Vodou Sid Pasifik

I practiced as a bosale Manbo from 1998-2004. In that 7th year I travelled to Haiti to kanzo. I was very blessed during this time as a bosale Manbo  through wonderful conversations and words of encouragement from Msr. Max Beauvior.  Honour and respect to him.

I looked upon it as a long distance apprenticeship with divine timing.

With the exception of one of my spritual children who lives in Australia who has undergone Kanzo to asogwe, all my spiritual children in New Zealand at this time are bosale.

Hounfor du Marche Days of the Dead Auckland

When in Haiti I came to understand that the Lwa can be served every bit as well when bosale, but just in a slightly different fashion.

It is with respect to the Lwa and those who have undergone kanzo and recieved the asson that this is done. The Lwa can be offended if a bosale Manbo or Hougan claims the asson as their own, when it truly is not.

The Haitains even have a song about it.
“Ou poco hounsi! oh
Ou dit’m ou c’est hougan
Ou poco hounsi!
Ou dit’m ou c’est hougan c’est ca!”

Translates…..

“You are not yet a hounsi! oh. You tell me you are a hougan. You are not yet a hounsi, You tell me you are a hougan…It is so!”

The problem of the asson is easily overcome, any rattle will suffice, the best a round type rattle on a stick, like a kwa-kwa or gourd rattle and a small bell which is separate from the rattle.

Manbo and Hougan who are bosale use these with great strength and success in Haiti, and Manbo and Hougan elsewhere in the world would find this appropriate when calling the Lwa. It is also respectful to do so.

Most of those who practice Vodou are bosale, the majority of those who serve Lwa in Haiti certainly are.

Kanzo is a costly decision in anybody’s language- especially an Haitian.

In the end, it is our service to the Lwa that truly matters, not what we are or where we are, but what we are doing, this is what counts.

                         Bosale Hougan Working in Haiti

 

 

 

 

\