The early Native Americans from the Hopewell societies worshiped a horned serpent that lived in the lakes, rivers, falls, and other similar areas. At this point in time my time spent with vodou was minimal, my knowledge of local folklore was pretty good though. I used to attend highschool in the Niagara Region of upstate NY, I would often go to Goat island national park to watch the river, and see the falls. Damballah was one of the first Lwa to make their presence known to me.
Spirits that were brought from West Africa. Damballah Wedo, among many other Lwa like Papa Loko, Sobo, Bade, and so on are called Racine Lwa, or Root Lwa, they represent the lwa that are the foundation of the tradition. No matter who he appears to and how he appears in spirit he is an extremely powerful force that is easy to underestimate. Damballah is often envisioned as a giant white serpent, in some houses he is described as a horned serpent. Waterfalls, Rivers,and giant ancient trees to name a few. Damballah and Ayida Wedo can be addressed in nature in several places. “Damballah Wedo is the cosmic serpent divinity of wisdom, purity, coolness, education, reincarnation, birth rebirth and wealth, his counterpart and wife Ayida Wedo, is about the invisible world becoming visible, second sight, and the female side of the tasks Damballa oversees. Ya Sezi bo Oungan writes of his experience with Damballah: He is commonly represented as a large white horned serpent. His Fet, or Feast Day is March 19th, and so is celebrated very close to St.
The African Diaspora faiths that evolved from the enslavement of their people during French and Spanish colonialism in the U.S., the Caribbean, and Latin America have survived by syncretizing their Spirits with the Catholic saints, so that their religions could be practiced in secrecy.ĭamballah, one of the most beloved of the Lwa in Haitian Vodou is syncretized with Saint Patrick. Aidophedo of the West African Ashanti people, Quetzalcoatl in Central America. The Vision Serpent is a symbol of rebirth in Mayan mythology. In Hinduism the Kundalini is a coiled serpent.
#DAMBALLAH WEDO SKIN#
As snakes shed their skin through sloughing, they are symbols of rebirth, transformation, immortality, and healing. The Ourobouros is a symbol of eternity and continual renewal of life. Historically, serpents and snakes represent fertility or a creative life force. Serpents are and have been powerful icons in cultures across the world throughout the ages. Many people view the image of the serpents being driven out of Ireland as a representation of the destruction of the indigenous faiths.
Those of us who venerate the Old Ways of various cultures such as the Celtic spiritualities and the African Diaspora religions have our own concerns surrounding Saint Patrick. One way to put it into perspective is to imagine how Americans would feel to have a drink named after something like 9/11 - horrible, right? The Irish Car Bomb brings up memories of violence and conflict for many and shouldn’t be ordered in Ireland or anywhere else. it contains Guinness, Bailey’s Irish Cream, and Jameson Irish whiskey. In this day Irish people have battled that image, and are assimilated and make up a large percentage of the American population - yet Irish culture to some is still synonymous with the overindulgence of alcohol.Īside from green beer, there is the also the cocktail known as the Irish Car Bomb. Since the early days of Irish immigration to the United States, one of the most common insults of Irish immigrants is that they were drunks. Images of drunkenness and one dimensional stereotypes are hurtful for people of all cultures.
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