

This loa is known as Bondy e or Bon Dieu. Those who practise Haitian voodoo believe in a distant and unknowable creator God, or loa. Like all loa in voodoo, the spirits of the Guede family occupy a place below the supreme spirit of voodoo.

The Guede family is the largest family of loa in voodoo, but is far from the most highly regarded spirits in voodoo. Ceremonies in Haitian voodoo that invoke the spirits of the Guede family often become erotic and crude, with participants drinking, dancing, and celebrating with reckless abandon.

As everyone is bound to pass into death, the behaviour of the Guede family reminds the living to enjoy the benefits of the mortal world while they still occupy that realm. Baron and the other spirits no longer heed the rules and regulations of the living, reminding everyone that death is a constant that will be dealt with by all. The spirits of the family all use foul language and behave in a raucous manner. In this manner, he can give life by preventing death.īaron Samedi, and the other spirits of the Guede family, serve as constant reminders of death’s role in this world. As the Master of the dead and guardian of cemeteries, no one is dead until Baron digs their graves and ushers them into the underworld. An individual who is cursed by a hex or other black magic is not guaranteed death, if he refuses to dig their grave. Baron even has the power to overcome voodoo hexes and curses. Baron is also a giver of life who is said to possess the power to cure any mortal of a disease or wound, provided he believes it is worthwhile to save that individual. This powerful family of spirits possesses numerous abilities. He may ask other souls to continue wearing black, white, and/or purple.īaron Samedi, as the head of the Guede family, the gr oup of loas that contr ol lif e and death. On many occasions, he is content to accept gifts of cigars, rum, black coffee, or grilled peanuts. He will demand payment for this act, which varies depending upon his mood at the time. It is also said that Baron ensures that all those who have died rot in the ground as they should, ensuring that no soul can come back as a brainless zombie. Only Baron Samedi has the power to accept an individual into the world of the dead. When someone dies, Baron is said to dig their grave and meet their soul as it rises from the grave. Baron’s time is spent lingering at the crossroads of life and death in the human world. The Baron needs that suave nature because he is believed to chase mortal women, despite being married to the loa, Maman Brigitte. The other spirits in the Guede family are said to behave in the same manner, without the suave ability of Baron Samedi. He is known to spend his time drinking rum and smoking cigars, swearing profusely, and making filthy jokes to the other loas. His behaviour is described as outrageous. His face is said to resemble a skull, and he uses a nasal voice.īaron spends the majority of his time in the invisible realm of Haitian voodoo spirits. His image is often said to resemble that of a corpse that has been dressed and prepared for burial in traditional, Haitian manner. Baron is portrayed in Haitian voodoo wearing a top hat, black tuxedo, dark glasses, and cotton plugs in his nostrils. The loas in the family consist primarily of lesser spirits, dress the same as Baron, have rude (even crude) attitudes, but lack the charm of their master. Baron leads the Guede family, a group of loas with strong links to magic, ancestor worship, and death. The last name of Satur day comes from the French translation of Samedi. His name is often translated as Baron Saturday, Baron Samdi, Bawon Samedi, or Bawon Sanmdi. Who is Baron Samedi? In Haitian voodoo, Baron Samedi is the head of the Guede family of loa. He fills a vital role in Haitian voodoo as the master of the dead, ushering the newly deceased into the afterlife. One of the more prevalent loas in Haitian voodoo is Baron Samedi. However, just like other religions, voodoo has a unique set of beliefs and its own deities. Voodoo is a misunderstood religion that is often viewed as purely black magic.

Baron Samedi, “The Master of the dead” in Voodoo, occupies a popular place as the guardian of cemetries, and the spirit responsible for an individual’s transportation to the underworld.The religion of voodoo is practised by individuals around the globe, with a reach that matches Western religions such as Christianity.
