Fet Gede/Day Of The Dead Celebration.
La Source Ancienne Ounfo – is one of the New Orleans based Vodou society – that celebrats the Day of the Dead/Fet Gede with an annual Vodou ceremony to invoke the Gede so we can come together in community to honor the dead (family) or not.
In Mexico's Days of the Dead are the days when the veil separating the Living and the Dead is most diffuse and the Dead come back to visit the living – children visit on Oct 31st, the familial adults on November 1st, and the unremembered Dead on November 3rd. The Haitian Day of the Dead, Fet Gede – the festival of the Sacred Dead, coincides with the Mexican Days of the Dead. The entire month of November.
November 1st. & 2nd. In Haiti & New Orleans this holiday can be a vibrant as Mardi Gras and as sacred as St John’s Eve.
During Fete Gede we “feed” the ancestors with offerings of food or foods that their dearly departed by laying it at their gravesite and wear black white and purple clothing throughout the event.
On this day we actually dance with the spirits. The particular death Lwa that we pay our respects to on this day is (Papa Gede) Baron Samedi, Maman Brigette and the family of Gede.
Even if you are not able to make it to Haiti or New Orleans for Fet Gede festivities here is an outline on how you can still pay tribute to the dead in the New Orleans tradition on a smaller scale.
If you have your own spiritual practice review your practice’s guidelines, incorporate aspects that pay respect Below is a suggestion for honoring the core Gede of the Cemetery on this special occasion.
Preparation: Before you even walk into the cemetery you should be prepared with the following:
Offerings: Pennies and/or rice: I use pennies) To pay the dead before entering the cemetery and at gravesites.
Food: Homestyle food that your loved ones would enjoyed.
Flowers: White, purple or red & flowers that your ancestors liked.
Rum. (you can purchase the shot bottle size) or Coffee (strong/dark) A small pack of cigars or cigarettes (unfiltered)
Wear: black, purple or white.
Visit: On the day of your visit take a shower or bath before getting dressed. As you dress align your thoughts and intentions. Collect your offerings. When you arrive at the cemetery gate: You should ask permission from spirit to enter. Leave a few pennies or rice at the gate. if you get a yes or no answer. If your intuition tells you that you should not enter thank the spirits go away and come back another day, try another cemetery. It's not a bad thing try another cemetery and ask again. Once inside visit the Gede family. The first plot to visit is Papa Gede /Baron Samedi: Aka the Baron (Lord). In catholic and Haitian graveyards, this marker is usually very prominent as the Cross of Baron.
Offering Day: Rum & Cigars. Also acceptable: Coffee, roasted peanuts, sunglasses with one lens, small raunchy toys or souvenirs.
Greeting: (Taken from Voodu Visions: By Sally Ann Glassman)“For the Bawon, in her society– they say these words.
Say: Come to the crossroads, dance, joke, you who are the sentence of death. Accept our offerings. Enter into our hearts, our arms, our legs. Enter and dance with us.”or“Father of all the dead help is us in our (our named persons) grief, let us welcome the dead to the Mysterious Abyss. Make us ever potent and my our offspring be safe in your care”(Place your offering)
Place your offering by pouring some of the rum and puffing a cigar or placing some tobacco. Do not inhale the smoke.
Once you have greeted Papa Gede next visit Maman Brigit Maman Brigit (Gran/Brijit/Brigette) is honored. She is the wife of Baron Samedi and the Goddess of Death. In Celtic traditions she is Brigit. In Yoruba she is Oya. Maman Brijit is a very powerful Lwa and the queen of banda dancing and the market place.
Offerings to her: Coffee or Pepper rum, Purple flowers (violets, lavender, iris, or fuchsia). Puff smoke from the tobacco.
Greeting Maman Brijit: A song that Haitians sing to Maman Brijit goes as follows as translated from Haitian Creole.
“Gentlemen of the cross (ancestors) advance for her to see them! Maman Brigitte is sick, she lies down on her back, A lot of “talk” won’t raise the dead, Tie up your head, tie up your belly, tie up your kidneys, (imitate tying a belt around your waist) They will see how they will get down on their knees.” (get down on your knees) “Maman Brijit, awake it is Fet Gede today”!or“I am calling you Maman Brijit, can you see? I bring food/ smoke and drink to honor you. Please accept this offering. This food and drink and smoke are for you Maman, please bless me with (Healing/ Prosperity/ Favor with … through your grace Maman Brijit.” (Give your offering) Place your offering by pouring some of the rum and puffing a cigar or placing some tobacco. Do not inhale the smoke.
If you are visiting relatives: Pay your respects at their grave, leaving flowers, food or wine. Talk to them.
Make sure to clean up any trash and consider cleaning off their grave. If you don’t have any relatives see if you can find a gravestone with your family’s last name, a noteworthy ancestor of a similar background as you who lived in the town or someone who resonates with you.
Leaving the Cemetery. Before you leave the cemetery Give thanks, collect your personal belongings, clean up if needed and leave immediately. Do NOT look back (Even if you hear someone call out to you…). There is a belief that looking back will invite ghosts to follow you home… When you arrive at your next location wash your hands with the bottle of water before you enter your home over some earth. Then shake the remaining water out on the earth. This helps to prevent any negative energy from ‘sticking’ to you, wipes away mourning and loss, and returns it to the earth.
