New Orleans: Crescent of Darkness- A Threads of Damocles "A" Universe


	Rada Lwa The Rada Loa are generally the older, more beneficent spirits. They include Legba, Ayizan, Damballa and Ayida-Weddo, Erzulie Freda, and Loco. Their traditional colour is white. Papa Legba Papa Legba is the intermediary between the lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinea, and is believed to speak all human languages. He is always the first and last spirit invoked in any ceremony, because his permission is needed for any communication between mortals and the loa - he opens and closes the doorway. In Haiti, he is the great elocution, the voice of God, as it were. Legba facilitates communication, speech and understanding. In Africa, his counterpart, Eshu, is a god of prophecy and taught humans how to interpret oracles. He usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sprinkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Because of his position as 'gate-keeper' between the worlds of the living and the mysteries he is often identified with Saint Peter who holds a comparable position in Catholic tradition. But he is also depicted in Haiti as St. Lazarus, or St Anthony. Ayizan In Vodoun the priest serves the loa in order to serve man. It is upon the priest that man depends for the means of controlling these cosmic forces, of correcting their errors and failures. Loco and Ayizan, accordingly, are the major healers of the pantheon. The invisible forceswhich come by way of the trees may bring either good fortune or bad. Significantly, it was Loco who discovered how to draw their properties from the trees and to make the best herbal charms against disease; and while Loco thus functions as the doctor who heals and repairs the body in an almost scientific sense, Ayizan protects against malevolent magic, and is the psychic security which is power and health. Loco Loco is a patron of healers and plants , especially trees. He is the husband of Ayizan. Damballa Damballa is one of the most important of all the Lwa. He is associated with snakes. He is also the father of all the rest of the Lwa. His wife is the rainbow serpent Ayida Weddo (he is also married to Erzulie Freda). As a Lwa of the Rada nation he is associated with the color white, and his particular colors are white and silver. Because of his association with snakes, he is sometimes disguised as Moses, who carried a snake on his staff. He is also thought by many to be the same entity of Saint Patrick, known as a snake banisher. Erzulie Freda Erzulie Freda Dahomey, the Rada aspect of Erzulie, is the spirit of love, beauty, jewellery, dancing, luxury and flowers. She wears three wedding bands, one for each husband: Damballa, Agwe and Ogoun. She is often represented by a heart symbol. Her colors are pink, blue, and gold. Coquetish and very fond of beauty and finery, Erzuile Freda is femininity and compassion embodied. She is also often associated with gay men. Ayida-Weddo Ayida-Weddo oversees fertility, rainbows and snakes, and a companion or wife to Damballa.

Rada Lwa

The Rada Loa are generally the older, more beneficent spirits. They include Legba, Ayizan, Damballa and Ayida-Weddo, Erzulie Freda, and Loco. Their traditional colour is white.

Papa Legba

Papa Legba is the intermediary between the lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guinea, and is believed to speak all human languages. He is always the first and last spirit invoked in any ceremony, because his permission is needed for any communication between mortals and the loa - he opens and closes the doorway. In Haiti, he is the great elocution, the voice of God, as it were. Legba facilitates communication, speech and understanding. In Africa, his counterpart, Eshu, is a god of prophecy and taught humans how to interpret oracles.

He usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sprinkling water. The dog is sacred to him. Because of his position as 'gate-keeper' between the worlds of the living and the mysteries he is often identified with Saint Peter who holds a comparable position in Catholic tradition. But he is also depicted in Haiti as St. Lazarus, or St Anthony.

Ayizan

In Vodoun the priest serves the loa in order to serve man. It is upon the priest that man depends for the means of controlling these cosmic forces, of correcting their errors and failures. Loco and Ayizan, accordingly, are the major healers of the pantheon. The invisible forceswhich come by way of the trees may bring either good fortune or bad. Significantly, it was Loco who discovered how to draw their properties from the trees and to make the best herbal charms against disease; and while Loco thus functions as the doctor who heals and repairs the body in an almost scientific sense, Ayizan protects against malevolent magic, and is the psychic security which is power and health.

Loco

Loco is a patron of healers and plants , especially trees. He is the husband of Ayizan.

Damballa

Damballa is one of the most important of all the Lwa. He is associated with snakes. He is also the father of all the rest of the Lwa. His wife is the rainbow serpent Ayida Weddo (he is also married to Erzulie Freda). As a Lwa of the Rada nation he is associated with the color white, and his particular colors are white and silver.

Because of his association with snakes, he is sometimes disguised as Moses, who carried a snake on his staff.

He is also thought by many to be the same entity of Saint Patrick, known as a snake banisher.

Erzulie Freda

Erzulie Freda Dahomey, the Rada aspect of Erzulie, is the spirit of love, beauty, jewellery, dancing, luxury and flowers. She wears three wedding bands, one for each husband: Damballa, Agwe and Ogoun. She is often represented by a heart symbol. Her colors are pink, blue, and gold. Coquetish and very fond of beauty and finery, Erzuile Freda is femininity and compassion embodied. She is also often associated with gay men.

Ayida-Weddo

Ayida-Weddo oversees fertility, rainbows and snakes, and a companion or wife to Damballa.