Gede lwa

Uncommon card · No. 189292

The Gede (French: Guede) are the family of lwa, spirits or deities associated with Ancestor worship in Haitian Vodou, that represent the powers of death and fertility. They are often said to be found at burial sites, where they escort the deceased to their afterlife. Gede spirits include Gede Doub, Gede-Linto, Gede L'Orage, Gede Oussou, Gede Nibo and Gede Masaka, and Gede Ti Malice. All are known for the drum rhythm and dance called the "banda". In possession, they will drink or rub themselves with a mixture of clairin (raw rum) and twenty-one scotch bonnet or goat peppers. Fèt Gede is celebrated on 2 November, All Souls' Day ("Festival of the Dead"). Boons granted by the Gede not repaid by this date will be avenged afterwards. Papa Gede is the corpse of the first man who ever died. He is recognized as a short, dark man with a high hat on his head who likes to smoke cigars and eat apples. Papa Gede is a psychopomp who waits at the crossroads to take souls into the afterlife. He is considered...

Read on Wikipedia · Image Calvin Hennick, for WBUR Boston, CC BY 3.0