Episode 57: Honoring the Spirits of Justice and Vengeance in Haitian Vodou

In this episode, we start with Pawòl Pouvwa (Word of Power) by decolonizing the terms Gads, Pwens, and Djabs in Haitian Vodou. We explain what these terms mean, how they are used, and how they are often misunderstood outside of the tradition.From there, we introduce the lwa of justice and vengeance, exploring their role during the Haitian Revolution and how they are connected to protection, accountability, and the fight against injustice.We close the episode by discussing key expressions of fiery lwas such as Lenglensou, Aminan, Kita/Ti Kita, Met Kriminèl, Baculou Baka, and several others.  Manbo Vantem Pa Fyem of Sosyete Nago joins us as a guest speaker sharing a powerful story about Marinette. We deconstruct and decolonize these spirits to help listeners understand these forces are tied to justice, consequence, and the restoration of balance within Haitian Vodou.Keywords: Gads in Haitian Vodou, Pwens in Vodou, Djabs in Vodou, Haitian Vodou, Vodou cosmology, lwa of justice and vengeance, Haitian Revolution, Black spirituality, Petwo lwas, fiery lwa, Lenglensou, Aminan lwa, Marinette, Ti Kita, Met Kriminèl, Baculou Baka, African diaspora religions, decolonizing Vodou, Vodou spirits explained