>Lave Tet Ceremony, July 2008

I am a very fortunate person - although I can't describe the lave tet service from the point of view of a person receiving the ceremony, one of the participants in the lave tet service in New Orleans last week has done just exactly that!

Roots Without End Society initiate Mambo Pat Scheu, who is the leader of an Old Craft group called The Lodge of the Walker as well, is a very interesting woman with a wonderful vibe. She and her husband, also a positive and pleasant individual, both had the lave tet, and here is her account of the experience, reproduced with her permission:

In honor of God, the ancestors and the Lwa, I bring peace.

I wanted to give you all a quick review of the work I experienced in New Orleans this past weekend. I was one of the fortunate folks who participated in the Lave Tet with the Roots Without End Society and I must tell you, the experience was sublime.

We gathered at the New Orleans Historic Voodoo Museum Annex on North Peters street Friday morning. Houngan Dave from Syracuse was on hand to act as our unofficial greeter, and Mambo Racine as well, with big hugs and a gorgeous smile! We gathered as a group for our morning brew, then trooped next door, for our readings. Mambo graciously brought each of us a our own macoute bag from Haiti (Merci Mambo!) and a bottle of herbal tonic from Medsen Fey LouLou Prince (Merci mon Frere!). Then Mambo gave us a lecture on Haiti, voodoo as it's practiced there, traveling to Haiti, what the Society is and does in Haiti - just a great get-to-know ya kind of chat. We all asked questions, and got warm repsonses. Then Mambo settled down to do a reading for our individual Met Tet. (Having come home, I am building an altar to my met tet, but I digress!)

Friday evening, the seven Lave Tet folks, along with Mambo, Houngan Dave and Houngan Steve, and about twenty-five other folks, all gathered at the museum for the Ezili Freda/Damballah service. We all brought pink champagne, white cake with pink icing, pink bead bracelets, pink scarves, images of the Mater Dolorosa, bottles of anisette for Damballah, white eggs and white corn meal. It made a great altar display.

Clarence Smith graced us with his wonderful, energic drumming, and Hougan Steve Denny officiated with Mambo, as he serves Dambala.

He must serve well, for Dambala made an appearance in Hougan Steve's head, as well as another person in the audience. Then, we started singing for Ezili, and she came on very quickly.

She was really in the mood to party! She asked me to serve cake, asked the Houngans to serve the champagne, danced with all the men, then danced with the women, then danced with the men again!

When Mambo returned later on, she was stunned to see about all these folks up gyrating to the drums and singing at the top of our lungs! (Mambo, you should have seen the look on your face! We all laughed, but we were having a great time!)

That evening, we shut down North Peters Street, because the next day, we had to be up and at the museum early - for Lave Tet! Again, Mambo was assisted by Hougan Dave and Hougan Steve. We had seven different baths, each one dedicated to a different lwa. As each bath was brought out to the group, the scent of the water and herbs was divine. Merci beaucoup LouLou - you're work is fabulous to behold!!

And - when the bath for Ogoun was prepped, he zoomed into Mambo's head like a rocket! Clanging his machetes and shouting for his colors and his rum, he was ready to work! He sprayed us all with rum, then vigorously doused us with his bath, and then someone in the back said something -- I did not catch it, but Ogoun did. He yelled, "So, you don't think it's me! Watch!" and with that, he place the sharp tip of a machete against his waist, and bent the blade in half!!

The lave tet folks sat stunned - I was shocked into stillness! His arm quivered with the effort of bending the metal - What a sight! "So there," he yelled - "Nothing can harm me!" Throwing down the machetes, he grabbed his rum, drained half the bottle, saluted the group and left!

Poor Mambo! She was left sitting on the floor, and looked totally blitz-krieged by the lwa! What a sight - Ogun rocked the house, let me tell you!

After Ogun departed, we slowed a little with a bath for La Sirene. Mambo lovingly gave us all our dousing, letting us smell the heavenly mixture she poured over our heads. Houngan Steve's big warm hands held the water out of our eyes - it felt like our Mom and Dad were holding us as they poured water and sang.

As the bath finished, I found myself in tears, along with about three others. We all grabbed one another and sobbed for five minutes - it was such a release. By this time, I felt like I was running in my seat. My internal motor was revved up and yet, I felt light, airy and very wet all over!

Our final song was started, and we were sent one at a time to the bathroom, to change into our white clothes. A small sacred space had been made out of the card reading room, and it's floor covered with clean white sheets. We all lay down, and Houngan Dave covered us in another clean white sheet. Mambo lit a white candle, said her prayers over us, and left us to rest.

As I lay down, I felt myself slipping in and out of conciousness. I wasn't sleepy, so I know I wasn't dreaming. But the effect of the baths, the sensory depravation of the all white room, the smell of the perfumes and washes, the warmth of the bodies of my fellow Lave Tet participants next to me induced a kind of trance. At one point, I thought I had moved into the outer room - I could even see the sacred spcae behind me -- but the image slipped away, and I was back in the nest with my brothers and sisters. I felt safe, secure and very, very clean!

With lots of hugs (and not a few tears), we all said our good byes and departed that afternoon. Mambo, your initiates do you proud. Houngan Steve and Houngan Dave were generous with information, kind in their directions, gentle with all of us in our lack of knowledge, and loving in their service to the Lwa.

Houngan Steve, rock on brother - when ever you're in New Orleans, Houngan Steve holds open service at a variety of locations, email him for more information. Hougan Dave, your soul shines forth from your smile and your eyes.

I give thanks to the Lwa for leading me to your heart. If these men are any example of the work done initiating folks into the Roots Without End Society, all I can say is -- save your pennies and get your body to Haiti. I know Don and I will be there in January. [Note - Mambo Pat and Houngan Don did come to Haiti that January - that's why they are now Mambo and Houngan!] For those lucky ones heading there in July, I ask the lwa to speed your journey toward the beauty that lays in waiting. Cherie Mambo Racine, Houngan Steve, Houngan Dave and Medsen Fey LouLou, Merci Beaucoup for such an extraordinary experience. My days are longer without your presence.

I will serve to the best of my knowledge, until we meet again.

Love, Honor and Respect to you all,

Pat and Don Scheu

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