American Voudou: Journey Into a Hidden World (61 page)

Read American Voudou: Journey Into a Hidden World Online

Authors: Rod Davis

Tags: #Body; Mind & Spirit, #General, #Religion, #Ethnic & Tribal, #Social Science, #Ethnic Studies, #African American Studies, #test

 

Page 368
Prendasanteria term for the iron kettle, also called a palo pot, used in palo mayombe for keeping spirits of the dead. Roughly equivalent to the ngánga.
R
Root doctorSouthern term for a practioner of hoodoo or other folk magic. Also known as hoodoo man or hoodoo woman; sometimes as prophet or divine healer.
S
SanteriaAfro-Cuban religion based on a syncretization of voudou and elements of Catholicism, especially the santos, or saints. Also santería.
Santero/aone who practices santeria.
ServiteurHaitian term for vodoun worshiper, one who serves the loa.
Shakereeor shekeré, or acheré, an Afro-Cuban musical instrument consisting of a largish hollow gourd draped in a netting of beads or shells. Sounds similar to a maraca.
Shangopassionate, cigar-smoking orisha associated with thunder and fire; often considered the ''macho" deity. Also Songo, Xangô. Syncretized with St. Barbara and the planet Uranus. Changé in santeria. Especially popular among Cubans.
Spiritual ChurchIndependent charismatic denomination, with elements of Protestant, Catholic and African voudou ritual, found mostly in Louisiana and the South. Not part of the mostly white Spiritualist churches, although there are some past connections.
Superaporcelain soup tureen used to hold, or "feed," the essences of a specific voudou spirit. Sometimes called an awo, or awo pot, meaning a pot holding the mysteries. Govi in Haitian usage.
V
VêveHaitian spirit drawings.

 

Page 369
Vo-duthe word for spirit in the Fon language of Dahomey, now the country of Benin. Roughly interchangeable with orisha.
Voudoupantheistic belief system developed in West Africa and transported to the Americas during the diaspora of the slave trade. Here, used as the generic term for a number of similar African religions which mutated in the Americas, including santeria, candomble, macumbe, obeah, Shango Baptist, etc. Also voodoo, vaudoux, vodou, etc.
Y
Yaguósanteria term for new initiate. From the Yoruba term, iyawo, mother (iya) of the mysteries (awo). In this usage, iya also assumes the inverse meaning of child, or sometimes bride.
Yemonjaorisha of fertility and the seas. Syncretized with Our Lady of Regla, and with the moon. Olokun is the male version. Agwe in Haiti. Yemayá in santeria.
Z
Zombior zombie, a soulless body, originally from Haitian usage.

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