7805: Re: 7783: Re: 7759: lougawou (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Racine125@aol.com

Le Grace Benson writes:

<<The notion of the lougarou or werewolf apparently arrived in Haiti very early, perhaps as early as the boucaneers when all of Hispaniola was nominally a
Spanish possession. It does seem to have come from Europe>>

I don't agree.

The word "lougarou" is derived from the French, of course, but the idea of a person who sheds their skin or changes into a winged animal, flies at night, and attacks children is African in origin, is still prevalent in many parts of Africa, and is present all over the Caribbean.  In Jamaica, for example, the supposed defense against such a person is to find their skin and fill it with salt.  Then when the person comes home, they can't put their skin on again, and the rising sun kills them.

Le Grace is right that this has nothing to do with Vodou!  It is a folk belief, not a part of the Vodou ceremonial order.  The reason that Houngans and Mambos are called in to deal with these entities is because we are qualified to deal with spiritual entities - it's like calling in a priest to get rid of a poltergeist, even though the Christian religion doesn't say much about poltergeists.

Peace and love,

Bon Mambo Racine Sans Bout Sa Te La Daginen

"Se bon ki ra" - Good is rare
     Haitian Proverb

The VODOU Page - http://members.aol.com/racine125/index.html