Episode 15: What is a Lwa? Understanding the Spirits of Haitian Vodou

In this episode, we explore who the Lwas in Haitian Vodou are. The Lwa are divine light beings that act as guides, guardians, healers, warriors, and protectors. The lwas are powerful presences who form a spiritual ecosystem deeply rooted in land, lineage, and liberation. Lwas are sacred, ancestral forces who walk closely with the living, each carrying their own unique personality, energy, and purpose. To understand the cosmic forces and natural elements is to understand the lwas at a basic level. Lwas also represent the vast range of human emotions and expressions. Through this conversation, we also address how the Lwa were misrepresented and demonized through colonial and Western religious lenses, and why reclaiming this sacred knowledge is essential to honoring Haitian Vodou as a living, liberatory tradition.