Magic 101: Your Word

Vodou is primarily an oral culture—for people who are not cultural anthropologists, this means that the person who is telling you about vodou matters just as much or more than what they’re telling you. You (who are listening) matter just as much or more than what you’re being told.

We say character counts in the broader US culture, and the sentiment is even more true when it concerns vodou. You are known in vodou by the people of your house, you are known locally or in the relatively small culture of vodou in a country or locality. More importantly for magical purposes, you are known to the spirit, and better known by them than the people involved.

However, unlike the broader US culture, in vodou what counts as a person whose word is important is not a matter of ‘good’ or ‘bad’, but of the many cultural concerns detailed in the vodou culture series here. For the purpose of magic, one of the most important qualities of the individual is whether they are known to keep their word: to keep any promises or oral commitments they make. The person can be involved in any number of activities the broader culture might find repugnant—crime, for instance—but be well known and received by the spirit precisely because they are known to keep their promises and commitments.

Oath breakers, people who don’t keep commitments, and people who can’t follow through attract the same in terms of spirits. People with those characteristics are dealt with by the lwa accordingly. Your lwa might love you, but they will remember it when you are false and it does influence how you are treated. They will trust precisely as your behavior demonstrates you to be trustworthy.

The context and scope of keeping one’s word are much broader in vodou than they are in many cultures. A commitment made to a spirit might, with the spirit’s discretion, be allowed to be delayed. But that commitment will be fulfilled no matter what is happening to or with you. Should you die before fulfilling your commitment, it is not uncommon for the spirit to go after your children or relatives to have the commitment met.

One of the first and most important lessons for priests and spiritual workers in vodou is this: what you show the spirit is how you are treated. Be very careful what promises or commitments you make.

You will be forced to be as good as you say.