Lwa - Maman Brigitte

[Stormwt]

I did a search and couldn't find anything under lwa or loa so I thought I'd ask.

I do not follow Vodou and don't know a lot about it - after learning some more about it recently I find myself very drawn to Maman Brigitte for some reason - and in a lot of ways.

I'm interested in the links between Maman Brigitte and Brigid. (I know the Haitian song says about her coming over the water from England.)

Can any0ne recommend any reliable resources regarding this and the Lwa (obviously I would do well to learn more about the Lwa in general as well)

ta

x

[David19]

I don't know too much about the Lwa, but you might want to put this or get it moved into the Gods & Goddesses forum.

You might want to check out Mambo Racine's Vodou site (http://members.aol.com/racine125/index1.html), especially the section on the Lwa (http://members.aol.com/racine125/vleson3.html)

There's also this section called 'Dark Goddesses in Vodou' (http://members.aol.com/racine125/goddess.html)

There's also this site, Lwa - Maman Brigitte (http://osdir.com/ml/culture.religion.voodoo/2003-06/msg00036.html)

BBC - An Introduction to Vodou
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A1019666)

Ghede and Maman Brigitte (http://www.geocities.com/beargomke/Ghede.html)

You might get some good info from this livejournal of Afro-Caribean religions (http://community.livejournal.com/orishaloa/)

Also, you might want to join this yahoo group, run by Mambo Racine, it's called Mambo Racines Vodou Forum (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mambo_Racines_Vodou_Forum/?yguid=217809376), there's quite a few cool people there, who should be able to help you.

Also, in case she doesn't post here or misses this thread, you may want to PM Shalaye Sabariego, she's a very knowledgable Hoodoo practicioner, and I think she knows quite a bit about the Lwa.

Hope this is of some help.

[BlackLili]

Maman Brigette is the Queen of the Cemetery, alongside the Baron. She is the oldest female buried in the cemetery and looks after the souls who come there, like the Baron. She is the definition of "tough love" as far as I've heard. My own interactions with her have been more gentle than I would have expected.

As for her link to Brighid of the Isles (whichever Isle you choose, Brittany, GB, Ireland, Wales, etc) it's damn hard to nail down a whole lot of provenance of the lwas at times. For many, they correspond with the African deities, usually Yoruban and Dahomey, and several others primarily. The correspondence of Saints-to-Lwas is harder to define because they came from a more varied source - the Missionaries. In Haiti specifically, the Christian Missionaries had a more limited success than in other areas, which led to a mix of more Voudon than Christianity ultimately, but the people absorbed what the Missionaries brought them and imbued them with their own power.

There are several parallels between Brighid and Maman Brigette that we can draw, but they have evolved into very different entities who are definitely not the same anymore. They are both caregivers; Brighid with her healing traits and Brigette as she watches over the souls in her yard. On a grander scale, both are considered to be Mother archetypes, but they could be said to be two sides of that same coin. Where Brighid might make you a cuppa tea and snuggle you to show her love, Maman Brigette might have you wash the dishes or the floor so you remember how good you've got it. ;)

She is a fascinating personality, and very worth studying. Let us know how it goes for you!

[Stormwt]

I don't know too much about the Lwa, but you might want to put this or get it moved into the Gods & Goddesses forum.

You might want to check out Mambo Racine's Vodou site (http://members.aol.com/racine125/index1.html), especially the section on the Lwa (http://members.aol.com/racine125/vleson3.html)

There's also this section called 'Dark Goddesses in Vodou' (http://members.aol.com/racine125/goddess.html)

There's also this site, Lwa - Maman Brigitte (http://osdir.com/ml/culture.religion.voodoo/2003-06/msg00036.html)

BBC - An Introduction to Vodou
(http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A1019666)

Ghede and Maman Brigitte (http://www.geocities.com/beargomke/Ghede.html)

You might get some good info from this livejournal of Afro-Caribean religions (http://community.livejournal.com/orishaloa/)

Also, you might want to join this yahoo group, run by Mambo Racine, it's called Mambo Racines Vodou Forum (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Mambo_Racines_Vodou_Forum/?yguid=217809376), there's quite a few cool people there, who should be able to help you.

Also, in case she doesn't post here or misses this thread, you may want to PM Shalaye Sabariego, she's a very knowledgable Hoodoo practicioner, and I think she knows quite a bit about the Lwa.

Hope this is of some help.

Thankyou. Just so you know - I wasn't sure whether to put it in Gods and Goddesses because Lwa aren't actually gods as such - I didn't want to offend any vodouissants here.

Thanks for your help though - I'll check them out

[Stormwt]

Maman Brigette is the Queen of the Cemetery, alongside the Baron. She is the oldest female buried in the cemetery and looks after the souls who come there, like the Baron. She is the definition of "tough love" as far as I've heard. My own interactions with her have been more gentle than I would have expected.

As for her link to Brighid of the Isles (whichever Isle you choose, Brittany, GB, Ireland, Wales, etc) it's damn hard to nail down a whole lot of provenance of the lwas at times. For many, they correspond with the African deities, usually Yoruban and Dahomey, and several others primarily. The correspondence of Saints-to-Lwas is harder to define because they came from a more varied source - the Missionaries. In Haiti specifically, the Christian Missionaries had a more limited success than in other areas, which led to a mix of more Voudon than Christianity ultimately, but the people absorbed what the Missionaries brought them and imbued them with their own power.

There are several parallels between Brighid and Maman Brigette that we can draw, but they have evolved into very different entities who are definitely not the same anymore. They are both caregivers; Brighid with her healing traits and Brigette as she watches over the souls in her yard. On a grander scale, both are considered to be Mother archetypes, but they could be said to be two sides of that same coin. Where Brighid might make you a cuppa tea and snuggle you to show her love, Maman Brigette might have you wash the dishes or the floor so you remember how good you've got it. ;)

She is a fascinating personality, and very worth studying. Let us know how it goes for you!


Thanks for your help - it's really appreciated.

Just one point - I was told that (specifically in Haiti - not general Vodou) the saints are used to represent different lwa because slaves were forced to be Catholic and could then have statues of the "Saints" on their altars. Is this just part of the reason then?

Is it still a good idea to get to know the other Lwa more intimately rather than just peripheral knowledge do you think? Or could my time be better spent working on a relationship with Maman Brigitte herself? I feel that the Lwa are so closely interlinked this could be very disrespectful.

[Agaliha]

Thankyou. Just so you know - I wasn't sure whether to put it in Gods and Goddesses because Lwa aren't actually gods as such - I didn't want to offend any vodouissants here.


We have Santeria and Vodou threads in G&Gs--many actually (see here (http://mysticwicks.com/showpost.php?p=2194599&postcount=9)) and though they're not deities in the typical sense of the term, I think the threads do fit there. No one's complained before. And really, G&Gs is the closest forum that applies. This area is more so for the path and your thread is more about Maman Brigitte.

I'm going to move it to Gods and Goddesses ;)

[BlackLili]

Thanks for your help - it's really appreciated.

Just one point - I was told that (specifically in Haiti - not general Vodou) the saints are used to represent different lwa because slaves were forced to be Catholic and could then have statues of the "Saints" on their altars. Is this just part of the reason then?
Oh Absolutely. Christianity, especially Catholicism has been forced on the Haitian people for hundreds of years at this point. For a long time, it was not only unacceptable to have any other faith, but the slaves could be beaten and punished for it. When I stated that Christianity didn't have quite the same hold on that area of the world as some other areas, that's me looking at it from an anthropological perspective now. If you visit Haiti today, you will find much Christian symbolism, but very few folks being forced into following that path exclusively anymore. The Haitian voudouissants have developed such a unique, specific strain of Voudon I don't think anyone could reasonably call it Catholicism, although much of it is pulled from there. It was the Missionaries who brought Christianity to Haiti and the slaves there though, so we can thank them for introducing the Saints the way they were.

Is it still a good idea to get to know the other Lwa more intimately rather than just peripheral knowledge do you think? Or could my time be better spent working on a relationship with Maman Brigitte herself? I feel that the Lwa are so closely interlinked this could be very disrespectful.
I always have the opinion that it behooves us to learn as much as we can about the lwa; from what they enjoy to their personalities and their vevès. If we expose ourselves to the lwa as openly as we can, I believe that we increase the opportunity to find our lwa Met Tet.


Good luck and let us know how it goes! I love having other folks to discuss things like this with!

[Agaliha]

Here's an article about her: Maman Brijit (http://www.thaliatook.com/AMGG/mamanbrijit.html)

[Stormwt]

Thanks!!!

I've just moved in to my new place (after months of sofas yay!) So as soon as I get my internet switched on I'll be able to spend more than just 1/2 hr a day (at work) on my research.

Hopefully we can then have more productive discussions! There are some really good directions to go in from what's been posted here.

Thanks thanks thanks!!!

Sid
x

[David19]

Hope you find what you need :).

[BlueMoon13]

I always have the opinion that it behooves us to learn as much as we can about the lwa; from what they enjoy to their personalities and their vevès. If we expose ourselves to the lwa as openly as we can, I believe that we increase the opportunity to find our lwa Met Tet.




I agree, especially because I have found that it is often the case that one's head doesn't belong to who one may have thought it did!

[alwaysfallingup]

Hello! I just wanted to throw something out here...I'm not a Voudoun follower myself, although I think it's a fascinating and wonderful tradition. I do, however, think that you might find more fruit searching for a connection between Maman Brigitte and Brighid by connecting her first to Saint Brigid. Saint Brigid probably would have been easily accessible through Catholicism, and in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Lives (books about) of St. Brigid, she is portrayed as a slave and mother, which would really speak to me, I think, if I was a slave myself. Of course, a lot has been written about the connection between St. Brigid and the Goddess Brighid. I think that maybe you just need to make another step. This is all just speculation on my part, but it might bear looking into.