Cooking for the lwa requires all sorts of food items! Each lwa has its favorite foods - which could be sweet potatos, coconut, green bananas, rice and beans, militon or any number of other food items. Everything required was provided, and every ritual detail was scrupulously observed.



The men and women of the Roots Without End Society prepared the meat of the sacrificial animals - each lwa requires certain portions, and the remainder is for the consumption of the people in the peristyle.



Houngan Babou and Houngan Luckner were worn out and famished by the effort of the morning ceremonies, and as the evening advanced, they waited glumly for their well-deserved repast.



Mambo Andreli and her daughter, hounsi Ketya, presided over the portions of food reserved for each lwa, and then served the remaining food to the members of the Roots Without End Society and to members of the local community who had come to assist. Nothing was wasted - even the goat skins were saved to make drum heads.



At last every lwa's portion was ready. The traditional "table", a banana rib mat covered with a white sheet, was prepared, and each lwa's food was accompanied by fruit cola. Then all joined hands to invoke the lwa. The lwa came to possess the initiates and eat their food.


To see more photos and text describing the ceremonies, go on to the next page.

For more information on the Vodou religion, see The VODOU Page. Click here to go to the beginning of this photo essay.