigidified symbol of the communication, the opportunity and the guardian of the spiritual world. cemetery.Table 1: common voodoo symbols and its meanings

These drawings, made, are drawn manually on the ground before a ritual with cornmeal, white flour, brick dust, herbs … according to the mystery and the division that you want to evoke. The dust spreads sliding between the index, the medium and the thumb of the right hand, in order to obtain regular strokes.

Once the Vevè is drawn, it is sprayed with the right product. Libation and a candle is placed in the center of it, then the Papabokor acts it by sounding a bell or the tchà tchà (Maraca) reciting invocations and prayers to the mystery or the mysteries that are intended to be summoned.

Multiple veils are often drawn, that is, several connected veils, to spiritually call more entities. As already said, these stealth should be traced with the proper gunpowder.

For the mysteries belonging to the Rada Division white wheat flour (or rice in the case of the mysteries belonging to the Soler Division) it is normally used, for those of the Indian division, white cornmeal is used, for those of the black coffee division mixed with ash, while for the petrò brick powder mixed with guindilla.

The Papabokor then struggled to teach their godchildren in a real a godchildren the composition of the different powders to trace the eve.

VOODOO VEVEDEITY ASSOCIATA DE OGUNOGOUN, DEITY OF THE IRONVEVE DE EZILIEZILI, goddess of love of Damballahdamballah, deity Sarpenteveve de Erzulieerzulie, goddess of the love of Legbalgba, Guardian Deity of Pope Lokopapa Loko, deity of healing and herbalistTable 2: Voodoo symbols and its divinities

Normally, these recipes are reserved for initiates and cannot be disclosed. In daily practice, the previous scheme serves as an example. If in the Haitian voodoo the Vevè are drawn in the center of the houft (temple), in the 21 divisions these designs are normally made directly in front of the altar.

10 Voodoo symbols – Explanation from the VVer

GUDE VAVÉ

The cross is not at all a Christian cross. Mark the crossroads. In the vertical, two V intertwined.

They represent the union of the two sexes that constitute the primitive androgynous. The three steps or degrees in which the cross is planted are those of the initiation.

• The first is that of ordinary life, so it is decorated with work instruments (axes, peaks) and with false.
• The second reproduces the movement set in the air by Açon (sacred rattle manufactured by the priest with a pumpkin and a colored ball grid and snake vertebrae).
• The third degree, the highest, symbolizes the secret that only the best keep among all those who have accessed the priesthood.

Grants the person who possesses the gift of «double vision.»

It is a powerful stealth for its connection with death and beyond.

VEVè of Azaka

Zaka, Oko: is the loa of agriculture, but is generally considered Ghede’s brother. For this reason, Ghede usually enters the ceremonies for Zaka and will go when Zaka has possessed some servants.

Zaka is a simple and friendly farmer, but very respected by the peasants because he is very hardworking. We go to him as a «cousin.» It is there where there is a field. It usually goes barefoot, wears a sack, a straw hat and a pipe in the mouth.

By nature, he is distrustful, exploited, lover of subtleties, and is fearful and resentful of citizens.

His vocal style consists of almost incomprehensible sounds like those of a goat.

He is known for his gossip and «pursuing girls.» He is young and likes to play when he is not working.

There are interesting similarities between the sophisticated Ghede and the rough Azacca, since a younger and less sophisticated brother mimics to the oldest and safest.

Its favorite dishes are those of the field, boiled corn, bread wet in oil and slim of thin intestine with fried fat membranes, raw sugar. Your favorite drink is the white rum and your avocado tree.

Zaka controls the fields and, like the farmers themselves, is very observer of the details.

His Vave is all about life in the field.

Hogou Ferraille’s Vave

Hogou Ferraille, (God of war) which is a kind of Haitian Mars.

If we use the terms of Western symbology, it could be interpreted as follows: the triangle of the base symbolizes the union of the three great rites that have contributed to the formation of voodoo: the Rada rite, the Petro rite and the Congo Ibo rite.

On the mystical plane, this triangle symbolizes the union of Erzulie (spirit of love) with Damballah (spirit symbolized by the snake), under the auspices of Legba (spirit that is invoked first in the ceremonies, is the one that «opens the doors» of the invisible.

Symbolized by a cane and sometimes by a phallus. Thus, the doors will only open to those who possess, at the same time, knowledge and love. The triangle is divided by three triangles marked by three «voltage points.»

The vertical line is the Poteau mitan, the tree of good and evil that goes from earth to heaven. (A post planted in the center of the temple that is generally embedded in a work disc, and then symbolizes, as in India, the phallus, linga, and the work base represents the uterus, Yoni).

On this line you can see three loops that are the ram’s horns, a symbol of fixed thought. Above, a horizontal bar cuts the vertical line. It symbolizes the balance that the initiate must reach, helped by the sentence that rises to the sky and descends (the two curved lines).

In the upper part is the voodoo star that represents IFE, the holy city. The set evokes an anchor whose end would be the horizontal bar. It is the anchor of the ship that makes the initiatory trip, the return to an ideal Africa that saw humanity be born.

Some see it as the ideogram of man (the horizontal bar is the arms and the star the face), since the initiation has no other objective, in short, to make the full man be born, owner of his destiny.

Aizan’s watch

Aizan, the spirit that presides over the initiation, being Mambo himself.

The two and interlaced primitive androgynous whose branches end with the ram’s horns are recognized. The palm leaf with its nerves appears in the central rhombus.

This sheet is for the followers of the voodoo sign of the union of man with nature.

This vevé aims to answer the following questions: how are men linked to the plant order? How are those initiated to the initiatory trunk linked? What is the margin of our free will, margin that should not be exceeded in any way if you want to maintain the balance of the universe?

Erzulie Fredda Dahomey’s

In the center there is a square heart, each square and each inner point represent a force ready to exploit. Above, the voodoo star, then two growing moons and, finally, the LEGBA cane, the solar spirit par excellence.

Thus, love is given by the union of male and female principles, the fusion of water and fire.

The large loops on the sides symbolize the need for balance, so no principle must prevail. At the base of the vevé the horns of the ram are invested, a sign of …