Sosceyte Makaya Makaya is a religion. It is very much like Vodou in some ways - there are lwa, the lwa come through possession. There is magic, there is prayer, prayer, there is sacrifice. But Makaya priests, called "Bokor". A Makaya Bokor is a charismatic individual who attracts people to serve in h is house, by having very powerful lwa, effective magic, and especially the ability to do aggressive work against other people. In this rite, initiations are less elaborate, and the priest or priestess does not recieve the asson. A Makaya priest is called a Bokor, Bokor, and a priestess is sometimes referred to as Mambo, sometimes as a sorciere, sorceress. (The terms bokor and sorciere are considered pejorative in the orthodox Vodou, and bokor can also refer to an uninitiated specialist in malevolent magic, also called malfacteur. malfacteur. Such individuals are not clergy in any denomination.) The Makaya liturgy is less uniform from peristyle to peristyle than the orthodox Vodou, Vodou, and there is a stronger emphasis on magic as opposed to religion. This rite is present in Port-au-Prince, and strongly represented in the Artibonite Valley in central Haiti. Makaya tradition strongly influences Haitian popular culture. The annual, nationwide Rara celebration reflects the presence of Makaya congregations and Sanpwel groups, for example. In Haiti today, the Makaya tradition is especially strong in the Artibonite region, a rice-growing area. Makaya bokors also have a reputation for doing sinister but potent malefic magic. Makaya rites tend to concentrate on the hotter, more immediate Petwo lwa. In areas of Haiti where Makaya predominates over Vodou, Makaya Bokors may have large family compounds, and may serve a congregation of several hundred adults and their children. They can be asked to settle disputes between neighbors or family members, but if the Bokor is not wise, or if he has a reputation for taking advantage of people in trouble, people will not ask him to settle any more disputes! You could think of Makaya as being even "to the left of" Petro service. The emphasis is on power, personal and magical power, the ability to affect one's surroundings in whatever way is desired. There is a warm, loving feeling toward these lwa, despite the fact that they are "aggressive". This is because they are aggressive toward outsiders, but equally loving toward those who serve them. This image, variously known as the Mater Salvatoris and as Santa Barbara Africana, is used in Haiti to represent Erzulie Dantor. The lwa Erzulie Dantor is very important in Makaya service. So is Simbi Makaya, the Master Magician and husband of Erzulie Dantor.
1) Makaya : In Congo land, it is perfectly clear that Makaya means leaves and by extension the forest. 2) The entire southern peninsula is Congo territory in Haiti and particularly the Grande Anse area which was renown as Congo maroon territories. In the South only small plantations existed and this towards the later colonial period in which Congo slaves principally were being shipped to the island. 3) Typical Makaya lwa include Simbi Makaya, Lemba, Erzullie Dantor, etc. 4) Makaya songs refer to aggressive magic, personal power, and fighting enemies. The real Congo rite is one of forest, makaya, (leaves), maji. (magic). And it precedes the step towards Makaya per se, i.e. advance towards Society.
5) Simbi Makaya is one of those "crossing" spirits. many Simbis are of this nature. Let us pursue further, for example, Simbi Ganga who is served at Nan Soukri,.... Simbi, Ganga, and others are simultaneously Congo and Makaya. All the Boumba spirits, the Kita spirits, the Zando spirits. These are entire escorts of spirits. * (Lakou Badjo (Nago), Souvenans (Daome) & Soukri (Kongo) are the 3 rivers...the root houses of Vodou tradition & culture in haiti, each preserving their individual rites: Daome, Nago, & Kongo). First of all, the basis of Makaya is in the Kongo. The word itself is found in several dialect of Bantu/ Ki-Kongo & means "leaves". More specifically it means those specific leaves, which are used to heal or to "make majick". This is much the same as the use of the word Palo (stick) to describe Kongo tradition in Cuba. Now, Makaya in Haiti means 2 not so different things. Makaya as a tradition is what we are talking about here. Some sorcerers (boko`) in Haiti use this word to describe their own practices, but this is a distinction from the traditional meaning of the word & is attendant rites. These folks simple "go to work" & here we find more of a "practice" of sorcery than a tradition. These are the guys who may be called malfacteurs. Contrary to certain statements from misguided Manbo, the rhythms used in Makaya rites ARE in fact of Kongo origin in so much as the 2 principle rhythms of Petwo, the Boumba & the Kita are both KONGO IN ORIGIN! LOL The fact that we do not beat Kongo Payet in Makaya service does NOT mean that the Kongo is not in Makaya. Understand that there are 8 different variations of "Kongo" & not all sound as the classic & stately rhythm so commonly found played in Ginea service. This doesnt even include the Kongo derived rhythms of Petwo (as I mentioned already). Such statements prove they come from someone whose familiarity is limited/ otherwise skewed. Makaya rites, for those in Palo, will prove to be familiar. The word Nkisi in Palo is not heard however in relation to the spirits interacted with. It is heard though in many songs & other language. In most houses of Makaya, the word (also of Bantu origin) Zonbi is heard if the spirit served/ worked with is that of a dead person, or Djab (or even Lwa) if it is of a different caliber all together. Also, the classic prenda (iron pot) of Palo is not seen in Haiti unless the Boko` has some connection to Cuba. No, the point is often made in a sack called a Boumba (which I believe is the same word used in Palo). I have once seen the point made in a terracotta krich (lg container used to hold water, & also known as a kanari). The house itself though will have a focal point of service even beyond these Boumba. This is the Madoule, a coffin, the contents of which I am not even sure of because, as I said, I have not yet been initiated in the strictest sense, rather only received guards. There are many famous Boumba, not the least of which is Doki (which again I am sure will be familiar to most in Palo), Gad Lemba Zawo Tate Koumande`, Zetwa Makaya, & so forth.
The rites follow their own tradition in the strictest sense. Makaya itself constitutes a nation of Lwa, with its own Lwa such as Rasine Makaya, Twa Ile, Fanm Sala, Baton Fatwa, & so forth. Also there are many Lwa of the Ginea tradition who are also served in Makaya (& a few Makaya Lwa who are served in Ginea tradition also) such as Bawon, Simbi, Kalfou, Lemba, & Gwan Bwa to name just a few. Makaya is in fact part of the order of secret societies of Haiti as others called Bizango, Kalinda, Gad Makandal, etc. The Makaya line tends to be smaller though & apposed to the Bizango houses. They also tend to be more or less in conflict depending on where you go. The area above Port-au-Prince, Kwa de Bouke/ Laplaine area tends to be fairly active as far as Makaya. These communities tend to be large &, not surprisingly, Bizango is not so well represented here. In truth, the variances between Makaya & Bizango are not so great. In my opinion, it is more a matter of politics than anything else. I once attended a Makaya service near Te` Wouj where the Boko`, having many clients in New York & elsewhere, gave a grand service, spending much $$$ for his Lwa. LOL What a time that was, & to be honest this was one of the more frightening situations for meů.well
perhaps frighten is to strong a wrod, but I was definitely unnerved to the core by what I saw this night. Makaya is "hot". That is to say very aggressive. Not all people can handle Makaya. Not all people should try to handle it. Many Houngan & Manbo are simply Ginea tradition. That is to say: Vodou. Others must have both because this is the demand of their Spirit. To have these things implies the will to use them. Many people get a gun, & when asked why they have that gun reply, "Well I want to defend myself." No, they should want to kill someone. They say, "Well, Ill just soot them in the knees." No, they should be prepared to "shoot to kill" if they need to shoot at all. This is a very good description of the fierceness of this tradition. It is designed, among other things, for offense/defense & in a most aggressive manner. For example: my guards are done on the point of a particularly viscious Makaya Djab. My "deal" with this Djab is that is I am attacked by a certain caliber of person, or by use of certain means, that this Djab is simply to go & kill them. Sounds harsh? Well to be honest, I don't see the point in "poking" back at someone trying to harm me or mine, so I just as soon get them out of the way altogether. It is not *MY* responsibility since, if the attacker does nothing, they will receive nothing. The rites have their own initiation, their own language by which they are recognized, pass words & so forth. In my house in LaPlaine, the Makaya rites every Xmas, as last Xmas, are very impressive. The entire society standing there in their red- red/ black/ green robes with lit candles, sending the point in the courtyard is MOST impressive. I will be sorry to miss them as they will go on next week. Much of the tradition also involves "work" & by this we mean wanga to
accomplish all sorts of work. The word wanga itself is of Kongo origin & comes from the Bantu traditions of Wangate`. The Wangate` is a word having the same meaning as Boko`, that is to say a practitioner of these arts, or someone who "makes wanga". The 2 majour rhtyhms of Petwo: Boumba & Kita are KONGO! In LaPlaine, these 2 words are used all but interchangably. makaya is the rite, Sanpwel are the people who practice this *rite* What you have to say?
