Fon Religion

Nana-Buluku

Nana-Buluku is the Supreme Being of the Fon religion. She was responsible for the creation of the universe and the birth of the chief deities, Mawu and Lisa. After giving birth to Mawu and Lisa, Nana-Buluku stepped away from the rest of the creation process and handed over her authority to her children.^[1]

Major Vodun

The Fon pantheon is dominated by the creator god, Mawu-Lisa, and the god’s seven children.

Mawu-Lisa is a combination of two major deities: Mawu, the female goddess of the night and moon, and Lisa, the male god of the day and sun. The two gods merged into one, and the rest of the vodun were born from their union. Mawu-Lisa is the head of the sky pantheon.^[2]

Sakpata, the god of smallpox and the earth, is another powerful vodun. He is the ruler of the earth pantheon and fathered the rest of the earth deities.^[3] His brother Sogbo (also called Hevioso) became chief of the thunder pantheon, as well as the sea pantheon (due to the fact that his children are all sea deities).^[4]

Gu, the god of iron and warfare, is the fifth-born son of Mawu-Lisa. He is closely associated with Lisa, the male aspect of the Creator; Lisa used Gu to deliver knowledge of blacksmithing to humankind.^[5] Because iron and metalwork have long been important resources for the Fon people, Gu is a highly respected and feared vodun.

Legba is another important and popular vodun. The youngest and favorite son of Mawu-Lisa, he is a complex figure in religion and mythology. Legba is mostly known as a trickster god who thrives on confusion and chaos, but he is also the messenger of the gods. He alone can translate divine messages from Fa, the god of fate and divination.

Lesser Vodun

Fa, the god of fate, is not considered a major figure in the Fon pantheon because he is not one of Mawu-Lisa’s children. Nevertheless, he still holds an important position in Fon religion due to his connection with divination. Practitioners of divination consult oracles of Fa, called bokonon, in order to receive guidance and advice from the god.^[6]

The Creation of the World

Once Nana-Buluklu had created the universe, Mawu-Lisa stepped in and began forming the earth, sky, and seas. To create the earth, Mawu-Lisa rode on the back of a great cosmic serpent named Aido-Hwedo; as the god circled the earth, the body of the snake sculpted the landscape.

When the earth was complete, Mawu-LIsa ordered Aido-Hwedo to take up residence beneath the earth to hold it in place. To this day, earthquakes are thought to be the result of the snake repositioning itself.^[7]

The Creation of Humanity

According to Fon mythology, the creation of humanity took four days to complete. On the first day, Mawu-Lisa sculpted human beings out of clay and gave birth to the seven major vodun. On the second day, the deity ensured that the earth was habitable for humans and other life.^[8]

The next day, Mawu-Lisa gifted humanity with awareness and the ability to see and speak. Finally, on the last day of creation, Mawu-Lisa bestowed upon humankind the knowledge they would need to survive on their own.

The Division of the World

Once Mawu-Lisa had finished creating the world and humankind, the deity set about distributing the realms of the universe to the other vodun. Each of Mawu-Lisa’s seven children received power over a particular realm.

Mawu-Lisa’s firstborn son, Sakpata, received dominion over the earth, while his brother Sogbo (or Hevioso) received the thunder pantheon. Other children were given control of important skills and knowledge, such as Age, who became the god of hunting.^[9]

Mawu-Lisa’s youngest child, Legba, did not receive a specific realm; instead, he became the messenger of the gods and the gatekeeper between the world of humans and vodun.

Divination

Within the Fon pantheon, Fa is the god of divination and fate. He is served by bokonon—diviners or oracles—who occupy an important place in traditional Fon religion. Kings commonly consult these oracles on all significant matters pertaining to their kingdoms.^[10]

To begin divining, a bokonon must first invoke the vodun and ask for their blessing. The oracle then enacts a complex ritual to request knowledge of their fate from Fa. Since Legba is the only god who can decipher the words of Fa, the oracle must also consult Legba. Often the bokonon will speak in parables or allegories and will sing songs in honor of the deities throughout the divination process.

There are three stages of Fa divination. The first is the consultation of Fa (Fá titê or Fá kikan); the second is the explication of the prophecy (Vô dide); and the last stage is the performance of sacrifices (Vô sisá or adra).^[11]

Bochio

A bochio is a powerful sculpture or figurine that represents the spiritual forces of the vodun, or that serves as a vessel for the vodun to inhabit. The name roughly translates to “empowered cadaver.”^[12] Practitioners of vodun worship commission these bochio sculptures at the behest of oracles.

The bochio is created in the image or guise of the god whom the worshipper intends to honor. The sculpture is then hammered into the ground wherever the god’s intervention is needed—often outside the entrance of a house. The worshipper provides the figure with offerings in order to gain the god’s favor and assistance.

Haitian Vodou

The most recognizable example of syncretism between West African religion and Roman Catholicism is Haitian Vodou, which has preserved and adapted many African religious beliefs and practices. Vodou centers on the worship of “spirits”; according to Robert S. Ellwood, “those who practice the religion say they are ‘serving the spirits.’”^[13]

For the most part, practitioners of Haitian Vodou are monotheistic, believing in a single god whom they call Bondye. However, there is also some worship of lesser deities, known as the lwa or loa. These lesser deities are believed to be ancestors and are organized into “nations.” There are said to be two nations: one consisting of benevolent spirits and the other consisting of powerful and energetic spirits (known as “hot ones”).^[14]

Vodou practitioners typically serve the spirits by lighting candles, giving offerings, and saying prayers. Some rituals involve the sacrifice of an animal, such as a chicken, while others use drumming, feasting, and dancing to encourage spiritual possession. These rituals are overseen by Vodou priests and priestesses, known as houngans and mambos, respectively.

Certain aspects of the Vodou religion are thought to be more sinister. Some practitioners, for example, have been accused of “using the bodies of the recently deceased for slave labor (zombies).”^[15]