This Voudou ritual, is specifically
designed to summon the protection of the spirit
world against the devastating hurricanes that
often plough in from the Gulf of Mexico, it
is dedicated to the Catholic Lady of Prompt
Succor and to Ezili Danto, the Vodoun Loa
of Storms and Passion.
Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman begins
each ritual with a description of the powers
of each intercessor describing how, in years
past, the Catholic priests of local churches
adjacent to the Mississippi River would bring
out a blessed statue of Our Lady of Prompt
Succor to literally face down the threatening
hurricane and turn it in its path, keeping
the city safe.
Ezili Danto, on the other hand,
is delighted by storms and the mayhem they
can cause, however, if she is appeased with
offerings and ritual, she will divert the
storm's fury and protect those who acknowledge
her power .Neither intercessor should be taken
lightly, says Manbo Sallie Ann, and especially
if Danto is called it is wise to leave her
offerings in thanks for her appearance and
her continued protection.
The crowds of 80 plus gathered
this night at the corner of Piety and Burgundy
streets, With them they have brought a hodgepodge
of significant offerings: white candles and
flowers for the Holy Mother, and to adorn
her Vodou Altar, red candles and brightly
dressed dolls for Danto. Nearly everyone has
donned the appropriate white and red colors.
Manbo Sallie Ann and her devotees
begin the ceremony by calling first upon Ellegua,
or Papa Legba as he is affectionately called
in the old Kreyol, to meet them at the crossroads
between the worlds and to open the way that
they may celebrate and honor the intercessors
in both the physical and spirit worlds. A
mock battle between the emissaries of the
spirit world and the Manbo ends in the Mambo's
victory and for a brief time she becomes the
bridge between the worlds.
Once this is achieved Manbo
Sallie Ann makes offerings to the spirits
and the intercessors, while her devotees sing
and drum up the power of Vodoun. Soon all
begin to sway and respond to the call of "Ayibobo!"
which roughly means "Amen!" in the
old Kreyol tongue. Offerings are presented
to the intercessors by all the Manbo's devotees
and then the audience is asked to come forward
with their personal offerings. These are placed
upon the altars while the drummers continue
to the drum up the power of the two worlds.
Following this, Manbo Sallie
Ann bends down to the ground where she begins
to draw in corn meal the intricate and powerful
"veve" -- the otherworldly symbol
that in this world is the mirror of the power
of the spirit world. As she draws, pinching
out the corn meal, her devotees will sing
and circulate bottles of blessed water in
which the audience is invited to wash their
hands.
Once the veve is drawn the ceremony
begins in earnest to summon the intercessors
to accept the offerings and bless the devotees.
This is the part that nearly
everyone associates with voodoo ceremonies,
where devotees and unsuspecting spectators
alike become possessed by the power of the
spirit world and begin to whirl and gyrate
to the maddening drums. This night, several
people succumb to the power of the Lwa's,
dancing wildly and collapsing into the arms
of friends nearby .Pigeons are released, set
free to call to the spirit intercessors to
come down from the lofty heights and join
the passion of their servants. And this hot
July night in the Bywater of Old New Orleans
is no exception.
The ceremony concludes with
a "cool down" period of gentle drumming
and friendly conversation as amazed spectators
disperse into little cells to talk or assemble
to meet the Mambo herself.
Manbo Sallie Ann has performed
this ceremony each July for the last seven
years and in all that time New Orleans has
been spared the devastation of a major storm.
Although in September of 1998 the city came
close to being overrun by hurricane Georges,
and was even evacuated because of the certainty
of the storm's course, at the last moment
Georges turned away from New Orleans and ploughed
into the nearby Mississippi Gulf Coast instead.
When asked if she thinks Our
Lady of Prompt Succor or Ezili Danto had anything
to do with this, Manbo only smiles.
Anyone who has experienced
the passion and zeal of this Vodoun Hurricane
Protection rite would have no doubt whatsoever
that there's something to it. Mambo Sallie
Ann's next scheduled event is a ritual ceremony
on El Dia de los Muertos to honor the dead
and the souls of those departed ancestors
we would like to recall.This event is by reservation
only. For more information, please contact
Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman at Island of Salvation
Botanica. Her Website address is http://www.feyvodou.com/
