erzulie, again

can you tell that SHE is the one who speaks to me? at different points during the day, i feel i embody all of her nuances... all of her travails, her pain, her pleasure... her demands, her gifts.

veve, a mystic calling

the VEVE is a religious symbol that serves as a lightening rod for the lwa/loa ~ the spirit.

the ritualistic placement of the veve on the Earth obliges the loa to descend to this plane.

sacrifices, offerings, and prayers are laid upon the veve. each veve is unique and specific to the loa

whose presence is being requested. veves are complicated and intricate art forms, created with a variety of powder-like substances, depending on the particular ritual.

above, from left to right, veves representing:

ERZULIE, ogun, and papa legba

erzulie is the goddess of love, romance, art and sexual intrigue, fantasy, and loving encounters.

she is divisible by three aspects: erzulie FREDA, a virgin, often depicted as the Black madonna or virgin mary, erzulie DANTOR, who wrecks havoc as the loa of jealousy, fractious energy, and confrontations with those who oppose her, and LA SIREN, goddess and feminine energy of the sea, of motherhood, ruling the womb and the breasts... creating and controlling the family.

her favorite colors in all incarnations are pink or red, her flower is sweet-smelling, and white, her preferred offerings are chocolates, candies, dark rum, and sweet wine. she wants pearls, and white doves, parfum and incense.

she loves hearts, white cloth, pink and red candles, and her choice in most things is... MORE.

a beauty.... a songstress... a phenomenal woman...

the beauty of the Black Madonna lies in her surprise, her other-worldliness... her image haunts my dreams, she shadows my waking thoughts... i can be immersed in her beauty. i was told in AYITI that her child is a girl-baby, named ANAIS... i have a fleeting interest in her historical context; i only know she is erzulie to me.

you can read more about the Black Madonna here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Madonna

oddly disturbing yet intriguing...

steven klein for vogue italia

my heart, in kreyol...

when i said i loved you, i meant it would always be true

i would never promise what i could not give, freely

with my heart in your blood you can be strong

you will have the grace of the life we share, you are safe and whole

so hold me tight, i am but smoke

hold me near, i am but water

love me right, i am but human
Lè mwen di: mwen renmen ou, mwen siyifi li toujou ta verite mwen pa janm ta pwomèt sa mwen te kapab pa ba, se avèk kè m' nan kè kontan san ou, ou kapab delivre ou p'ap gen favè a lavi nou pataje w an sekirite epi an antye, se konsa, kenbe m' sere m' men lafimen ki kenbe m' pwoche bò a, mwen menm ki men dlo renmen m' dwat, mwen menm ki men imen

Mi niña Lola- Buika

concha buika (bwee-kah) was born in 1972 in spain. her parents fled political strife in equatorial guinea... her family relocated to a impoverished all-"white" neighborhood, where she was the lone Black girl with a head full of curly kinks the locals would touch for "good fortune". i like the mystery and mood of this video.