Terms and Spirit Listing
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Obatala

(DL) Obatala is a sky loa. He is the loa responsible for forming children in the womb. Thus, Obatala is responsible for birth defects. He is also called king of the white cloth, and all his followers wear white. Obatala's favorite food is edible snails.

Ogan

(V.ENC) A musical instrument related to the flattened bells of Africa that is often used in vodou rituals.

Ogantier

(V.ENC) The musician who plays the ogan.

Ogoun (Ogou, Ogu, Ogorin)

(V.ENC) Ogoun is a powerful warrior god who represents all aspects of power, strength, and masculinity, including war, fire, lightning, politics, and metalworking. His color is red, his symbol is the sword, and in the hounfort, he is represented by a perpetual fire with an iron bar stuck in the middle and in ritual by the ku-bha-sah. His Catholic equivalent is St. Jacques. His sacrifices are red roosters and rum poured on the ground and set afire. Those possessed by Ogoun wear red clothing, carry a sword or machete, and smoke cigars.

(SV) The "swordstroke of Ogou" means that the Ogou mystères (loas of fire) or "stellar powers, creators of the intellect" are descended from heaven through a fissure shaped like the female sex organ represented by the planet Venus (Erzulie, in Voodoo). These are the mystères who are "forgers," like the aelohim which descend from the Jewish Aziluth, or like the "Lords of Flame" in Indian mythology. The Ogous in the Voodoo tradition bear the "fire of heaven" or the "luminous fire of Venus" shaped in the forge to represent a short serpent which traverses the planetary earth and sows fire. "Ogou's swordstroke" means also the act of kissing the top of the flagpoles during the course of the ritual Voodoo salutations performed by the flagbearers.

(DL) Ogoun is the traditional warrior figure in Dahomean religion. He is quite similar to Zeus in Greek religion/mythology. As such Ogoun is mighty, powerful, triumphal. In more recent time Ogoun has taken on a new face which is not quite related to his African roots. This is the crafty and powerful political leader. However, this political warrior is much more of an image where struggle is in modern Haiti. Originally, he was the god of blacksmithing; however, now that blacksmithing has become obsolete, he has become the warrior loa. He can give strength through prophecy and magic. It is Ogoun (Ogu) who is said to have planted the idea and led and given power to the slaves to the 1804 revolt and freedom. He is called now to help people obtain a government more responsible to their needs. He is of the Nago loa family. This loa loves the noise of battle itself and this is most likely why he is the voodoo religion's master of lightning and storm. By Nago tradition Shango has these loa duties. Ogu-badagri by voodoo hymn "throws" lightning and thunder. His symbol in the humfo is a sabre stuck in the earth in front of the altar. His past follows him in that "Ogu's forge" is the name given to an iron rod stuck in a brazier which represents him. Ogoun comes to mount people in various aspects of his character, but the people are quite familiar with each of them. Some of these aspects are: Ogoun the wounded warrior. Here he even assumes a Christ-figure pose which the people know well from their Christian associations. As Ogoun Feraille he gives strength to the servitors by slapping them on the thighs or back. As Ogoun Badagris he may lift a person up and carry him or her around to indicate his special attention and patronage. But in all aspects of Ogoun there is the dominant theme of power and militancy. He represents a veteran of the "time of bayonets." His possessions can sometimes be violent. Those mounted by him are known to wash their hands in flaming rum without suffering from it later. They are never given water; they are more like "teased" with water. They dress up in red dolman and French kepi and wave a saber or machete, chew a cigar and demand rum in an old phrase "Gren mwe fret" (my testicles are cold). At times, the loa Ogu interprets Dumballah's messages. If he is properly persuaded, he will protect his petitioners from bullets and weapon wounds. He is covered with iron and immune to fire and bullets. To make him more comfortable the congregation serves him white rum. Ogou's symbol is a piece of iron, which he uses to fight his enemies. He is a respected loa. Ogoun is the deity of fire and "metallurgical elements" and red is his color. Therefore, he likes animals that are red to be offered to him; for example, red or russet pigs or roosters. He likes to be saluted with rum, not with the more traditional water. Often this rum is poured on the ground then lit and the flames pervade the peristyle. The sword, or much more commonly, the machete is his weapon and he often does strange feats of poking himself with it, or even sticking the handle in the ground, then mounting the blade without piercing his skin. The members of this family are great drinkers, but alcohol has no effect on them. Ogoun is identified with St. Jacques, the warrior general, and is often in the guise of a revolutionary war general. He likes cigars and rum. He has a passion for fire and likes the women. He's the spirit of fire and water. His favorite tree is the mango tree. His favorite day is Wednesday.

Ogoun Baba

(V.ENC) The aspect of Ogoun who represents a military general.

Ogoun Badagris

(V.ENC) The aspect of Ogoun who represents the phallus.

Ogou Bhathalah

(SV) Ogou Bhathalah is part of the army of Ogou loas considered in the African tradition as the fathers of alchemy. Bhathalah personifies the "discipline of chaos" because it is he who directs, with the magic wand, the cosmic traffic. Bhathalah "disentangles the roads" by placing himself like a traffic officer, at the magic crossroads.

Ogoun Fer

(V.ENC) The aspect of Ogoun who represents stability, order and authority, particularly in a political sense.

(SV) In Voodoo, Luci-Fer, whose name is also Ogou-Fer, is Venus the morning star. It is called "Bayacou star" because it accompanies the sun each morning to explain the "earthly necessities" or "needs."

Ogoun Feraille

(V.ENC) The aspect of Ogoun who is the patron of blacksmiths and metalworkers.

Ogoun Shango

(V.ENC) The aspect of Ogoun who is the loa of lightning and who is descended form a powerful Nigerian god.

Ogoun Tonnerre

(V.ENC) The aspect of Ogoun who represents thunder.

Ouanga

(V.ENC) A magical charm used by a bokor in malevolent sorcery.