Notes on Visit to Fowler Museum for Haiti/Voodoo Exhibit

UCLA may 23, 1996

1) History
Aristide is known as "Titid"
U.S. Marines invaded in 1915. Why? Also in 1994.
'57 '86 Papa and Baby Doc B. Doc's sex?
"Bizarre religuous appropriations" of Dulaliers
'35, '41-'42 - Catholic, U.S. Army 'anti-superstition raids'
'15-'34 Charlemagne Peralte led 15,000 Cacos against U.S. Marines, Peralte was captured and killed--now hero.
Haitian Independence 1-1-1804 White ripped from French flag; the tittied tree; 3-headed negro ghost
Cermony at Bois Caiman (wood of crocs
Taino Indian before Columbus; slaves/birth of Creole
1697 - French got sugar, coffee, cotton
Slave poulation grew from few thou to 1/2 mil
Runaway slaves in 1791 - 1st act of Revolution; 13 yrs later, rebels drove off French; Haiti 1801 - First ever slave revolt to create a nation, only free equal in New World
World's first black republic - only one in Hemisphere - all citizens free; scorn and fear from Europe
Creole born
ruled by whip - runaway slaves called maroons

2)Spirits (Iwa)
Religion of tolerance? Land of Mountains
Woman in Blue- holy
Snake erupts from mouth in woman's chest w/rat-head, pig sacrifice
Papa Legba - invoked at beginnings of all ceremonies
Marasa - spirit of freaky kids
Lasiren - mermaid - seductress -lures offenders, rewards servants
Ezili Danto smokes unfiltered Camels - Madonna
Bosou - three-horned bull - body guard
Gran Bwa - Lord of deep forest healing, initiation
Ogou - St. Jacques - justice, hot temper, dominion over iron

Azaka - farming Ague- Sailors
Ezili Freda - goddess of love and luxury, flirtations, light-skinned, adores jewels, perfume, lace, love
she seeks, is forever unrequited, causes her to weep - heart pierced knife, sweet syrupy drinks,
grenadine, cinamon milk, fried bananas, Virginia Slims
Ayido Wedo- Rainbow wife Danbala=St. Patrick

Gede & Baron - family of raucous spirtis - personify dead, sexual regeneration, dress in black & purple, Masonic garb, graveyard imagery, sunglasses, shameless trixter, loves kids, Fri. & Mon. Days of Dead

3)Artifacts

Parade - Lead colorful iron cross, dagger cross w/ hands
Funky drums w/ faces peering out to summon spirit repositories

Veve - cosmographic signs

Fon, Kongo } Kingdoms in Central Africa
The crossroads=crucifix Kongo philosophy
Bottles w/ dolls Twins=sacred
Drawing Vere on sidewalk
sequined flags
Djab= Devil, Bizango - dark hand of magic

Masonry
Iron
Doll-head construct
Pig dogs tossing
Vodou temple [division sing circled] peristyle bodies
Ounfo eyes slexe
Drums/chants hands nailed
poto milan - central pillar - divining rod to walls
oungan - priest manbo- priestess
offering liquor, jewelry vpdevrouing cigs
face paint altars full of art, soap, stuff
Bizango - intimates
[a drawing of a black hat over glasses with one black lens ans one clear] -gede [a drawing of a skull and crossbones]