Peace be with you, my friends!  I hope you are staying warm where you are.  Here is seems like an endless winter, but I do know that Spring is on the way, especially since next week is the last week of the Carnival season with Ash Wednesday falling on the 22nd.  I wanted to share briefly some information about one of my favorite lwa, Maman Brigitte. 

Maman Brigitte has her origins not in Africa or Haiti, but in Scotland!

Below are some statistics on Brigitte and I would be happy to perform a service to this powerful Queen on the Spirit World on your behalf for teach you to perform one at home.  She is extremely powerful and showers blessings and protections on those who are devoted to her.

Origins: Haiti.  She is the Haitian manifestation of the Celtic goddess Brigid brought to Haiti by indentured servants from Ireland and Scotland in the 1700’s-1800’s.

Offerings: Tobacco, rum, kleren (a drink make by steeping hot chili pepper and black pepper corns in rum) black hens.

Sacred Place: The cemetery.  She is the Queen of the Cemetery and consort of Baron Samedi, the gatekeeper of the cemetery.

Catholic Counterpart: Loosely associated with St. Brigid, although she is rarely if ever invoked under this image.  She is often depicted as a white woman and she is believed to be a powerful witch.

General Observations: Maman Brigitte is a particularly important lwa for many reasons, not the least of which being that she demonstrates the absorbing of other cultures’ beliefs into Vaudou and also the strong feminine ideal of the religion.  The most peculiar aspect of this lwa is her physical appearance, as she is portrayed and a fierce, bold white woman in charge of her own destiny.  Her Caucasian appearance is due to the fact that she has her origins not in Africa or Haiti, but in Scotland!  As state above, Brigitte is in fact the Caribbean manifestation of the Celtic goddess.   Maman Brigitte is the wife of Baron Samedi and the grave of the first woman buried in a cemetery is consecrated to her and she is also believed to protect all the graves in the cemetery that are properly marked with a cross.  Brigitte is a strong, aggressive and protective female spirit who often punishes those who disrespect the dead and fail to give them a proper burial; she is invoked for luck in gambling as well as to punish an enemy  In matters  of love, she understands the importance having a stable partner who will treat you with respect.  She is often call about my women to prevent their husbands from cheating.

I hope you have enjoyed learning about this particular Voodoo spirit.  Until next time, I wish you peace, love and the sweetest of blessings!