From Hurricane
Katrina to Mademoiselle Katrina;
a loa of New Orleans Voodoo:
A Magickal Record
By Louis Martinie
Loa are
born and loa die As all
that comes must also go. There
is a terrible symmetry to this.
The birth of a loa is not
dependent on our understanding of the process. Whether we understand
the process of magnetism or not, certain minerals do call to one
another across space imploring; demanding the touch of their beloved.
Loa can be birthed
when Spirit enters into particular forms and in so doing provides the
forms with a being, a life that is different, that is beyond that which
was there before. Our New Orleans Voodoo loa, Annie Christmas, is an
example of this process. Mademoiselle Christmas, a quasi historical
figure, took on epic proportions and the resultant form was impregnate
by spirit thus becoming a loa. This is a reasonable description of the
process. But it is good to remember that the loa are not bound by
reason. Reasonable explanations such as this allow us to in small
measure understand ( stand + under) occurrences too vast to comprehend
and in so dong be blessed with their graceful rains.
With Katrina, the
form itself is the physical or corporal body of the hurricane
constructed of winds and all of the physical, intellectual and
emotional debris these winds incurred. This is the form that Spirit
entered into.
ANCESTORS:
I have been told that the
orisha Oya showed herself initially as a river in Africa. I personally
believe that the marassa find origin in “Mar Assi” or Sea of Asia as it
was an early belief that the New World was Asia and slaves were
transported even during these early times. That great spirits arose
from natural phenomenon was recognized by the ancestors. . The
hurricane that enveloped New Orleans in 2005 was a natural force of
tremendous magnitude therefore capable of housing a loa.
SIGNS and OMENS:
St Johns Eve is the most
sanctified date in New Orleans Voodoo. On August 29th, on the exact day
the beheading of St. John the Baptist is celebrated, Hurricane Katrina
immersed New Orleans ( conversation with Norma; New Orleans Voodoo
Spiritual Temple; 2005). I was incredulous when I first heard this. I
am used to looking at the underpinnings of our universe and being more
than a bit shocked. This knocked me right out of the ballpark. I
checked and this is the date given by both the Roman and the Orthodox
Catholic Church.
Baptism is immersion in
water associated with a cleansing. In this case, “cleansing” does not
ring true. Poor Blacks as a group suffered the most and if guilt were
to be supposed and distributed for the corruption in New Orleans, they
would not be in the running. To say that the hurricane “cleansed”
the city is a classic example of blaming the victim.
During a recent ritual with
Priestess Miriam on March 1,2008 ( Winterstar <http://www.rosencomet.com/winterstar/2008/index.html>
she took the name Katrina and I heard her give me the name St.
John <
http://blackmoon7.com/nucleus/>. This was totally unexpected and
time is needed to know the results.
The following two
paragraphs are based on very limited knowledge. If this loa shows
herself more in the future, her “FACE” and “PATHS” will solidify around
her.
FACE :
Mademoiselle Katrina rather
than Madam Katrina is proper in that her youth brings her under the
influence of the Courir Le Mardi Gras card (Devil) of the New Orleans
Voodoo Tarot. The destruction she brought is not the outpourings of a
malicious nature. There is a youthful excitement and enjoyment within
the winds high passage. Children can be very cruel. “Creativity without
care of result” may be one of the keynotes of this loa. Deluge
PATHS:
Mademoiselle Katrina is one
instance of impermanence. As such, this loa touches us all. . The
Deluge card (Struck Tower) of the New Orleans Voodoo Tarot points to
some of the paths Mademoiselle Katrina walks. Swift, seemingly
uncontrolled, change is apparent. Sacrifice also…I don’t know…I
am too close to being held to her bosom to write with anything
approximating clear sight.
RHYTHM:
The important thing with
the third part is that it combines highs and lows and that the second
note rings. Ba (low) Boooom (high and sustains and
trails off).
The simple “Bass” part is
the key to the rhythm. It is insistent and gathers speed as the loa
approaches. Certain web presentations distort the graph I use to show
the notation. Email me if the graph looks odd and I’ll send you a
hopefully more clear copy.
From my online MR (March 1,
2008)…..”Mademoiselle Katrina Rite…..Katrina Rhythm. What I received
before Winterstar can be a part of the rhythm but it needed the
strength; the insistent, looming presence of a foundation rhythm.
Straight 8th notes pushing the meter with no accents provide his
foundation. This is the background for all of the other rhythmic
movements and a sure path for the loa Katrina to walk. Each beat of it
is as inevitable as the approach of Katrina. ML’s friend is going to do
a record of her strong reaction to the rhythm. Rhythms played over this
would be the expression of people attempting to leave the city. Trying
to get out before Msl. Katrina touched land. The hurried packing. The
movement of the car. The stopped traffic as Katrina approaches. I
recorded the rhythm on my AV card. Ah! Voices arise from the drums. I
will listen to this more closely.”
*************************************** This manuscript is much
more polished than my daily MR. I ran a spell check and tried to match
most of the verbs their subjects. If you were at the Starwood Saturday
night ritual, please send me your impressions, etc. during the rite. If
you were a drummer at the rite, please let me know what affect, if
any, playing the rhythm had on you.
May the value of our work
with Mademoiselle Katrina will be judged by the ancestors. May it benefit the Kind
Mothers of the part, present, and future.
Text in booklet describing
Saturday Rite at Winterstar.
New New Orleans Voodoo;
Choosing to Heal. Mademoiselle Katrina and
Saint John the Baptist.
St Johns Eve is the most
sanctified date in New Orleans Voodoo. On August 29th, on the exact day
the beheading of St. John the Baptist is celebrated, Hurricane Katrina
immersed New Orleans.
The great spirit that is
Mademoiselle Katrina has visited us all in one form or another. A
prime, sacred rhythm of New Orleans Voodoo and a sacred rhythm of
Mademoiselle Katrina will be taught. The rhythms will be played in
conjunction while a baptism of healing is offered. The rhythms can be
learnt with out choosing to participate in the baptism of healing.
