Offerings

In a voodoo shrine, you are most likely to find bottles of whisky, champagne, rice, potato, yam, etc. Sometimes, you might find blood or corpse of dead animals around the premises. All those items are actually used as offerings. Although, offerings are not required by gods or ancestors, they are helpful and appreciated.


There are also some classes of loas that can only communicate with you after you have fed them with food and these loas have different choice of food so you must know the appropriate food item to offer to the loa.

BARONS
Food: Salted herring, sweet potato (purple or white skinned), ears of corn, ground corn, herring, goat, tasso, smoked plantain, yam, giraumon soup, Haitian broth and dombreuil.
Drink: Bacardi white rum, clairin and hot pepper (seven or twenty-one), Tequila.
Color: Black or purple.
Gemstone: Black Onyx, Gold or Silver, Amethyst.
Day: Saturday or every day

DAMBALLAH
Food: white rice, milk, egg, white pigeon, flour, honey syrup, cake, spiced white cod on polka dotted rice.
Drink: Vodka, Scottish whiskey, Bailey’s, orgeat syrup.
Color: White
Fragrance: Florida, Pompeii.
Gemstone: Gold, Emerald (green).
Day: Thursdays

ERZULIE DANTOR
Food: Rice stuck with black peas, weighed banana, pork meat griot, sweet black coffee, cigarette.
Fruits: red grapes, orange, clementine.
Drink: Cinzano, Tia Maria, Grand Marnier, sweet red wine, red grenadine syrup.
Color: royal blue or red.
Fragrance: Florida, Dream of gold.
Requirements: Royal blue scarf, blue or red candle, dagger, red rose bouquet.
Precious stone: Silver.
Day: Tuesday and Saturday

ERZULIE FRÉDA
Food: Fish, chicken, white pigeon, ripe plantain, pineapple.
Drink: Amaretto, Anisette.
Color: Pink, sky blue, and white (sometimes identified with Immaculate Conception).
Fragrance: Florida, Dream of gold.
Stones: Gold, diamond.
Day: Thursday

TI JEAN DANTOR
Food: Cake, fruit tartar, pastry, plate of sweets, red cola, grenadine Syrup.
Color: pale yellow.
Precious stone: Silver.
Days: Tuesday and Saturday

LEGBA
Food: rice stuck with black peas, black hen.
Drink: Clairin and Syrup.
Color: black, white.
Precious stone: Black stone.
Day: Tuesday and Saturday

OGUN
Food: Pink or red fish (fried or in tomato sauce), rice stuck with red peas, plantain and salad (lettuce and tomato), almond, pistachio nuts, shrimp and seafood.
Drink: Barbancourt Rum (five stars).
Color: Red
Fragrance: Florida, Opium.
Requirements: Red scarf, red candle, machete, tobacco and pipe, cigar, sweet black coffee.
Precious stone: Garnet (red).

SIMBI
Food: sticky rice and chicken meat.
Drink: Saint Raphael liqueur, strong alcohol for Petro rite.
Color: Sky blue, white (Simbi Dlo, Rada rite); red (Simbi Makaya, Petro rite).
Precious stone: Gold, diamond.
Day: Saturday

 

ZAKA MEDE
Food: Haitian white bread, a handful of corn, rice and peas, cassava, coconut, sweet bread, etc.
Drink: Clairin, star anise, etc.
Color: Indigo, blue.
Precious stone: Ruby, Sapphire.
Day: Saturday

How Do I Dispose of the Offerings?
After you have offered different items to the loas, you can wait for some days before disposing the items. The decayed food items can be used as compost manure. Note that you are not expected to eat any item offered to the gods because such act is disrespectful and can bring curses to you. Besides the food items offered to the gods are drained of their vitality therefore it will provide you with zero nourishment.

Source: The Symbolism of Images and Colors in Haitian Voodoo By Potomitan

Clothing Colours

A great importance is often placed on the clothing worn to practice rituals and in ceremonies. During Voodoo celebrations, worshippers are often dressed in different attire and the choice of clothing is dependent on the deity being celebrated, the ritual being performed and the spiritual authority held by the individual. Also, the vestments that you wear can be a symbol of transformation between your humanity and your astral existence.Generally, white clothing is significant in many religions. In voodoo it is considered a default attire for attending voodoo ceremonies as it represents purity and modesty. White is considered sacred to the spirits of Dahomean and it is often worn on days dedicated to these spirits.

Traditional clothes

Traditionally, the ritual clothing consists of a simple tunic, with long sleeves, ample, light and free flowing around the body. Another pattern is a cape with a shirt of silk, cotton or linen. This garment is only worn during celebrations and stored with herbs and ritual accessories, when not in use.

In the past, black witches’ garments were entirely sewn by hand and designed with magical symbols. They were rather dark in color, while the garments of white witches were rather light colors, sometimes white, as to emphasize the purity of their magic. The pattern of dressing brings certain decorum to the wearer and ensures that the practitioner’s energies are not blocked.

Dressing patterns in recent times:

Clothing pattern isn’t a necessity to look out for in ritual preparation. Although, it gives the ceremony a magical atmosphere. The important things to look out for include; adequate items preparation and ensuring the success of the rituals. It is more important to prepare yourself mentally and spiritually and to follow the various steps that lead to the success of the ritual rite.

Besides some rituals are performed while naked but if you have good sewing skills, you can make your dress to suit your taste.. The ritual garment has no limit but your imagination. However, in designing your dress ensure to use natural fabrics, cotton, linen, silk, etc. These materials will allow you to conserve more energy.

Choice of Colors:

The choice of colors of the ceremonial garment can be determined by the purpose of the ritual:

White: for purification rituals, full moon days and to harmonize with the Goddess.

Purple: to have a more acute awareness.

Blue: for healing rituals.

Black: for the ultimate symbolism of divine energy.

Green: for the rituals of herbalism and magic plants.

Yellow: for divination rituals.

Red: for sabbath rituals and rites of divine protection.