Associated with death, the dead, as well as sexuality and childbirth.
Baron Samdi is depicted as a skeleton in a black tailcoat and a black top hat (the clothing of a funeral master). Its main symbol is the coffin. The first grave in the new cemetery is dedicated to Baron Samdi. It is believed that the person possessed by Baron Samdi exhibits intemperance in drinking and eating, smoking and sex.
there is one mystical creature, the description of which is similar either to Johnny Depp’s new role, or to Tim Burton’s next idea. This creature wears a top hat and a tuxedo, leans on a cane, smokes strong cigars, drinks rum and joyfully swears at everyone in this and this world. Meet Baron Samedi - manager of the cemetery and the dead. By the way, she loves life and children. Married to Mama Brigid, owner of the cemetery gate.
Such a strange and unusual creature was created by the magic of Voodoo. According to Woodian beliefs, the first grave in the cemetery, if the deceased is male, is dedicated to Baron Samedi. This dead man will become the caretaker of the cemetery, through which the Baron's energy will be transmitted. Also in his department is black magic, so sorcerers who are going to get even with their enemies turn to him. The Baron's help allows the sorcerer to kill the victim at a considerable distance. However, her health must be disrupted beforehand with the Mark of Guede. If everything is done correctly, the victim will be struck by a magical disease that destroys the blood and fills it with the energy of death, the body will slowly mummify and the person will die a painful death. But Baron Samedi is a good assistant not only in black magic. He loves children, so if a child is in danger or seriously ill, Wooddists turn to the Baron. He is always kind to children, although not without a bit of dark humor.
If the Baron becomes the patron of a sorcerer, he receives special powers and abilities. The sorcerer will be able to freely communicate with the dead, relieve people from serious illnesses, and will gain the gift of seeing people’s life spans. Baron Samedi will become a teacher for him, who will show that everything in the world can be treated lightly, sometimes even cynically, the main thing is to learn to value life and accept death.
There are three main families in Vodou - Petro, Rada and Gede. They are very different, interesting in their own way, and, of course, all are very important for the service and practice of Voodoo.
Today I want to talk about the Gede family - intermediaries between the world of the living and the world of the dead.
The main difference between Guyanese and African Voodoo is that the Haitians believe in the rebirth of souls - just as the Indians, the indigenous people of Haiti, did. The Indians believed that after death a person's souls were reborn into bats, birds or spiders and remained there until they were reborn as a human.
And Africans believe that the souls of their ancestors, after death, unite into a certain lump, into some ONE great force. They are generally revered as "ancestors" among whom no one is forgotten. Ancestors possess the knowledge of all generations.
So, Gede is a symbiosis of these beliefs. They are all countless souls. And at the same time, as if one spirit - Papa Gede.
The most famous in the Gede family is Baron Samedi - the patron of cemeteries, guardian of the world of the dead. Oddly enough, this is a very cheerful Loa, who likes to pawn his collar (by the way, the truth of the Baron’s obsession is verified by giving the possessed a bottle of rum infused with 40 “fiery” chili peppers, and the Baron easily consumes this drink), joke (often - vulgar and cynical, but very funny), and, finally, he is a passionate dancer.
Baron Samedi is the unofficial patron of children, whom he loves very much. If the Baron refuses to dig a grave, the person will not die. Also, he hates murderers, rapists, maniacs.
There is an opinion (especially among Voodoo charlatans) that the Baron himself never personally communicates with people, using Gede for these purposes. This is stupidity, since it is the Baron who has the right (the only one of the Loa) to come into the world without the knowledge of Legba, the lord of doors and crossroads.
During Voodoo ceremonies, the Baron wears dark glasses and a hat. Prefers dark, formal suits.
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The Baron is a conductor between the world of the living and the world of the dead, the prince of the cemetery. Usually depicted as a skeleton, dressed in a black tailcoat, top hat, with a cane in his hands and a cigar in his teeth, sometimes dead drunk with a bottle of rum in his arms.
Representing the darker, grimmer aspect of Guede, he himself has many aspects including Baron Cimitiere, Baron la Croix and Baron Criminel. In all his aspects, he appears as a male Loa with a nasal voice, who carries a cane or wand and dresses in black or purple. Having possessed a person, he can spew curses. He is considered the last one to be resorted to in cases of death caused by witchcraft, because even if a witchcraft spell should cause a person to die, if the Baron refuses to "dig a grave", the person will not die.
Baron Samedi, along with his wife Maman Brigitte, is also responsible for the souls of the dead and transforming them into Loa Guede. Baron Samedi can be called upon in case of infertility, he is also a divine judge to whom people can turn.
The grave of the first person buried in any cemetery in Haiti, whether the person participated in Vodou or not, is dedicated to Baron Samedi and a ceremonial cross is placed on it.
In rural areas, families may erect their own cross dedicated to Baron Samedi, and no temple can be completed without installing a Baron Samedi cross.
Baron Samedi can be summoned at any time. He can appear without asking, he is so powerful. He drinks rum in which twenty-one hot peppers have been dipped and which no mere mortal could swallow. His ceremonial food is black coffee, roasted peanuts and bread. He dances wonderfully.
Fet Guede, the Feast of the Ancestors, symbolizes the end of the old year and the beginning of the new, which is similar to the European witchcraft tradition. Whatever a person owes to Baron Samedi, Maman Brigitte or Guede, he must pay by this time
Maman Brigitte, which is quite surprising for Voodoo, is British by origin. It is derived from Brigid or Saint Brigit, the Celtic goddess of poetry, blacksmithing and healing.
Maman Brigitte is the wife of Baron Samedi, Master of the Cemetery and head of all deceased ancestors. The grave of the first woman buried in any cemetery in Haiti is dedicated to Maman Brigitte, and her ceremonial cross is placed at the site. She, just like Baron Samedi, is called upon to “raise the dead,” i.e. to cure and save those who are dying from illness caused by witchcraft.
Maman Brigitte, like Baron Samedi, is a rough-talking Loa who uses a lot of swear words. She drinks hot pepper rum, so hot that a person possessing Loa could never drink it. She dances a very artistic dance, the virtuosity of her dance is amazing.
Maman Brigitte and Baron Samedi are mother and father who transform the souls of the dead into Loa Guede, removing them from the mystical waters where they were without knowing their identity and their name.
She patronizes mothers, children and animals, everyone who is sick and in need, helps incognito in hospitals and clinics, conveys the requests of the dying to the Baron, and simply helps. You can turn to her with almost any request. If you are a kind person, non-greedy, honest, and most importantly - with an excellent sense of humor, since the Baroness loves to laugh - Mama Brigitte will always be on your side. But playing bad jokes with her or deceiving her is very dangerous for life. She is, after all, a black goddess. When angry she can be scared to death. Loves sacrifices in the form of perfumes, flowers and sweets.
By origin, Mama Bridget is an image that very much reminds us of the Celtic Triple Goddess, who embodies Poetry, Blacksmithing and Witchcraft. In the Afro-Caribbean region, it most likely appeared in connection with the penetration of servants sent to Haiti from Scotland and Ireland into the new habitat. And this “origin” did not in any way prevent her from becoming the wife of Baron Same-di (Samdi or Lwa Gede). She can resurrect the dead, delay death, and cure some seemingly incurable diseases caused by outside influence (magic).
Baron Samedi is the loa of death, sex and resurrection in Voodoo. Because these themes represent an essential and universal piece of human interest, he is the most recognizable of the Voodoo spirits.
Baron Samedi wears a glossy black top hat, tailcoat, and sunglasses. Sometimes the nostrils of his nose are plugged with pieces of cotton wool, as was usually done with corpses in Haiti.
The Baron's middle name (Saturday) comes from the drinking and dancing parties held on Saturdays in his honor, and is also rumored to have a connection to Samhain, the Celtic festival of death and darkness. In fact, Baron Samedi seems obliged to take something from the folk beliefs of the Irish servants who worked in the fields alongside African slaves.
Symbols of Baron Samedi.
The Baron's favorite colors are black, white and purple. He was very fond of cigars, rum, peanuts, and black coffee (especially the first two).
Baron Samedi is considered a lover of obscenity and debauchery. Often phallic symbols are his symbols, he is rumored to love attending orgies and seeks all sorts of adventures.
Baron Samedi is a powerful Loa, as the spirits of the dead have great influence on the world of the living. He guards cemeteries, and controls the crossroads between the territory of the living and the dead, and often works with the Pope of Legba. He is also an occasional deceiver, although in general he is known to be usually honest and realistic because there is nothing to hide in death.
Baron Samedi is magic.
Baron Samedi is invoked for protection, removing curses and negative magic, and also gives strength, excitement, and fearlessness. It can help you connect and commune with recently deceased ancestors and the wise spirits of the deceased.
Baron Samedi is very sorry for children and does not like it when they die or get sick, so for questions regarding children, as well as if your existence is on the line between life and death, you can safely contact him. It also protects children from adults who might harm them.
The Baron is married to Maman Brigitte - Maman Brigitte, who seems to be related to the Celtic goddess Bridget (Maman Brigitte is white and even has emerald green eyes).
He and his wife are the heads of the Guede - the spirits of the dead, and often the first man and woman buried in cemeteries become Baron and Bridget for the rites and rituals in that cemetery.
Voodoo is first known for its “loa” - spirit mediators between people and God, fulfilling the will of the priests who call upon them. One of the most popular and famous loa is Baron Saturday (or Samedi, Samdi, Samdi from the French “Saturday” - samedi). His power is embedded in the Major Arcana of the Voodoo Tarot cards, along with other powerful loa.
Baron Samedi is the patron spirit of everything related to death, sexuality and reproduction. Despite the fact that voodoo is an African religious movement, Saturday's appearance is European: a skeleton in a black tailcoat and a black top hat, like an undertaker's, and often with a cigarette or cigar; sometimes depicted with a crutch or cane, a sort of elegant corpse. It follows from this that his symbolism will also be on the theme of death - the symbol of Baron Saturday is the coffin. The first grave in the new cemetery is also dedicated to the Baron if the deceased person was a man. When entering the cemetery, the guest should ask permission to enter from Baron Samedi, and in the future, wandering between the graves, he will be looked after by his minions.
In addition to patronizing everything dead, sexual and giving birth, Baron Saturday “works” as the Master of the astral gates, so through him you can communicate with the spirits of deceased ancestors. True, the Baron should not be confused with the Master of the Family, another loa of the voodoo pantheon - he is death, and this can no longer be something alive. Baron Saturday also loves children in his own way: if something happened to the kids or they were near death, then you should contact Samedi, and perhaps he will ease their suffering.
Known for its parties dressed as dead (or closely related) people and beings, All Saints' Day, celebrated on either October 31st or November 1st, is recognized in Haiti primarily as the feast of the Baron Sabbath. On this day it is customary to openly have fun, but it is worth remembering that the fun of Africans is very different from the fun of the peoples of Europe or America. On this day, it is customary to smoke a lot and drink rum flavored with red pepper (preferably dousing yourself in the process and splashing it on those around you), dance to the point of mind-blowing dizziness, lose all inhibitions and fears - you can think about them tomorrow, but today we are having fun! Baron Saturday may well be present at the festival in honor of himself, which is what the Haitians and Africans are asking him to do.
Baron Samedi, among other things, patronizes thugs and criminals. Baron Saturday is summoned with the help of voodoo magic - special rituals in which it is not necessary to call on the lame Legbe - the Baron is an independent person and can appear on his own, but then this will be disrespect for another spirit, for which one can also pay a hard price. Baron Saturday can open any roads and paths for himself, so it’s a matter of respect and veneration.
It is known that the Baron can inhabit the bodies of people and control the dead, which is also an element of witchcraft. This happens, naturally, very rarely, but a person who has been possessed by Baron Samedi himself tends to swear a lot, drink and smoke endlessly, and also not abstain from any other physical sins, such as adultery.
In conclusion, it is worth noting that Baron Saturday is married to another loa - Mama Bridget. Together with her, they form a kind of parents, Mother and Father, who are between life and absolute death, and their job is to transport the souls of the dead into something more complete, so that they again regain the memory of who they are and what their names are.
Baron Saturday (fr. Baron Samedi)
Day of the week: Saturday.
Colors: Black and White, or Black and Purple. There is only purple.
Area responsible for: Cemeteries, Dead, Black magic, Master of astral gates, Children.
Necklace: Black and White beads are strung one after the other. Those. one black, one white, bring to the required length.
Offerings: Black coffee, Black goat, Black rooster, Roasted peanuts, Vodka infused with 21 peppers, Rum (or good quality moonshine), Cigar.
Symbol: Cross, Skull, coffin, also Cane and Hat (top hat) (clothing of a funeral master)
Marital status: Married to Mama Brigit (owner of the cemetery gate).
Baron is the most important of the spirits of the dead - Gede. Baron Samdi is the first man to die in the capital of Haiti (and at the same time the center of voodoo), Port-au-Prince.
Baron Samedi is the ruler of the cemetery and the dead. The first grave (if the deceased is a man) is dedicated to him. Moreover, this dead person will most likely be the caretaker of the cemetery, and not the Baron himself, but through him the energies of the Baron can freely control other dead ones. The Baron is not responsible for the clan (or deceased ancestors) (since these are separate Spirits), but with his help you can open the gates to their world (Master of the astral gates). He will help you communicate with them and support you if something goes wrong. But he cannot be called the Master of the clan, in the full sense of the word. Baron is the dead, but not the clan.
The Baron wears a top hat, is dressed in a tuxedo, and holds a cane (in some interpretations, a crutch) in his hands. He smokes strong cigars, drinks rum and swears obscenely.
Loves children and life as the second component of death. If a child is dying (or is in mortal danger), then you need to contact the Baron. He is merciful to children. Although sometimes in a very different way.
Also in his department is the so-called “Black” magic.
If a sorcerer wants to cause damage or kill a person, then this question can be addressed to Baron Samedi.
To summon the Baron, a prior invitation to the Legba ritual is not always required, because The Baron can open the doors himself and come. But out of respect for Tradition and Legba himself, Legba must be called first, and then the Baron. This is simply a tribute to the great Orisha. But it is not the Baron’s inability to open roads, especially if the ritual is performed in a cemetery, where he is a full-fledged owner.
It is believed that when crossing the cemetery gates (entering the cemetery territory), you should ask the Baron for permission, because you enter his house. And you will continue to be under the supervision of his charges.
The Baron is not just the guardian of the cemetery (an entity that looks after the dead in a particular cemetery, each cemetery has its own), but through him (like any dead person) the Baron can manifest himself. The Baron is much more than just the dead, he is a very strong Spirit, in whose department is everything that has died and has already outlived its term. Everything connected with death is him.
It is believed that a person possessed by Baron Saturday exhibits intemperance in drinking and eating, smoking and sex.
The height of celebration and worship of the Baron is the national holiday of the Haitians - the Day of the Dead Festival. On this day, crowds of pilgrims gather at his grave. The night before they celebrate and sing in his honor. Everyone smokes and drinks rum flavored with hot pepper, sprinkles the crowd with rum and waits for the descent of the spirit of Baron Saturday. Baron Saturday is considered the patron saint of all bandits and thugs. The cross on the grave of Baron Saturday is not a Christian crucifix, but a sign of a crossroads known in all cultures. He may be wearing a hat or a skull.
The spirit of Baron Saturday descends on someone present - a medium. In addition to the spirit of Baron Saturday, the spirit of the goddess of love Erzili, the spirits of snakes, etc. can descend. A black bull and black goats are sacrificed to Baron Saturday. Their blood is placed in vats in front of the temple altar. Objects of magic are placed on the voodoo altar: chicken legs, tufts of human hair, crosses for Baron Saturday, dolls dedicated to Baron Saturday's wife - Bridget, bottles with magical powers contained in them - perfumes.
The ecstatic states experienced by Vodou initiates while possessed by spirits include visions of “crossing the sea” and “reaching paradise” in an altered state of consciousness, accompanied, like shamanic rituals, by violent leaps. They end with the teeth ritually biting the carotid artery of a live black pig - as during the Cayman Forest oath.
It is believed that the holiday of Baron Saturday is also visited by the living dead - zombies. Fear of zombies is very common among Haitians. The living dead, deprived of their will and obeying the will of the Ungan, are perceived as reality in voodoo. It is alleged that a powder obtained from poisonous fish found off the coast of Haiti is used to turn a person into a zombie. If this powder is blown into a person's face, he falls into a comatose state, so that it is impossible to determine whether he is alive or not. Before sunset on Saturday, the victim, like all the dead in Haiti, is buried. Later, the voodoo priest digs up the grave and unearths his victim. Due to being in the grave, a person becomes a zombie - he loses his memory and becomes completely obedient to the voodoo sorcerer.
Probably, of all the inhabitants of other worlds who have many fans today, the most striking and controversial is the Haitian Baron Samedi(Baron Saturday), nicknamed the owner of cemeteries.
Of course, for this type of activity he could be called a representative of evil spirits, but according to the voodoo cult that gave birth to this creature, the cheerful Baron is considered a restless loa spirit, a mediator between the gods and man. Perhaps this “inconsistency” and his cynical character, coupled with Samedi’s “way of life,” brought him enormous popularity all over the world.
Baron Samedi is depicted as a skeleton or a man in a black tailcoat and a black top hat (the clothing of a funeral master). Its main symbols are the coffin and the cross.
Deny the grave!
It must be said that it is no coincidence that Samedi has been called the patron saint of all churchyards on earth for many centuries. The fact is that this loa has the extraordinary ability to penetrate into the world of people whenever he pleases, while his “colleagues” acquire it thanks to rituals and the “summoning” of black sorcerers. That is why the Baron is entrusted with the responsibility of “transporting” the souls of the deceased to the world of the dead, as well as preparing them for a future birth.
Loa- in the voodoo religion, invisible spirits mediate between God and man, but at the same time they are not deities, but rather an analogue of Christian saints. Endowed with enormous strength and almost unlimited possibilities. Loas play an important role in voodoo rituals and are often associated with the concept of possession.
In Haiti, for centuries, it has been customary to dedicate the first grave of each new cemetery to Samedi, and the person buried in it “automatically” becomes the custodian of this graveyard. A special cross was placed on the grave of this “lucky one”, marking a crossroads.
However, despite the title of master of cemeteries, Samedi, to put it mildly, does not like death. It is believed that a person affected by the most terrible illness can turn to him, and he (if, of course, he is in a good mood) will make the disease recede. That is why in Haiti, when a terminally ill patient suddenly and unexpectedly recovers, they say: “Samedi refused to dig his grave.”
But not many brave souls turn to Samedi with requests. After all, if he believes that they disturbed him in vain or that the person is unworthy of his help, then the Baron will quickly transport the petitioner himself to the world of the dead or tear off his hand. But voodoo experts say that... a cow's leg will help avoid such a fate. Like, if you hold it in your hands, such a “amulet” can make the Baron laugh and he will soften the “prepared” punishment.
But if we are talking about the life and health of small children, then no amulets are needed. It is believed that the Baron loves children very much, and therefore willingly responds to the requests of parents, almost always “refusing to dig a grave” for their sick child.
Test - a glass of rum
Another contradiction of Baron Samedi lies in his inexhaustible love of life. Surprisingly, nothing human is alien to this loa. So, unlike his “colleagues” who prefer to dress up in classic loincloths and ritual beads, the owner of cemeteries dresses in elegant suits and snow-white shirts, his head is adorned with a tall top hat, and Samedi always carries a dandy cane in his hand.
When going to our world, this fashionable loa always puts on elegant dark glasses, which are the highlight of his appearance. In addition to clothes, the Baron has other completely human hobbies and weaknesses - dancing, obscene jokes, three-story curses, and thanks to these passions, the “non-standard” behavior of the owner of the cemeteries sharply distinguishes him from the host of other loa.
But still, over the centuries, Samedi’s “calling card” has been and remains... good expensive cigars, which he does not part with under any circumstances, and strong rum, which he can drink incredible amounts of.
Samedi is also called the patron saint of sexuality and childbirth, and this is not without reason. Although it is believed that the Baron has an “official” wife - Mama Bridget, the owner of the cemeteries is not indifferent to the female sex, as evidenced by his numerous love affairs on the side. If you believe Creole legends, the Baron visits more than 10 beauties during the night, but in the morning he always returns to his faithful wife.
One of the Baron's favorite jokes is to temporarily inhabit the body of some poor fellow. After this, the teetotaler and exemplary family man suddenly, for no apparent reason, suddenly begins to drink buckets of rum and pursue all the surrounding ladies, regardless of their appearance and age.
To make sure that the Loa joker is to blame, the “victim” is given a glass of rum infused with 40 chili peppers to drink. An ordinary person cannot even take a sip of such a “medicine”, but for the Baron it is an excellent drink. However, realizing that he had been “declassified”, Samedi immediately went home.
Zombie creator
It must be said that it is no coincidence that so much is known about the Baron’s passions. There is a legend in Haiti about how Samedi from time to time reincarnates as a mortal man who becomes a powerful voodoo sorcerer. This is how he came to the island of Hispaniola (the former name of Haiti) many centuries ago. While in the body of an African sorcerer, the Baron was sold to a slave trader and set off on his ship to explore new lands.
He also became the first person buried in Port-au-Prince, the capital of the island. Tradition says that along with the sorcerer on that ship was his little son, who could not bear the difficult journey and died during the voyage. However, Samedi managed to preserve the boy's skull, which became a powerful talisman. Only the strongest voodoo sorcerers can own this artifact, as it provides them with a connection with the Baron.
Voodoo researchers believe that the most famous incarnation of Samedi and the owner of his son's skull was President Francois Duvalier, who ruled Haiti for several decades. The former doctor easily seized power in the country in 1957, relying on the Tonton Macoute guard.
In Haiti it was said that these warrior-policemen were nothing more than an army of zombies. The Baron also helped the dictator get rid of his enemies. Having quarreled with Kennedy, Duvalier performed a special ceremony, and he was soon killed.
In Haiti, they believe that Samedi can help even an inexperienced voodoo sorcerer create zombies. To do this, you need to perform a special ritual to catch the soul of a person, then place it in a bottle, on the cork of which the Baron will put a special seal - and a trouble-free, eternal and free worker is ready.
Saturday is a hard day
The day of the owner of cemeteries is Saturday. It is believed that it was she who gave him his name (Samedi translates from Creole as “Saturday”). That is why in Haiti, fans of the cheerful Baron often gather on this day off at the cemetery at the grave dedicated to Samedi and organize a grand celebration.
It begins with abundant sacrifices being made to the Baron - roasted peanuts and corn, strong coffee, red peppers, fresh bread and, of course, rum and cigars. Then the Baron's guests sing ancient songs in his honor, drink strong alcoholic drinks, smoke and glorify the lord of the dead in every possible way.
The climax of the holiday is the fiery dances, the most important of which is considered to be the passionate samba - the Baron's favorite dance. They say that Samedi himself often leaves the other world in order to take part in the holiday. Like, he can’t resist cheerful music, a sea of booze and beautiful dancing Creole girls.
Voodoo fans believe that Saturday is the best day to communicate with the spirits of deceased ancestors. So, if a person has any questions for one of his deceased relatives, then on Saturday evening he should go to the cemetery, make sacrifices to the Baron there and ask him for permission to spend the night at the relative’s grave.
It is believed that a daredevil who is not afraid to carry out such an extreme ritual will not only receive the answer he is looking for, but will also gain protection from dark forces for the rest of his life.
Elena LYAKINA, magazine "Secrets of the 20th Century", No. 41 2017
