Angels in the Mirror: Vodou Music of Haiti

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“The word ‘Vodou’ refers to a series of centuries-old traditions—a world view—shared by the majority of people living in the island nation of Haiti. Vodou is originally a Fon word, from the language of the African kingdom of Dahomey (now Benin). The word, meaning ‘spirit’ or ‘deity,’ has recently come to refer to the many aspects of Haitian culture related to the spiritual world.

“In the most precise sense of the word, Vodou refers to certain rituals for one ‘family’ of spirits. In a larger sense, Vodou refers to the Haitian religion. But most broadly, Vodou is a Haitian way of life that encompasses religion, philosophy, social relations, healing, psychology, justice, ethics and the arts…

“Vodou initiates sing chante lwa, or ‘songs for the spirits,’ to invite the spirits to come to the ceremony and enjoy the offerings of food, music and dance. Vodou singing uses a call-and-response format, with a song leader and a choir….

“Most songs are traditional, but occasionally new songs are composed. Often the spirits themselves, the lwa, reveal new songs to initiates in dreams, or when they possess people during a ceremony. Although most songs are in Haitian Creole, many contain langaj—African words whose exact meaning is no longer known. Proverbs from the vast repertoire of Haitian folk sayings sometimes show up as well.

“The themes, attitudes and emotional content of the song texts reflect the circumstances that gave birth to Vodou. There are frequent references to conflict, betrayal, persecution, slavery and war…

“Songs are an important vehicle for conveying religious and historical knowledge to the young, instructing and cautioning the naïve about dangers of the world while teaching about the personalities and powers of the lwa.”

“There is some diversity in the way religious communities come together, and we hope we have represented that diversity on this album. The tracks from Port-au-Prince’s Sociéte Jour M’alongé Fòc Nan Point Dieu Devant are from an ounfò, a formally organized Vodou temple or congregation led by a priest or priestess who initiates people to be his or her spiritual ‘children.’ But in the countryside, spiritual life is integrated into the extended family, so an entire compound of relatives is tied together by the spirits who watch over them. This kind of compound is called a lakou, and here you can listen to music from the Lakou Badjo, or ‘Badjo compound.’"

"The Vodou spirits may request other sorts of music, like a mennwat or a rara. Premye Nimewo performs the mennwat (derived from the minuet) on this album at a Vodou ceremony to ‘entertain the spirit.’ The rara music heard is performed on the streets and mountains during Lent. Mapou Fò is a Kongo society—a group that hires itself out to play ceremonies or banboch, secular parties. Djakata, a different sort of ensemble, performs Vodou songs on the stage. Each group plays music for the spirits in different social settings—an array of contexts for singing to the angels in the mirror”--Elizabeth McAlister and Y.-M. David Yih, Co-Producers