Maryaj lwa
Sept. 9, 2006 Sosyete Fo Fe Yo We
Djehutydjesi and Maitres Mambo Erzulie Freda Daome
AYIBOBO! Two years after the
botched (grrrr) first attempt at this maryaj lwa I was finally able to have it
done right. It was worth the wait. A more beautiful wedding I couldn't have
imagined. She was so very happy and loving that I'm still feeling that vibe :>.
Plus contrary to expectations she was actually very cordial to the women present
and actually did a lot of hard work for them (of course they did buy her nice
gifts ;>).
Ok, so the ceremony started off with the Priye Ginen. I always love this part
its so pretty. Then the singing and dancing for the lwa began! My knees aren't
as young as they used to be. Also you'd all be amazed at the sheer knowledge of
songs that H.'s Tim and Hector have. They sang constantly for about 4 hours,
stopping only for the actual maryaj section of the sevis. So we sang (the whole
three songs I know) and danced and saluted the lwa (us newbies always spinning
the wrong way. It's harder than it looks! ROFL). When we sang for Danballa I was
given his flour and egg bowl and with H. Tim I saluted the four directions with
it, tapping it to the floor three times at each stop.The first lwa to visit was
Papa Agwe, one of Erzulie
Freda's three husbands. He sat in a chair, pretended to row a boat, poured
several bottles of water all over himself, then he got up and saluted us each in
turn (military type salute that is "Aye aye Cap'n!" not a vodou type salute).
Then he left and we sang and danced some more until just before Erzulie was to
be called and we took a break. I went to change into my suit. Then we started
again and Maitres came!
She was beautiful. I love her so much :-). My recollection of precise chronology
tends to fall apart here, it was kinda dream like (sort of like when we see the
Names in saq for my KO siblings). She came, and then I was presented to her,
saluted her (getting it wrong ;>) I was handed a plate of dry (uncooked) rice
dyed pink with pink chalk dust and with the wedding ring on it tied with a pink
ribbon. I asked her if she would marry me today and she looked me in the eyes
and nodded yes.
Ayibobo! I felt a wave of love from her. Then she was led out to change into her
dress and bath and put on make-up. Before she did that she instructed H. Tim
about what to put into her bath (including the rose water which was hidden under
some towels in a kivet on the floor). Then they went to another room and we
waited. I think we were all amused at H. Tim's frustration as he'd come back in
every few minutes saying "She doesn't like this lipstick, anyone have anything
else" etc etc :-) She put him through a bit of trouble, but that's Erzulie :-).
Finally she was ready, she came in I was presented to her once more and she
hugged me tightly three times. I nearly cried. Then she put perfume on my hands
and told me to wash my hands with it and then to put it in my pocket for wealth.
Then she looked around and saw Abekh (my human husband for those who don't know
us well). She called him up and hugged him as she did me and did the perfume
thing with him as well. I just about cried (see it's a theme here folks ;>). It
was so sweet and loving.
Once the greetings with me and Abekh were done she demanded a chair covered with
a sheet and started calling up people and doing work for them. She prescribed
baths, teas, tasted Nakht's (Ryan's) abfab meade. She decided she liked it and
in exchange for some work for him commissioned three (or four?) bottles of it
from him. She was very kind to everyone present, very willing to help and worked
hard. She was just so happy with everything that was being done for her. After a
bit she said she was ready to get married now.
We stood up before the altar on a sheet sprinkled with rose petals. She told me
to pick a godfather and godmother as witnesses to stand beside us as we were
married. I chose Kai Imakhu Antybast and Serut (Kelley) both of whom very very
kindly consented and I'm very happy they did. They were each given a small pink
candle to hold during the ceremony. Then I took the ring and repeated the vows
after Mama said them. Ok, at this point I actually did cry... call me soppy. She
looked
at me and put her head on my shoulder a bit. Then she said her vows and said I
had to give her one Thursday and one Sunday of every month to her. We kissed,
hugged and we were married!
Then came the party! I helped cut the cake and got her a piece. We were seated
on two chairs side by side. I fed her the first bite but then she fed me the
rest of the cake. I was expecting it to go the other way. She turned around and
demanded the Alize (a sweet congac--- very very good I never had it before). I
pour some in the champagne flutes for us and she said that people could eat
whatever they liked on the table but not the Alize. That was ours. A few minutes
later she relented and said that the Mambo and Houngan could have some if they
wanted. She called Abekh up to sit with us (so sweet!) and let him have some
too. At one point I had refilled her glass and was just holding the bottle with
no good place to really set it down and she points at some one to come get it
saying "My husband shouldn't have to be holding anything!" You go girl ;>. At
some point she turned sideways in the seat putting her legs over mine (Hector's
heavier than you'd think!).
When people were done eating they lined up and presented her with her wedding
gifts. She loved them all, cooing about how beautiful the jewelry was and how
nice the makeup and perfume, she was given a scarf she really really liked. Mama
gave her a necklace and she suddenly put it in her mouth and started swallowing
it!! She swallowed it and then brought it back up and handed it to me. Not sure
what that was about. Before she brought it back Mambo T looked around and said
"Great she just ate a 50$ necklace" :-). Its back though. She loved all the
gifts, I can't stress that enough, she was pleased with all of you. Some people
she asked if they wanted or needed anything.
Then it was time for her to go and she leaned into me and started sobbing and
then left. Suddenly I had H. Hector in my lap trying to wipe make up off his
face ;>. So a brief break and we're off singing for the lwa again! The next lwa
to come was Ogou Feray (another of Erzulie's three lwa husbands). He took his
machete and bent it at alarming angles against his stomach and and marched
around the room. At one point he had Eugenia (such a nice person! Glad I got to
meet her!) push the machete against him. Then he bit both ends off a candle
(unlit) and lit it and took my arm and put the candle out on it. He did this
three times as a gad (protective amulet type thing) and said if I mistreated his
wife it would kill me. Death threats yay!! Pretty typical of an ogou though.
Then he asked if other folks need him for anything and people went up and he did
his thing for them. I asked for a promotion at work and he made everyone turn
around and not look while he did something for me (shhh!!!!) . Not sure why he
did that though, it wasn't anything particularly odd or secret but I'm a newbie
so who knows what his reasons were.
Then he left and Simbi Dlo came. He moves like he's dancing with people forehead
to forehead and he doesn't talk so he pantomimes things. He made a bath
for Hector to give his clients with love problems and made a bath (?) for Senset
and Serut. He was the last of the lwa to come and dance with us.
With that the sevis ended. Ayibobo! It was Mama's first public ceremony in her
Sosyete and it was a huge success and very very lovely. Mambo T then asked
everyone who was going to be her students, her Ti Fey to come forward and take
the vows, which seven of us did. Then we all went out for the reception to
Bellagio's. Coming back a room was prepared for me
to spend alone with Erzulie. I didn't have any dreams I remember though, but I
was dead exhausted.
Ok, I think that's about it :-) I'm extremely grateful to the lwa, to Mambo
Tamara, Houngans Hector and Tim for making this happen for me. I'm very very
thankful to everyone who came as guests and worked as Hounsi bossal. Thank you
all for making this one of the most special, lovely days of my life :-). I love
you all!
Read Mambo Chita Tann's account
with pictures here!