A ''veve'' (also spelled ''vèvè'' or ''vevè'') is a

religious symbol A religious symbol is an iconic representation intended to represent a specific religion, or a specific concept within a given religion. Religious symbols have been used in the military in many countries, such as the United States military chapl ...

commonly used in different branches of

Vodun Vodun (meaning ''spirit'' in the Fon, Gun and Ewe languages, with a nasal high-tone ''u''; also spelled Vodon, Vodoun, Vodou, Vudu, Voudou, Voodoo, etc.) is a religion practiced by the Aja, Ewe, and Fon peoples of Benin, Togo, Ghana, and ...

throughout the

African diaspora The African diaspora is the worldwide collection of communities descended from native Africans or people from Africa, predominantly in the Americas. The term most commonly refers to the descendants of the West and Central Africans who were e ...

, such as

Haitian Vodou Haitian Vodou is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West and Central Africa and Roman Catholicism. There is ...

and

Louisiana Voodoo Louisiana Voodoo (french: Vaudou louisianais, es, Vudú de Luisiana), also known as New Orleans Voodoo, is an African diasporic religion which originated in Louisiana, now in the southern United States. It arose through a process of syncreti ...

. The ''veve'' acts as a "beacon" for the ''

loa ( ), also called loa or loi, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo. Many of the lwa derive their identities in part from deities venerate ...

'', and will serve as a ''loa''s representation during rituals. ''Veves'' should not be confused with the ''patipembas'' used in

Palo Palo may refer to: Places * Palo, Argentina, a village in Argentina * Palo, Estonia, village in Meremäe Parish, Võru County, Estonia * Palo, Huesca, municipality in the province of Huesca, Spain * Palo, Iowa, United States, a town located wit ...

, nor the ''pontos riscados'' used in

Umbanda Umbanda () is a syncretic Afro-Brazilian religion that blends traditional African religions with Roman Catholicism, Spiritism, and Indigenous American beliefs. Although some of its beliefs and most of its practices existed in the late 19th cent ...

and

Quimbanda Quimbanda () is an Afro-Brazilian religion practiced primarily in the urban city centers of Brazil. Quimbanda practices are typically associated with magic, rituals with Exus, and Pombagiras spirits. Quimbanda was originally contained under the r ...

, as these are separate African religions.

History

Possible origins include the

cosmogram A cosmogram depicts a cosmology in a flat geometric form. They are used for various purposes: meditational, inpirational and to depict structure -- real or imagined -- of the earth or universe. Often, cosmograms feature a circle and a square, ...

of the

Kongo people The Kongo people ( kg, Bisi Kongo, , singular: ; also , singular: ) are a Bantu ethnic group primarily defined as the speakers of Kikongo. Subgroups include the Beembe, Bwende, Vili, Sundi, Yombe, Dondo, Lari, and others. They have lived ...

, or originated as the

Nsibidi Nsibidi (also known as nsibiri, nchibiddi or nchibiddy) is a system of symbols or proto-writing developed in what is now the far South of Nigeria. They are classified as pictograms, though there have been suggestions that some are logograms or sy ...

system of writing for the

Igboid Igboid languages constitute a branch of the Volta–Niger language family. The subgroups are: *Ekpeye * Nuclear Igboid: Igbo, Ikwerre, Ika, Ngwa, Izii–Ikwo– Ezza– Mgbo, Ogba and Ukwuani-Aboh-Ndoni Williamson and Blench conclude th ...

and

Ekoid languages The Ekoid languages are a dialect cluster of Southern Bantoid languages spoken principally in southeastern Nigeria and in adjacent regions of Cameroon. They have long been associated with the Bantu languages, without their status being precisely de ...

from

West West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth. Etymology The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...

and

Central Africa Central Africa is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries according to different definitions. Angola, Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, ...

Function

According to Milo Rigaud, "The ''veves'' represent figures of the astral forces... In the course of Vodou ceremonies, the reproduction of the astral forces represented by the veves obliges the loas... to descend to earth." Every ''

'' has his or her own unique ''veve'', although regional differences have led to different ''veves'' for the same ''loa'' in some cases. Sacrifices and offerings are usually placed upon them, with food and drink being most commonly used.Britannica - Vèvè VODOU SYMBOL
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Presentation

In ritual and other formalities, ''veve'' is usually drawn on the floor by strewing a powder-like substance, commonly

cornmeal Cornmeal is a meal (coarse flour) or a cell membrane ground from dried corn. It is a common staple food, and is ground to coarse, medium, and fine consistencies, but not as fine as wheat flour can be.Herbst, Sharon, ''Food Lover's Companion'', ...

, wheat flour, bark, red brick powder, or gunpowder, though the material depends entirely upon the ritual. In Haitian Vodou, a mixture of cornmeal and wood ash is used. ''Veves'' use symbolism to communicate which spirit is being called upon - for example, gatekeeper

Papa Legba Papa Legba is a lwa in Haitian Vodou, Winti and Louisiana Voodoo, who serves as the intermediary between the lwa and humanity. He stands at a spiritual crossroads and gives (or denies) permission to speak with the spirits of Guineé, and is bel ...

is invoked with a ''

vèvè A ''veve'' (also spelled ''vèvè'' or ''vevè'') is a religious symbol commonly used in different branches of Vodun throughout the African diaspora, such as Haitian Vodou and Louisiana Voodoo. The ''veve'' acts as a "beacon" for the '' loa'', ...

'' that features a

walking cane An assistive cane is a walking stick used as a crutch or mobility aid. A cane can help redistribute weight from a lower leg that is weak or painful, improve stability by increasing the base of support, and provide tactile information about ...

, to indicate his jolly grandpa-like demeanor. The illustration also features coded images that reflect the matrilineal and patrilineal culture of the artist, providing information about their ancestral lineage. Offerings will typically be given; in

, this would entail a cup of coffee and/or candies associated with the spirit. The spirit is generally meant to be invoked in the central cross of the ''veve''. ''Veve'' can be made into screenprint, painting, patchwork etc., as wall hangings, artworks, and banners.

Examples

File:VeveAyizan.svg, Veve of

Ayizan Ayizan (also Grande Ai-Zan, Aizan, or Ayizan Velekete) is the loa of the marketplace and commerce in Vodou, especially in Haiti. Background She is a racine, or root loa, associated with Vodoun rites of initiation (called kanzo). Just as her h ...

File:VeveBaronSamedi.svg, Veve of

Baron Samedi Baron Samedi ( en, Baron Saturday), also written Baron Samdi, Bawon Samedi or Bawon Sanmdi, is one of the lwa of Haitian Vodou. He is a lwa of the dead, along with Baron's numerous other incarnations Baron Cimetière, Baron La Croix and ...

File:VeveBrigitte.svg, Veve of

Maman Brigitte Maman Brigitte (English: ''Mother Brigitte'') sometimes also written as Manman Brigitte and also known by Gran Brigitte, Grann Brigitte, Manman, Manman Brigit, and Maman Brijit is a death loa (or ''lwa'') and the consort of Baron Samedi in Haiti ...

File:VeveDamballah.svg, Veve of Damballah Weddo File:VeveLegba.svg, Veve of

File:VeveOgoun.svg, Veve of

Ogoun Ogun or Ogoun (Yoruba: Ògún, Portuguese: Ogum, Gu; also spelled Oggun or Ogou; known as Ogún or Ogum in Latin America) is a spirit that appears in several African religions. He attempted to seize the throne after the demise of Obatala, who re ...

References

External links