| Adjinakou (Agaou l'éphant) |
The elephant mystère. |
| Adya Houn'tò |
Loa that mounts the drums by a process called "àdya." |
| Agassou (Ati-A-Sou) |
Guardian loa of the Dahomean
traditions. Aspects include Agassou-Allah-Da, Attiassou Yangodor and
Mam'bo Ati-A-Sou. vévé |
| Agwé (Aga-ou, Agoué,
Agoueh) |
Loa of the ocean, ships and boats and patron of seafarers.
Aspects include Agaou Comblé, Agaou-Tonnerre, Agoueh R Oyo
and Agoueh-Tha Oyo. vévé |
| Aida-Wedo (Ayida Wedo, Ayidohwédo) |
Represents the sky powers and symbolized by the rainbow;
wife of Damballah, she shares his function as
cosmic protector and giver of blessing. vévé |
| Ayizan (Grande Ai-Zan, Aizan) |
Patroness of the marketplace. vévé |
| Azaca |
Loa of agriculture. vévé |
| Baron Samedi (Baron Sanmdi,
Samedi) |
Loa of the dead and the cemetery, of the family of Guedé. Aspects include:
-
Baron Cimetière or Maître Cimetière: aspect
of Samedi that is loa of the cemetery.
-
Baron La Croix or La Croix: aspect of Samedi that is loa of the
cross.
|
| Boli Shah |
A family of loa. |
| Bossou Ashadeh |
Loa that was in life King Tegbésou of Dahomey. |
| Boum'ba Maza |
A family of loa. |
| Brigitte (Grande Brigitte,
Madame Brigitte, Mademoiselle Brigitte, Manman Brijit) |
The female guardian of graves and loa of the cemeteries;
sacred trees are the elm and weeping willow. |
| Captain Debas (Deebat, Debard) |
An American mystère. |
| Carrefour (Kalfu,
Maître Carrefour) |
Keeper of the gate between the worlds; the Petro
equivalent to Legba. Aspects include Trois Carrefours,
aspect of Carrefour as three crossroads. |
| Damballah Wedo (Damballah,
Danballah, Danbhalah, the Great Serpent) |
Sky-serpent loa and wise and loving father archetype;
symbolized by the color white and the serpent. vévé
Aspects include:
-
Damballah Grand-Chemin: aspect of Damballah that represents the
highway.
-
Damballah La Flambeau: aspect of Damballah that is the torch,
or pure flame. vévé
-
Other aspects: Damballah To Can, Damballah Yé-Wé and
Grande Obatalah
|
| Dan Wédo (Saint Louis) |
Loa of the King of France. |
| Délai (Maîtresse
Délai) |
Loa who walks with the hountor,
or tambourine player. |
| Dinclinsin |
Loa of European origin feared for his great severity. |
| Erzulie (Ezili, Maîtresse
Erzulie) |
Ideal figure of womanhood; loa of love and beauty. vévé
Aspects include:
-
Erzulie-Séverine-Belle-Femme: aspect of Erzulie as a beautiful
woman.
-
Erzulie Taureau: aspect of Erzulie as the bull.
-
La Belle Femme: aspect of Erzulie as the fair Venus.
-
La Grande Erzulie: aspect of Erzulie as an elderly, grief-stricken
woman.
-
La Sirène or La Sirènn: sea or serpent aspect of Erzulie.
-
Tsilah Wédo: aspect of Erzulie that represents wealth and
beauty.
-
Aspects of Erzulie as vengeance and ugliness: Erzulie Mapiangueh, Erzulie
Toho, Erzulie Zandor and Marinette-Bois Chèche.
-
Other aspects: Erzulie Boum'ba, Erzulie
Dantor, Erzulie Dos-bas, Erzulie Fréda, Erzulie Fréda
Dahomin, Erzulie Gé Rouge and Erzulie Mapian.
|
| Gran Maître (Gran Met) |
The original creator deity. |
| Grans Bwa (Ganga-Bois, Grand
Bois) |
Loa of the forest. Aspects include Grand Bois Mégui.
vévé |
| Guedé (Brav' Ghédé,
Ghédé) |
Loa of the dead, powerful healer and protector of children.
Aspects include:
-
Guedé Cinq Jours Malheureux: aspect of Guedé as loa
of five days' misfortune.
-
Guedé Docteur Piqures: aspect of Guedé as the doctor
hypodermic.
-
Guedé L'orage: aspect of Guedé as the storm.
-
Guedé Morpion: aspect of Guedé as the pick-man of
Guedé Ratalon (below).
-
Guedé Ratalon: aspect of Guedé as the first gravedigger.
-
Guedé Souffrant: aspect of Guedé as the personification
of the suffering Christ.
-
Guedé Z'eclairs: aspect of Guedé as lightning bolts.
-
Other aspects: Guedé Bon Poussière de la Croix, Guedé
Doube, Duedé Fatras, Guedé Mazaca, Guedé Nibho, Guedé
Nibbho or Guedé Nimbo, Guedé Nouvavou, Guedé Ti Clos,
Guedé Ti Puce lan d'l'eau, Guedé Ti Pété, Guedé
Ti Wava and Guedé Vi.
|
| Legba (Papa Legba, Legba Ati-bon) |
One of the principal and most revered of the loa, the guardian
of the center-post and the opener of
the gate to whom first salutation is due in any ceremony. vévé
Aspects include:
-
Maître Ka-Fu: aspect of Legba as master of the crossroads.
-
Other aspects: Ati-G-Bô Legba, Bòcò Legba and
Lihsah Legba.
|
| Loco (Loko Ati-Sou, Loco Atisou) |
Loa of vegetation, to whom trees and the center-post
are sacred. Aspects include Adahi Loko, Adan-hi Loco, Ati-Danhi Ibo
Loko, Loko Adan-he-co and Papa Loco Azam'blo Guidi. |
| Madame Travaux |
Loa also known as Mrs. Works. |
| Mademoiselle Charlotte |
European or Caucasian loa who manifests with the personality
traits of a white woman. |
| Maîtresse Hounon'gon |
Loa that personifies the "place of sound," the chanting
of the canzo. |
| Marassah (Marasa) |
The divine twins. Aspects include:
-
Marassah Bois: aspect of Marassah as twins of the wood.
-
Marassah Bord-de-Mer: aspect of Marassah as twins of the seashore.
-
Marassah Guinin: aspect of Marassah as African twins.
|
| Marie Louise |
A famous mystère
of the Haitian War of Independence. |
| Marinette (Marinette Bois-Chèche, Marinette
Bras-Chêche, Marinette Congo, Marinette Pied-Chêche) |
Powerful and violent principal female loa of the Petro
rite. |
| Mavangou |
A family of mystères. |
| Ogan-Sih-Wedo |
The loa of the ogan. |
| Ogou (Nanchou, Ogoun, Ogu) |
Warrior loa associated with the color red, fire, lightning,
the sword and metal-working. Aspects include:
-
Ogou Baba: aspect of Ogou as a military general.
-
Ogou Badagris: phallic aspect of Ogou.
-
Ogou Bhathalah: aspect of Ogou as loa of alchemy.
-
Ogou Fer or Ogou Ferraille: aspect of Ogou as loa of the sword,
iron and metals; characterized by stability, order and authority. vévé
-
Ogou Shango: aspect of Ogou as loa of lightning.
-
Ogou Tonnerre or Baron Tonnerre: aspect of Ogou as loa of thunder.
-
Other aspects: Ogou Ashadah, Ogou Balisère, Ogou Bha-Da-Gri,
Ogou Bha Lin Dyo, Ogou Bha Tha Lah, Ogou Can-Can Ni Can, Ogou Dan Pethro,
Ogou Palama and Ogou Y-Am-San.
|
| Ossangne Negre Goue-sih Malor |
Loa who is the father of Legba. vévé |
| Ou-An Ilé |
The mother of the Dahomean King Tegbésou
after becoming a mystère. |
| Reine Congo Franc |
Loa of the Queen of the French Congo. |
| Simbi (Sim'bi, Sim'bi d'l'eau) |
The water-snake loa. Aspects include Sim'bi Y-An-Kitha,
Sim'bi Y-An Deh-Zo, Sim'bi Y-An Pha-Ca and Sim-bi Y-An-Po-Lah. vévé |
| Sobo (Grande Sobo) |
The loa of thunder. Aspects include Sobo Quersou. |
| Toro Pethro |
Loa that is the Petro
bull. |