How To Create Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines & Sacred Space

♥ What Are Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines & How To CREATE SACRED SPACES

Creating Vodou altars, Voodoo shrines, and sacred spaces is not limited to initiated clergy. Anyone with a connection to the Voodoo spirits can create their own altar for private rituals or public ceremonies. This guide, prepared by Hougan Aboudja and the initiated practitioners at Erzulie’s Voodoo in New Orleans, offers foundational insights into building your sacred space with sincerity and respect.

♥ Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines and Sacred Spaces:

Voodoo Altars can be created for private or public use.  The most important element to creating a sacred space for any spirit is your sincerity and respect. “Vodou is the most tolerant religion because it doesn’t exclude anything,” said Edouard Duval-Carrie, a famous Haitian painter. “Vodou brings together the views of African slaves.”  Our goal at Erzulie’s Voodoo was to create a material representation of Vodou beliefs and a comprehensive display of Haitian Vodou Altars, Sacred Spaces, and art styles from paintings to beaded flags (drapos).

♥ Essential Items for Your Voodoo Altar or Shrine:

For those not initiated into the Vodou, and who have no access to elders, you can create an altar to Spirit on a shelf or tabletop, in a cupboard or other niche. Here are some helpful tips as to setting up your sacred space in the Voodoo religion:

• Place beautiful objects, Vodou dolls, talisman, statues, flowers, stones, or roots on the altar; choose those things, which hold a special meaning, or inspiration for you.
• Place perfumes, anointing oils, altar candles or incense there.

  

• Make sure that you also place water on this altar for clarity and coolness in your life. Change it frequently.
• Create the altar in honor of people, whether living or dead, who have inspired you in your life; certainly, their pictures may be placed there also.
• The altar may be simple or complex and should be as beautiful as you like. Offer prayers to the Almighty.
• Meditate before this altar daily concentrating on those things, those positive changes, you wish for in your life that might benefit you, your family, or your community.

Typically, individual devotees, even priests, maintain a small altar for the Lwa (or for a specific Lwa) in their homes as a focal point for prayer and meditation; here they make private devotionals, frequent services to their personal mysteries. Properly, these home altars are called ogantwa. On or in these ogantwa sit many of the same items found in the badji of the hounfò, including lithographs (or other representations of the Lwa), thunderstones, satin scarves of various colors, dolls, ceramic govi (lidded jars housing the Lwa), paket, and so on. There will likely also be a perpetual lamp of some kind.

♥ The Ogantwa: Home Altars in Haitian Vodou &The Basics of a Vodou Altar:

A basic ogantwa can be made on a table or shelf, inside a cabinet, or even within a set of divided niche, each one for a specific Lwa. Cover the ogantwa with a white cloth ―cotton, satin, or other spotless fabric. Behind it, place at least the image of St. Claire (the lwa Klèmezin Klermey), a spirit who brings clarity and illumination.

Other images include the Holy Virgin, Sacred Heart, Lazarus, (Papa Legba), St. Patrick (Danbala), Mater Dolorosa (Ezili Freda), St. Isidore (Azaka), St James or St. George (Papa Ogou), and so on. Also, on the ogantwa there should be a standing crucifix or santisima, and this sits before the image of St. Claire (Conversely, a crucifix can hang on the wall over this image).

To one side is placed a white candle, and on the other, a red or multicolored candle. Holy water taken from a Catholic Church, the perfumes Pompeii and Florida Water or Rev d’Or, frankincense, as well as fresh flowers completes the setup of a simple ogantwa.

There should always be a glass or bowl of fresh water on the ogantwa, and most devotees will place a kwakwa rattle or a bell here (or an ason, if they are priests) to use for calling their spirits. Other items that may be necessary include, a small brazier for burning incense or other items, a glass bowl for making lamps, a supply of white taper candles, cotton wicks, and olive oil.

♥ How to Baptize and Activate Your Vodou Altar

The ogantwa must be baptized to its purpose before it is ready for use. Burn frankincense, recite three (3) Our Father’s, seven (7) Hail Mary’s, and if desired, other appropriate prayers.  Next, sprinkle holy water from a Catholic church, baptizing the ogantwa in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The ogantwa is now ready to serve as a focal point for prayer and meditation.

Note: For those who are newly initiated, consult your elders. They should instruct you on the proper building of an ogantwa to your spirits in accord with your understanding and level of initiation. If necessary, they may even oversee the proper installation of an altar to the Lwa in your home. Follow their advice please. That is why they are there, and you did choose them after all… or did you?

♥ Final Thoughts from Erzulie’s Voodoo New Orleans

We hope this guide empowers you to create a sacred space that honors your spirits, your ancestors, and your personal path. Whether you are a novice or an initiated practitioner, your sincerity, respect, and devotion are what give your altar its power.

We invite you to learn more this mystical and fascinating Voodoo religion, Roots of Vodou, Voodoo practitioner spiritual sessions and Haitian Vodou rituals by browsing our vast collection of Voodoo articles written by expert and initiated practitioners from all over the world!

We sincerely hope this overview on Vodou Altars, Voodoo Shrines and Sacred Spaces in the Voodoo assists anyone looking  to create their personal Voodoo Altar or Shrine for both, the novice to the initiated Vodou practitioner.

Alafia from all of us at Erzulie’s Voodoo in the French Quarter of New Orleans.