The Herbal Power Workshop with Loulou Prince was exciting and productive! Two men, Irish Houngan Richard and American Houngan Tom Seeber, came to join Loulou Prince and learn more about herbal medicine and magic. This photoessay documents some of the high points of the Herbal Power Workshop.
On the first day of the workshop, Loulou sat with Houngan Richard and Houngan Tom. Houngan Babou stopped by to say hello.
The two young men first learned from Loulou one way to make dlo benit, blessed water, under the patronage of the ancestors. This water is used to clean sacred objects, and also to bathe people. The first dlo benit was a hot one, intended to warm, invigorate and strengthen the two men. We then used the remainder to clean the sacred objects belonging to the ancestors.
Another type of dlo benit was then used to "cool down" the two men. Loulou applied it to them by sprinkling them with a sprig of sweet-smelling basil.
Loulou Prince gave each participant a gift of a decorated bottle to use for herbal infusions, and a djakout, or straw bag, in which to carry their herbs and magical objects.