god considered as the town or country protector,
but only on condition that offerings are regularly
given to him. In other words, if not cared for, this
god can be a destroyer, exemplifying thus the
good and evil.Lègbais a professional agitator,
provoker, aggressor, or instigator who is some-
how against the deeds of Providence. He is other-
wise called a trickster god. To avoid falling into
his trap or getting into his troubles, people regu-
larly give offerings to him. Many images of
Lègba, in the form of anthropomorphic figures,
are found throughout a village. These figures are
erected in terra cotta or clay bearing huge wooden
phalluses and, in most cases, with horns on their
heads.- Dan Ayido HuèdoorDan Aidowèdo: the
Vodun of the rainbow, fertility, and wealth. He
serves as the link between Heaven and Earth. - DanorDangbé: the serpent god, whose ancestors
are the pythons. It is famous among theXwéda
ofGléxwéor Ouidah, a historical city in Benin
that houses the most sacred python temple. - Tohossou: the Vodun of the waters and of
monsters. He dwells in lagoons, rivers, and wells. - Hoho VodunorHohovi: the god of the twins
who are worshiped as well. - KinnessiorKinlinsi: the goddess of witchcraft.
Her home is believed to be Abomey-Calavi in
the Republic of Benin. - AtinmèvodunorLokovodun: the god of the trees.
- Zo Vodun: the god of fire.
The Vodun Adepts or the VodunsiIn Fongbe, a Vodunsi is a male or female servant
of Vodun, an adept or initiated follower of the
Vodun religion. Pronounced another way in
Fongbe,Vodunsi is translated as a person who
belongs to and is under full protection and
guardianship of the Vodun. Generally, one is
chosen by a Vodun as early as at birth or at any
stage of human development—childhood, adoles-
cence, or adulthood. The Vodun elect finds out
that he or she is chosen by the Vodun through
close observation of events marking his or her life
and subsequently by consulting the Fá, the system
of divination through the Bokonon, veritable
interpreter of the Fá.
To become a Vodunsi proper, one must receive
the initiation during an internship that lasts up to
3 years in the Vodun convent known asVodun-
xwé(“home of Vodun”),Hun-xwé(“esoteric or
blood-pact home”), Hun-kpamê (“blood-pact
enclosure”), or Vodun-kpamê (“Vodun enclo-
sure”). Upon entering the Hun-xwé, the new
member is possessed by the Vodun and she or he
becomes Vodunsi ipso facto, more precisely,
Hundéva(“he or she who has entered the con-
vent”). However, the initiation is a long process
that has several stages. During the first 3 months,
the newcomer isHundoté(“a new member await-
ing initiation”) or Kajèkaji (“one more gourd
having joined the existing gourds”), that is, a
neophyte. In the convent, the neophyte is trained
under the supervision of theXwégan(“Head of
the house”) and theKangan(“the rope master” or
“he who enforces discipline”).
The Hunxwé is a stern training center where
the elect is initiated into the immutable rites and
principles of the Vodun to whom he or she is con-
secrated for his or her whole life. Before the neo-
phyte is introduced to anything in the convent, he
or she must take a vow of loyalty and absolute
secrecy. The guiding principle of the Hunxwé is a
saying, “The reason we have two ears, two eyes,
and only one mouth is that we may hear more and
see more, but speak less.” The curriculum is all-
encompassing, and it includes courses on the
Vodun code of conduct, its history, rites, taboos or
proscriptions, the Vodun language, ululation, cul-
tural chants, Vodun songs and dances, walk on all
fours, litanies, and incantations, as well as the
healing properties of herbs. The Vodunsi is perma-
nently marked and tattooed all over. Tattooing is
both a religious symbol and an adornment for the
Vodunsi, especially during Vodun festivals.
During the internship in the convent, the Vodunsi
is taught several income-generating activities such as
basket weaving, pottery, raffia matting, hat making,
tie-dyeing, the rope-making trade, fowl raising, and
sculpture, which are sold in local markets by the con-
vent servants. The Vodunsi has a hectic daily sched-
ule under strict supervision of Vodunsi trainers who
report to the Hunnon (also called Hounnongan,
Houngan, or Hungbonon), the paramount Vodun
priest. The training is so intensive that the Vodunsi
barely has break time. Laziness is considered a
scourge because one rule in the Vodun convent is
thatKajêkaji mon no do hwemê mlon—“the neo-
phyte does not take afternoon naps.”Vodou in Benin 693