Changes OF MISFORTUNE : The Case of Vodun

Presentation Transcript

Changes OF MISFORTUNE : The Case of Vodun's Ezili January 22, 2001

But first… please: sign the participation sheet put on your unofficial ID on the off chance that you require a syllabus as well as guide-sheet for Wed., get from me after class First fragment paper subjects disseminated on Wednesday Add-ons: see me at end of class please have perusing finished by Wed.

Part I Features of Ezili Spirits of ladies

La Sirenne A mermaid Lives in the two seas: the material one and the place of the dead Governs the move from life to death to life once more

La Sirenne

Ezili Danto Manifests as dim cleaned mother holding a tyke Becomes introduce in pictures of the dark Virgin Mary Loving and delicate Fiercely defensive Not a virgin: has different spouses and brings forth numerous kids

Ezili Danto in real life Helps moms satisfy their part pushes moms to sustain their youngsters better pushes moms to determine clashes with children and girls

Ezili Freda Light-cleaned, charming, bejeweled. Love and sentiment Weeps effortlessly offerings made not in sea but rather in waterways shows in the picture of Maria Dolorosa del Monte Calvario

Ezili Freda

Ezili Freda in real life Helps ladies manage dangerous sweethearts or mates Counsels love, persistence, beautifying agents, adore enchantment Pressures male accomplices

The "veve" of ezilia freda a heart speared on a sword flooding love blended with the agony of treachery

Part II: Levels of Anthropological Interpretation

Transformations of West african conviction, 1 La Sirenne confidence in ocean goddesses regular in West Africa, to whom offerings of blossoms are made Water viewed in West Africa as a site/wellspring of change Girls get to be ladies in the Mamy Water custom through submersion in waters

Mamy Water custom

Transformations of West African conviction, 2 Ezili Freda Oshun of Yoruba convention a princess (crown) a flirt (adornments) a partner, not a mother (relationship with sweet, not salt, water)

Interpretation The African convictions molded the substance of the vodou convictions Staying mindful of the African starting points of the convictions sustains pleased feeling of gathering personality - critical as an approach to keep up respect under bondage and now to keep up self-regard in current world

Transformations of history, 1 Lasyrenn Beckons the living to go to her in the colossal watery place called Ginen, abode of the meandering "bonanj" What does "Ginen" mean? Come back to Ginen connected with learning, recuperating, resurrection, freedom the souls of the dead advantage from the meandering souls: their affection for flexibility ladies prepared as healers in Ginen

La Sirenne and slaving ships Looks like the carvings on the fronts of slaving boats.

Interpretation La Sirenne gives a route (from semi-cognizant to oblivious) to adapt to the aggregate injury of the Middle Passage: by changing this staggering authentic experience into wellspring of quality and importance

Transformations of history, 2: Ezili Danto Also known as "Ezili Je Wouj": Ezili of the Red Eyes (of wrath) A Petro soul: flies effectively into a fierceness Scars on her cheek: some recount story of fight against white slaveowners No tongue: cut out on the off chance that she fell detainee

Interpretation Ezili Danto epitomizes at a semi-or oblivious level the injury of servitude and the chronicled reaction to it: seethe against subjugation (her fury) the recorded experience of ascending in the Haitian Revolution (her scars) the disappointment of that Revolution to accomplish full freedom (her failure to talk)

Transformations of history, 3: Ezili Freda Ezili Danto is dull; Ezilia Freda is light; Ezili Danto knows no extravagance; Ezilia Freda inundates herself in it; Ezilia Danto revolts and is loaded with outrage; Ezili Freda wishes to please and climb on the planet

Interpretation The figure of Ezili Freda permits the declaration of the aggregate mental issue of the light-cleaned Haitian lady (mulattas) acquired from the historical backdrop of bondage: needs to be isolated and particular from dark cousins knows down profound that such partition is outlandish, thus feels always baffled and envious