All about history book of myths and legends. ( PDFDrive )

Ghede was an ancient Haitian god of love, sex,

and fertility. In Haitian voodoo, Ghede is the

god of death, as well as the name for a group of

spirits who represent both death and fertility.

The concept of the “loa” is essential to voodoo

culture. The loa are important ancestral spirits

who symbolize and influence specific aspects

of the natural world. They include the spirit

known as Baron, who, according to different

voodoo traditions, is either the leader of the

spirits or an aspect of Ghede. All these spirits

are the focus of a number of Haitian beliefs

and rituals concerning the opposite – but

linked – themes of death and sexuality.

Ghede

THE CARIBBEAN

GHEDE AND SEXUALITY

As a spirit of sexuality, Ghede regards sex as something

inevitable, not a matter of good or evil. He has a rapacious

sexual appetite, which is mirrored by a healthy craving

for food and alcohol, aspects of his character that serve

to emphasize the earthy and high-living side of this spirit.

Ghede likes to engage in explicit sexual conversation, and

holds up for ridicule or embarrassment those people who

try to suppress their sexual feelings, or who generally tend

to adopt a repressed attitude to sex. He frequently

makes erotic jokes and flaunts his sexuality without any

inhibition. He is also an embodiment of resurrection and

life energy, hence he has potent healing powers, which

are believed to be especially efective on children. The

sophisticated and stylish Ghede is closely linked to his

bumbling, peasant-like younger brother, Azacca, the spirit

of agriculture and the patron of farmers,

whose ceremonies he often attends.

Followers of Ghede

Ghede is believed to enjoy dancing, and his dance is fast and expressive.

During festivals held in Ghede’s honour, such as the Day of the Dead, his

followers dance in abandon, often swept up into an ecstatic trance.

Black rooster, symbol of Ghede’s consort

Ghede is a spirit of death and fertility, and offerings to the god

include black roosters, candles, miniature coffins, and sequined

bottles containing rum. The black rooster is also one of the

symbols of Maman Brigitte, who is Ghede’s consort.

Maman Brigitte’s sign

Like Ghede, Maman Brigitte has a strong sexual

appetite. In voodoo rituals, designs known as vevers

are drawn on the earth to invoke the gods. Maman

Brigitte’s vever incorporates a heart and crosses.

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