vèvè

vèvè, in Haitian Vodou, geometrical drawings that represent the lwa (spirits).

The production of vèvè is a tradition of African origin. In Dahomey, an ancient kingdom in the region that is now southern Benin, palm oil was used to draw certain geometrical figures, such as rectangles and squares, on the ground. The practice of drawing ritual emblems on the ground is also attested in Central Africa, and the practice of producing vèvè in Haiti may owe its origin to a western African and Central African cultural convergence. Some scholars have also pointed to the existence of a similar practice among the Taino and Arawak peoples, with whom Africans came into contact in Haiti.

Vèvè can be quite elaborate or simple. They are drawn on the earthen floor of the peristyle (temple), using cornmeal or ashes, and their realization, usually by an oungan (priest) or manbo (priestess), requires a great deal of expertise. Vèvè are central to Vodou rituals because they are meant to compel the descending or ascending of the spiritual energy associated with a particular lwa.

Each lwa has its own emblem, and vèvè are therefore numerous and varied. The central elements are a heart, for Èzili Freda, the lwa of femininity and love; two snakes, for the cosmic snakes Danbala Wèdo and his wife Ayida Wèdo; a boat, for Agwe, the lwa of the sea; a cutlass (sabre), for Ogou, the lwa of war; and a cross, for Papa Legba, the guardian of crossroads.

Vèvè are always traced near the potomitan, the central pillar of the peristyle, the magical axis through which the lwa are believed to come into the world of the living. In fact, vèvè are a material representation of the lwa and are considered magic points. It is for this reason that food offerings and animals sacrificed to a particular lwa are placed on the lwa’s vèvè. When a Vodou service is performed for the feeding of several lwa at the same time, the vèvè drawn will include the ritual emblems of all the lwa involved in the ritual. As one might expect, the final vèvè may be quite complex and cover a large area of the peristyle. At the beginning of a Vodou ceremony, vèvè will be consecrated with the sprinkling of dried foodstuffs; a libation (offered three times) of rum, water, or some other appropriate drink; and the lighting of a white candle.