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Loko is a very old man
with a raspy voice who is believed to be the father of
all Houngans and Mambos asogwe. Loko is a very
complicated mystery. It has been suggested that Loko’s
names derives from the Iroko tree, which explains his
strong connection to trees and leaves. However, it is
also interesting to note that the early Tayino Indians
who inhabited the island of Hispaniola (then called
Kiskaya) also worshiped an entity named Loko. I would
venture to guess that the Loko we know today is likely a
mélange of both native and African conceptualizations of
“Loko”. Nevertheless, Loko’s role in Haitian Vodou is
exceedingly important. He is the only lwa who has the
ability to confer the asson to a new initiate; therefore
he plays a very critical role in the making of new
Houngans and Mambos. Loko is absolutely beloved by all
Houngans and Mambos and he is given the most regal forms
of ritualized respect. Loko is the third spirit in the
rada liturgy and is sung for right after the Marasa.
During his salutes the entire humfor rises to their feet
in a grand display of respect. The Houngan or Mambo
officiating the salute is usually draped in a
golden-yellow kerchief and usually carries with them a
bottle of five-star Barbencourt Rum and of course their
asson. After Loko himself is saluted, all Houngans and
Mambos asogwe are ritually saluted, thereby recognizing
their high rank within the religion, and their
undeniable link to Loko himself.
Salutes to Loko also
often carry with them a specialized ritual game called
“tolke asson”. This performance is initiated when a
Houngan or Mambo approaches another Houngan or Mambo,
and breaks (kase) them into the performance. Assuming
the challenged Houngan or Mambo is appropriately
dressed, they cannot refuse; they must rise, take an
asson in their hand, and begin speaking the “language”
of the asson”. At this point the challenger will offer
many different asson gestures to their “opponent” and
the opponent will in turn reply. Each of the highly
stylized gestures convey meaning as they articulate
words that can only be “spoken” with the asson, and
which can only understood by a Houngan and Mambo, who
has properly passed through the djevo. Tolke asson is a
fun, yet very competitive part of ritual play, at times
it can become very heated as Houngans and Mambos are
challenged to publicly prove their proficiency with the
asson given to them by Loko.
Like many of the other
prominent lwa, the first song sung for Papa Loko is
often a song designed to greet him – to tell him “good
evening”. While greeting-songs are sung for many of the
lwa (including Legba and Damballah), Houngans and Mambos
are generally more rigid about this practice for Loko. A
very common greeting song for Papa Loko is as follows:
Bonswa Papa Loko
houngan mwen
Bade wandile gweto
lisa dole-o!
Bonswa Papa Loko
houngan mwen
Bade wandile gweto
lisa dole-o!
Apre Bondye mwen nan
men o!
Apre lasen, mwen nan
men o la!
Bondye devan, marasa
deye o!
Good Evening Papa Loko, my houngan
Bade wandile gweto
lisa dole-o!
Good Evening Papa Loko, my houngan
Bade wandile gweto
lisa dole-o!
After God, I am your
hands.
After the saints, I
am in your hands
God is in front, the
marasa are behind!
Aside
from this being a great song for Papa Loko, it also
exemplifies the fact that in Vodou, the lwa, regardless
of their importance are only served after God.
Because Loko is the
spirit of the asson, he is also the spirit who governs
regelman. He demands ritual perfection. And those people
who are lucky enough to have Loko as their met tet are
often ritual perfectionists themselves. While Loko
possessions are generally uncommon, (outside of the
kanzo ceremony, where his possession is required) he
will possess a person to correct a ritual error or to
chastise a Houngan or Mambo for performing a ritual
incorrectly.
Along with ruling
Vodou regelman he is also strongly associated with
leaves and medicine. As a matter of fact, Loko is a
magnificent herbal healer. Along with being associated
with trees in a broad sense, he is also closely tied to
the Mapou (or Kapok) tree.
Loko is most commonly
served with white and golden yellow. His sacred day is
Wednesday and his feast days are January 6th
and March 19th. Loko is also associated with
the Catholic image of Saint Joseph and occasionally,
Gabriel the Arch Angel.
Loko drinks five-star
Barbencourt rum and sweetened coffee. He
is often offered palm oil, popcorn
and rice and beans along with rice and mushrooms. He is
also given blonde roosters and blonde bulls. Loko’s
offerings are generally placed in a round djacout and
hung high in a Mapou tree. As a matter of fact, if you
look in the trees surrounding many humfors in Haiti you
will often find a lone djacout hanging in a nearby tree
to graciously honor the spirit known as Loko.
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