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{{Short description|Female priest in Haitian Vodou}}

{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Manbo'' (Vodou)}}

{{other uses|Mambo (disambiguation){{!}}Mambo}}

{{Redirect|Voodoo queen|the song|Systems in Blue}}

[[File:Swearing-in ceremony of Diaspora GwètòDe by Konfederasyon Nasyonal Vodou Ayisyen 08.jpg|thumb|283x283px|Three Haitian mambos''manbos'' in a Vodou swearing-in ceremony by the Konfederasyon Nasyonal Vodouyizan Ayisyen (KNVA) in Harlem, NYCNew York City.]]

{{Traditional African religion}}

A '''mambo''manbo''''' (also written as ''manbo'''mambo''''') is a priestess (as opposed to thea ''[[houngan|oungan]]'', ora male [[priest]]) in the [[Haiti|Haitian]]an [[Haitian Vodou|Vodou]] religion.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|title=Voodoo in Haiti|last=Métraux, Alfred|date=2016|publisher=Pickle Partners Publishing|isbn=9781787201668|oclc=969020248}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|title=Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn|last=Brown|first=Karen McCarthy|publisher=The University Press Group Ltd|year=2001|isbn=9780520224759}}</ref> Haitian Vodou's conceptions of priesthood stem from the religious traditions of [[Slavery|enslaved]] people from [[Dahomey]], in what is today [[People's Republic of Benin|Benin]].<ref name=":14" /> For instance, the term mambo''manbo'' derives from the [[Fon language|Fon]] word ''nanbo'' ("mother of magic"). Like their [[West Africa]]n counterparts, Haitian mambos''manbos'' are female leaders in Vodou temples who perform [[healing]] work and guide others during complex [[ritual]]s.<ref name=":2">{{Cite book|title=African vodun : art, psychology and power|last=Blier, Suzanne Preston|date=1995|publisher=[[The University of Chicago Press]]|isbn=0226058581|oclc=717640759}}</ref> This form of female leadership is prevalent in urban centers such as [[Port-au-Prince]] (the capital of Haiti). Typically, there is no hierarchy among mambos''manbos'' and houngans''oungans''. These priestesses and priests serve as the heads of autonomous religious groups and exert their authority over the devotees or spiritual servants in their ''hounfo'' (temples).<ref name=":0" /> Mambos and houngans are called into power via [[spirit possession]] or the revelations in a [[dream]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite book|url=https://essays.wls.wels.net/handle/123456789/2483?show=full|title=Lutheran Mission Work Among Haitian Vodouisants|last=Kessel|first=William B.|year=2011}}</ref> They become qualified after completing several [[initiation]] rituals and technical training exercises where they learn the Vodou spirits by their names, attributes, and symbols.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /> The first step in initiation is ''lave tèt'' (head washing), which is aimed at the spirits housed in an individual's head. The second step is known as ''kouche'' (to lie down), which is when the initiate enters a period of seclusion. Typically, the final step is the possession of the ''ason'' (sacred rattle), which enables the mambos or houngan to begin their work. One of the main goals of Vodou initiation ceremonies is to strengthen the mambo's ''konesans (''knowledge''),'' which determines priestly power.<ref name=":1" />

''Manbos'' and ''oungans'' are called into power via [[spirit possession]] or the revelations in a [[dream]].<ref name=":7">{{Cite book|url=https://essays.wls.wels.net/handle/123456789/2483?show=full|title=Lutheran Mission Work Among Haitian Vodouisants|last=Kessel|first=William B.|year=2011|access-date=2019-06-04|archive-date=2019-06-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190604205213/https://essays.wls.wels.net/handle/123456789/2483%3Fshow%3Dfull|url-status=dead}}</ref> They become qualified after completing several [[initiation]] rituals and technical training exercises where they learn the Vodou spirits by their names, attributes, and symbols.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /> The first step in initiation is ''lave tèt'' (head washing), which is aimed at the spirits housed in an individual's head. The second step is known as ''{{lang|ht|kouche}}'' (to lie down), which is when the initiate enters a period of seclusion. Typically, the final step is the possession of the ''ason'' (sacred rattle), which enables the ''manbos'' or ''oungans'' to begin their work. One of the main goals of Vodou initiation ceremonies is to strengthen the ''manbo''{{'}}s ''konesans (''knowledge''),'' which determines priestly power.<ref name=":1" />

[[File:Swearing-in ceremony of Diaspora GwètòDe by Konfederasyon Nasyonal Vodou Ayisyen 08.jpg|thumb|283x283px|Three Haitian mambos in a Vodou swearing-in ceremony by the Konfederasyon Nasyonal Vodouyizan Ayisyen (KNVA) in Harlem, NYC.]]

The specific skills and knowledge gained by mambos''manbos'' enable them to mediate between the physical and spiritual realms.<ref name=":1" /> They use this information to call upon the spirits through song, dance, prayer, offerings, and/or the drawing of ''[[vèvè]]s'' (spiritual symbols).<ref name=":4">{{Cite thesis|title=Mambos, priestesses, and goddesses|publisher=The University of Iowa|first=Angela Denise|last=Watkins|year=2014 |doi=10.17077/etd.putbe084|doi-access=free}}</ref> During these rituals, mambos''manbos'' may either be possessed by a ''[[loa]]'' (also spelled ''lwa'', Vodou spirits) themselves, or may oversee the possession of other devotees.<ref name=":1" /> Spirit possession plays an important role in Vodou because it establishes a connection between human beings and the Vodou [[Deity|deities]] or [[Spirit|spirits]]. Although ''loas'' can "mount" whomever they choose, those outside the Vodou priesthood do not have the skills to communicate directly with the spirits or gods. This is because the human body is merely flesh, which the spirits can borrow to reveal themselves via possession.<ref name=":0" /> Mambos''manbos'', however, can speak to and hear from the Vodou spirits.<ref name=":2" /> As a result, they can interpret the advice or warnings sent by a spirit to specific individuals or communities.<ref name=":5" />

[[Cécile Fatiman]] is a Haitian mambo''manbo'' famously known for sacrificing a black pig in the August [[1791]] Vodou ceremony at [[Bois Caïman]]—an act that is said to have ignited the [[Haitian Revolution]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite book|title=Sacred arts of Haitian vodou|last=Cosentino, Donald J., 1941-|date=1995|publisher=UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History|isbn=0930741463|oclc=906668425}}</ref> There are also notable mambos''manbos'' within the United States. [[Marie Laveau]] (1801-1888), for example, gained fame in [[New Orleans]], [[Louisiana]], for her personal charm and [[Louisiana Voodoo]] practices.<ref name=":9" /> Renowned as Louisiana's "voodoo queen", Laveau's legacy is kept alive in American popular culture (e.g., the television series ''[[AmericaAmerican Horror Story: Coven]]'').<ref name=":10">{{cite web|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/01/was-american-horror-story-coven-racist-with-voodoo-queen-marie-laveau.html|title=Is There Justice for Marie Laveau?|last=D'Angelo|first=Rafi|work=[[Slate (magazine)|Slate]]|date=January 30, 2014|access-date=May 11, 2019}}</ref> Mama Lola is another prominent mambo''manbo'' and Vodou spiritual leader in the United States. She rose to fame after the publication of [[Karen McCarthy Brown]]'s [[ethnography|ethnographic account]] ''Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn''. Mama Lola's success provided her with a platform to challenge Western misconceptions of Haitian Vodou and make television appearances.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":13" />

== Etymology and history ==

Haitian Vodou gains its historic roots from the former [[West Africa]]n kingdom of [[Dahomey]], which Europeans also called the "Bight of Benin". Populated by the [[Fon people|Fon]], [[Ewe people|Ewe]], and [[Yoruba people]], this region covers roughly what is known today as [[People's Republic of Benin|Benin]] and western [[Military dictatorship in Nigeria|Nigeria]]. During the [[Atlantic slave trade|slave trade]], many [[Fon language|Fon]] and [[Ewe language|Ewe]]-speaking Dahomeyans were [[Slavery|enslaved]] and used as the labor force for the [[sugar]] industry of French Saint Domingue (modern-day [[Duvalier dynasty|Haiti]]).<ref name=":14">{{Cite journal|last=Fandrich|first=Ina J.|date=2007-03-09|title=Yorùbá Influences on Haitian Vodou and New Orleans Voodoo|journal=[[Journal of Black Studies]]|volume=37|issue=5|pages=775–791|doi=10.1177/0021934705280410|s2cid=144192532 |issn=0021-9347}}</ref> As a result, Vodou has elements that can be traced back to the [[Fon people]]. For instance, the term mambo''manbo'' stems from the [[Fon language|Fon]] term ''nanbo'', which means "mother of [[Magic (supernatural)|magic]]". Like the ''nanbo'' in [[West African Vodun]], Haitian mambos''manbos'' play a vital role in Vodou temples and rituals.<ref name=":2" />

Contact with deities or spirits is considered dangerous. For this reason, many West African religions require male and/or female professionals (priests, priestesses, [[diviner]]s, [[herbalist]]s, etc.) who know the rituals, dances, songs, and objects that can be used to approach deities or spirits without upsetting them. Enslaved Africans brought these gendered notions of religious leadership with them to the New World. As a result, female religious figures are part of the religions of the [[African diaspora|African Diaspora]] (e.g., mambos''manbos'' in [[Haitian Vodou]]). The dominance of Vodou female practitioners later became prevalent in the urban contexts of Haiti and nineteenth-century [[New Orleans]] in [[French Louisiana]].<ref name=":11">{{Cite book|last=Fandrich|first=Ina J.|date=2005-04-21|title=The Mysterious Voodoo Queen, Marie Laveaux|doi=10.4324/9780203942628|isbn=9780203942628}}</ref>

== Vodou priesthood ==

Generally, mambos''manbos'' and ''[[Houngan|houngansoungans]]'' serve as the heads of autonomous Vodou religious groups—rather than clerical hierarchies—and exert their authority over the devotees or spiritual servants in their [[Temple|templestemple]]s.<ref name=":0" /> They are said to have the ability to call upon [[Deity|deities]] or [[Spirit|spirits]] to remove barriers between the spiritual and the earthly realms.<ref name=":6">{{Cite journal|last=Toliver|first=Victoria|date=1995|title=Vodun Iconography in Wilson Harris's Palace of the Peacock|journal=[[Callaloo (literary magazine)|Callaloo]]|volume=18|issue=1|pages=173–190|doi=10.1353/cal.1995.0018|s2cid=161093564 |issn=1080-6512}}</ref> Before they can put these skills into practice, these priests and priestesses receive a technical education wherein they learn about the different Vodou spirits and ritualistic practices. They must also cultivate a ''konesans'' ([[knowledge]])—typically regarded as intuition, [[psychic]] power, or the "gift of eyes".<ref name=":0" /> Stemming from supernatural gifts, a ''konesans'' affords Vodou priests and priestesses the ability to read people and [[healing|heal]] them.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> This, in turn, allows them to diagnose and treat human sufferings, which they ascribe to the living, the dead, or the spirit world.<ref name=":1" />

The Vodou spirits choose mambos''manbos'' and houngans''oungans'' either through [[revelation]]s in a [[dream]] or the utterances of a possessed person. These candidates for priesthood are then taken under the wing of a mambo''manbo'' or houngan''oungan'' for days, months or even years. Although anyone can receive the call from the spirits to enter the priesthood, the houngan''oungan'' and mambo''manbo'' profession is oftentimes hereditary.<ref name=":0" /> Nevertheless, those called to be a mambo''manbo'' or houngan''oungan'' will rarely refuse the position in fear of being severely punished by the gods.<ref name=":3">{{Cite journal|last=Ferère|first=Gérard A.|date=1978|title=Haitian Voodoo: Its True Face|journal=[[Caribbean Quarterly]]|volume=24|issue=3–4|pages=37–47|doi=10.1080/00086495.1978.11829297|issn=0008-6495}}</ref>

In a ''{{lang|ht|humfo}}'' (Vodou temple), mambos''manbos'' and houngans''oungans'' are commonly referred to as ''manman'' (mother) and ''papa'' (father) respectively.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":7" /> ''Hounfos'' are highly decorated religious places of worship and contain one or more stone altars for deities or spirits. Some priests or priestesses draw large followings in their ''hounfo'', which aid them in establishing notable reputations. Thus, with the office of the houngan''oungan'' or mambo''manbo'' comes power, prestige, and wealth.<ref name=":7" /> There are, however, other positions and roles meant to help a head priest or priestess. For instance, ''[[hunsi]]'' are devotees who have gone through the rite of fire, abide by the orders of the mambo''manbo'' and are qualified to assist with ritual activities. The ''hunsi'' are further subdivided based on particular tasks (e.g., the ''hungenikon'' (song leader) and ''laplace'' (master of ceremonies and sword holder)).<ref name=":02">{{Cite journal|lastlast1=Rigaud|firstfirst1=Odette M.|last2=Métraux|first2=Alfred|last3=Métraux|first3=Rhoda|last4=Metraux|first4=Alfred|last5=Metraux|first5=Rhoda|date=1946|title=The Feasting of the Gods in Haitian Vodu|journal=Caribbean Quarterly|volume=19|issue=1/2|pages=1–58|doi=10.2307/3316153|issn=0887-3925|jstor=3316153}}</ref>

Patriarchal structures with male priesthood often prevail in rural areas of Haiti. Female leadership, on the other hand, is often seen in urban centers such as [[Port-au-Prince]] (the capital of Haiti). The autonomous nature of the Vodou priesthood enables mambos''manbos'' to exercise leadership entirely independent of male control.<ref name=":11" /> Despite providing female practitioners with greater social mobility, Vodou still mirrors aspects of [[misogyny]] in Haitian culture. For instance, houngans''oungans'' are more prone to undergo scrutiny for the mistreatment of female ''hunsi'' in their temples.<ref name=":1" />

== Initiation rituals ==

[[File:Voodoo scenes from Haiti (2).jpg|thumb|424x424px|Scenes from a Vodou ritual in Haiti, depicting the bodily movement of a female Vodou practitioner.]]

Mambos''Manbos'' must undergo a multi-step [[initiation]] process to enter the [[Priest|priesthoodpriest]]hood and establish their communication with the Vodou spirits. One of the main goals of Vodou initiation ceremonies is to strengthen the mambo''manbo''{{'}}s ''konesans''. The first step in initiation is ''lave tèt'' (head washing), which is aimed at the spirits housed in an individual's head. It is believed that the head contains the ''{{lang|ht|gwo bonanj}}'' (big [[guardian angel]])—a spirit that directs a person's consciousness and provides ancestral/spiritual wisdom. An agitated ''{{lang|ht|gwo bonanj}}'' can cause an individual to lose their insight and understanding. Head washing works to circumvent this issue by "refreshing" these restive head spirits.<ref name=":1" />

''Kanzo'', a [[trial by ordeal|trial by fire]], is the second step of initiation. During this [[rite of passage]], hot materials from boiling pots are pressed into the initiate's left hand and left foot.<ref name=":1" /> This step is used to purify the initiate and transform their suffering into power. The ''kanzo'' ritual is important because it places the initiate under the direct care of a ''[[loa]]'' (also spelled ''lwa'', Vodou spirits).<ref name=":0" />

The next step is known as ''{{lang|ht|kouche}}'' (to lie down), which is when the initiate enters a period of seclusion.<ref name=":1" /> The future mambo''manbo'' is locked in the d''jévò'' (initiation room) for nine days with an ''[[Ason (disambiguation)|ason]]''.<ref name=":3" /> The ''ason'' is a beaded rattle that mambos''manbos'' and houngans''oungans'' use in Southern Haiti to give them leverage in the spirit realm. The final step of initiation is the transferred ownership of the ''ason'' to the mambo''manbo'' or houngan''oungan'' in training. Possession of the ason enables the initiates to take on their formal roles and start their healing work.<ref name=":1" />

[[File:Asson2.jpg|thumb|An asson, the beaded rattle used by ''oungans'' and ''manbos'' in the ''asson'' lineages.]]

There are different reasons as why Vodou practitioners perform [[Ritual|ritualsritual]]s and [[Ceremony|ceremonies]]. Some believers view their relationship with the gods and spirits as a binding contract in which humans are obliged to provide the spirits rituals or ceremonies in exchange for protection. By serving and communicating with the spirits via rituals, devotees can bring about good luck, ward off evil, and heal the sick. As religious specialists, mambos''manbos'' know the Vodou spirits by their names, attributes, and symbols.<ref name=":7" /> They utilize this information during rituals to call upon the spirits and interact with them—whether it be through song, dance, prayer, offerings, or the drawing of ''[[vèvè]]s'' (spiritual symbols).<ref name=":4" /> Theatrical aspects such as drumming, singing, and dancing are used by mambos''manbos'' as a means of "heating up" the process through which a person enters a state of possession or [[trance]].<ref name=":7" />

During rituals, mambos''manbos'' may either be possessed by a ''loa'' themselves, or may oversee the possession of other devotees.<ref name=":1" /> [[Spirit possession]] is one of the most important goals in Vodou rituals because it puts human beings in direct contact with the spirits.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|last=McAlister|first=Elizabeth|chapter=The Rite of Baptism in Haitian Vodou|pages=362–372|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|isbn=9780691188133|doi=10.2307/j.ctv346rkb.34|title=Religions of the United States in Practice, Volume 2|year=2018|chapter-url=https://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/13}}</ref> During possession, an individual's consciousness and sense of control leaves their body, which increases mental and corporeal reception of the spirits.<ref name=":1" /> The possessed individual becomes a vessel for the spirit to reveal its persona and cosmic knowledge.<ref name=":4" /> This is important because Vodou spirits can offer advice, healing, or even warnings to the individuals in a place of worship.<ref name=":5" /> Although ''loa'' can incarnate themselves in whomever they choose, the intimacy afforded to the devotees does not include a direct communication with the spirits or gods. This is because the human body is merely flesh, which the spirits can borrow to reveal themselves via possession. Mambos''manbos'', however, have the knowledge and training necessary to speak to and hear from the Vodou spirits.<ref name=":0" /> Since human contact with the spiritual realm can be a dangerous endeavor, mambos''manbos'' use their skills to supervise possessions and actively direct individuals back to consciousness.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":03">{{Cite journal|last=Anderson|first=Michelle|date=1982|title=Authentic Voodoo Is Synthetic|journal=[[TDR (journal)|The Drama Review: TDR]]|volume=26|issue=2|pages=89–110|doi=10.2307/1145433|issn=0012-5962|jstor=1145433}}</ref>

There are different reasons as why Vodou practitioners perform [[Ritual|rituals]] and [[Ceremony|ceremonies]]. Some believers view their relationship with the gods and spirits as a binding contract in which humans are obliged to provide the spirits rituals or ceremonies in exchange for protection. By serving and communicating with the spirits via rituals, devotees can bring about good luck, ward off evil, and heal the sick. As religious specialists, mambos know the Vodou spirits by their names, attributes, and symbols.<ref name=":7" /> They utilize this information during rituals to call upon the spirits and interact with them—whether it be through song, dance, prayer, offerings, or the drawing of [[vèvè]]s (spiritual symbols).<ref name=":4" /> Theatrical aspects such as drumming, singing, and dancing are used by mambos as a means of "heating up" the process through which a person enters a state of possession or [[trance]].<ref name=":7" />

== Notable mambos''manbos'' and popular culture ==

During rituals, mambos may either be possessed by a loa themselves, or may oversee the possession of other devotees.<ref name=":1" /> [[Spirit possession]] is one of the most important goals in Vodou rituals because it puts human beings in direct contact with the spirits.<ref name=":5">{{Citation|last=McAlister|first=Elizabeth|chapter=The Rite of Baptism in Haitian Vodou|pages=362–372|publisher=[[Princeton University Press]]|isbn=9780691188133|doi=10.2307/j.ctv346rkb.34|title=Religions of the United States in Practice, Volume 2|year=2018|url=https://wesscholar.wesleyan.edu/div2facpubs/13}}</ref> During possession, an individual's consciousness and sense of control leaves their body, which increases mental and corporeal reception of the spirits.<ref name=":1" /> The possessed individual becomes a vessel for the spirit to reveal its persona and cosmic knowledge.<ref name=":4" /> This is important because Vodou spirits can offer advice, healing, or even warnings to the individuals in a place of worship.<ref name=":5" /> Although loa can incarnate themselves in whomever they choose, the intimacy afforded to the devotees does not include a direct communication with the spirits or gods. This is because the human body is merely flesh, which the spirits can borrow to reveal themselves via possession. Mambos, however, have the knowledge and training necessary to speak to and hear from the Vodou spirits.<ref name=":0" /> Since human contact with the spiritual realm can be a dangerous endeavor, mambos use their skills to supervise possessions and actively direct individuals back to consciousness.<ref name=":6" /><ref name=":03">{{Cite journal|last=Anderson|first=Michelle|date=1982|title=Authentic Voodoo Is Synthetic|journal=[[TDR (journal)|The Drama Review: TDR]]|volume=26|issue=2|pages=89–110|doi=10.2307/1145433|issn=0012-5962|jstor=1145433}}</ref>

[[File:MarieCreole LaveauWoman in a Madras Tignon (Schneider).png|thumb|A portrait of an unknown Creole woman previously identified incorrectly as New Orleans Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. |385x385px250px]]

[[Cécile Fatiman]] is famously known for her participation in the August [[1791]] Vodou ceremony at [[Bois Caïman]], which is considered to be a catalyst for the [[Haitian Revolution]]. This historical Vodou priestess inspired the first act of the uprising by sacrificing a black pig and sharing the blood with other slaves.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite book|title=Africa and the Americas : culture, politics, and history : a multidisciplinary encyclopedia|last=Juang, Richard M. Morrissette, Noelle Anne.|date=2012|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=9781849723800|oclc=858902344}}</ref> Following the ceremony at Bois Caïman, a [[Slave rebellion|slave revolt]] began on [[August 21]], 1791, resulting in the destruction of [[plantation]]s surrounding Cap FrancaisFrançais (modern-day [[Cap-Haïtien|Cap Haitien]]) and the deaths of thousands of [[French people|FrenchmenFrench men, women and children]].<ref name=":12" />

Another notable mambo''manbo'' was [[Marie Laveau]] (1801–1888), a [[Louisiana Creole]] woman who became a legendary Voodoo practitioner in New Orleans.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/voodooqueenspiri00ward|title=Voodoo queen : the spirited lives of Marie Laveau|last=Ward, Martha|date=2004|publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]]|isbn=1578066298|oclc=896142435|url-access=registration}}</ref> Like its Haitian counterpart, New Orleans Voodoo was brought by enslaved Africans from West Africa to French Louisiana during the slave trade. Contrary to popular belief, Haitian Vodou and [[Louisiana Voodoo]] are not the same—these African diaspora religions have their own history and identity. From its beginning, female practitioners played a dominant role in New Orleans Voodoo. Approximately eighty percent of Voodoo leaders were said to be women during Laveau's time.<ref name=":11" /> Laveau herself gained great fame for her personal charm and Voodoo practices. Today, she is still renowned as Louisiana's "voodoo queen".<ref name=":9" /> Her legacy and image as a Voodoo practitioner lives on in modern-day popular culture. For instance, a fictionalized Marie Laveau (played by actress [[Angela Bassett]]) appears in [[American Horror Story: Coven|the third season of ''[[American Horror Story: Coven'']].''<ref name=":10" />

== Notable mambos and popular culture ==

[[File:Marie Laveau.png|thumb|A portrait of New Orleans Voodoo priestess Marie Laveau. |385x385px]]

[[Cécile Fatiman]] is famously known for her participation in the August [[1791]] Vodou ceremony at [[Bois Caïman]], which is considered to be a catalyst for the [[Haitian Revolution]]. This historical Vodou priestess inspired the first act of the uprising by sacrificing a black pig and sharing the blood with other slaves.<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":12">{{Cite book|title=Africa and the Americas : culture, politics, and history : a multidisciplinary encyclopedia|last=Juang, Richard M. Morrissette, Noelle Anne.|date=2012|publisher=[[ABC-CLIO]]|isbn=9781849723800|oclc=858902344}}</ref> Following the ceremony at Bois Caïman, a [[Slave rebellion|slave revolt]] began on [[August 21]], 1791, resulting in the destruction of [[plantation]]s surrounding Cap Francais (modern-day [[Cap-Haïtien|Cap Haitien]]) and the deaths of thousands of [[French people|Frenchmen]].<ref name=":12" />

Marie Thérèse Alourdes Macena Champagne Lovinski, commonlyalso known as [[Mama Lola]] (1933–2020), iswas a prominent mambo''manbo'' and Vodou spiritual leader in the United States born and raised in Haiti. She rose to famepublic prominence after the publication of [[Karen McCarthy Brown]]'s [[Ethnography|ethnographic account]], ''Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn''. In 19621963, Mamaat Lolathe leftage herof nativethirty Haitiyears andold, Mama Lola emigrated to [[Brooklyn]], New York, in search of agreater better lifeopportunities. InDuring aone returnof her tripvisits back to Haiti, the warrior spirit [[Ogou]] possessed Mama Lola's mother Philomise Macena and revealed to Mama Lola's that the spirits wished that she fulfill her calling into the Vodou priesthood. She underwent a long series of initiation rituals in Haiti over multiple visits to complete this spiritualhigh transitionlevel of initiation. Brown notesexplains that her role as a practicing mambo,''manbo'' Mamawas Lolaone that "combines the skills of a medical doctor, a psychotherapist, a social worker, and a priest". HerMama successfulLola reputationconducted hasmost ledof her tospiritual work in Brooklyn, played an active role in her hometown through visits and material support, and performperformed rituals and healing work throughout the eastern United States, Canada, elsewhere in the Caribbean, and Benin. TheHer attentiongreater afforded to Mama Lolavisibility after the publication of ''Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn'' and growing participation in the public sphere provided her with a platform to reshape American perceptions of Vodou, andachieve establishgreater a role as a public figurerecognition in New York's Haitian community, and attract the attention of people unfamiliar with Haiti and Vodou.<ref name=":1" /> InOne 2007,of Mamaher Lolaappearances madein U.S. popular media included that as a guest2007 appearanceguest on Season 2 Episode 7 ("Mama Lola Knows Best") of the reality TV show ''[[Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood]].''<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxygen.com/tori-dean-home-sweet-hollywood|title=Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood|date=2014-02-16|website=Oxygen Official Site|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref>

Another notable mambo was [[Marie Laveau]] (1801–1888), a [[Louisiana Creole]] woman who became a legendary Voodoo practitioner in New Orleans.<ref name=":9">{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/voodooqueenspiri00ward|title=Voodoo queen : the spirited lives of Marie Laveau|last=Ward, Martha|date=2004|publisher=[[University Press of Mississippi]]|isbn=1578066298|oclc=896142435|url-access=registration}}</ref> Like its Haitian counterpart, New Orleans Voodoo was brought by enslaved Africans from West Africa to French Louisiana during the slave trade. Contrary to popular belief, Haitian Vodou and [[Louisiana Voodoo]] are not the same—these African diaspora religions have their own history and identity. From its beginning, female practitioners played a dominant role in New Orleans Voodoo. Approximately eighty percent of Voodoo leaders were said to be women during Laveau's time.<ref name=":11" /> Laveau herself gained great fame for her personal charm and Voodoo practices. Today, she is still renowned as Louisiana's "voodoo queen".<ref name=":9" /> Her legacy and image as a Voodoo practitioner lives on in modern-day popular culture. For instance, a fictionalized Marie Laveau (played by actress [[Angela Bassett]]) appears in the third season of ''[[American Horror Story: Coven]].''<ref name=":10" />

Marie Thérèse Alourdes Macena Champagne Lovinski, commonly known as [[Mama Lola]], is a prominent mambo and Vodou spiritual leader in the United States. She rose to fame after the publication of [[Karen McCarthy Brown]]'s [[Ethnography|ethnographic account]] ''Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn''. In 1962, Mama Lola left her native Haiti and emigrated to [[Brooklyn]], New York, in search of a better life. In a return trip back to Haiti, the warrior spirit [[Ogou]] possessed Mama Lola's mother and revealed Mama Lola's calling into the Vodou priesthood. She underwent a long series of initiation rituals in Haiti to complete this spiritual transition. Brown notes that as a practicing mambo, Mama Lola "combines the skills of a medical doctor, a psychotherapist, a social worker, and a priest". Her successful reputation has led her to perform rituals and healing work throughout the eastern United States, Canada, the Caribbean, and Benin. The attention afforded to Mama Lola after the publication of ''Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn'' provided her with a platform to reshape American perceptions of Vodou and establish a role as a public figure in New York's Haitian community.<ref name=":1" /> In 2007, Mama Lola made a guest appearance on Season 2 Episode 7 ("Mama Lola Knows Best") of the reality TV show ''[[Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood]].''<ref name=":13">{{Cite web|url=https://www.oxygen.com/tori-dean-home-sweet-hollywood|title=Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood|date=2014-02-16|website=Oxygen Official Site|language=en-US|access-date=2019-05-07}}</ref>

==References==

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[[Category:Haitian Vodou practitioners]]

[[Category:Haitian clergy]]

[[Category:Religious leaders in Haiti]]