Vodou Lwa Kalfou

♥ MEET THE LWA SERIES AT ERZULIE’S VOODOO – VODOU LWA: KALFOU

♥ PRACTITIONER-LED INSIGHTS INTO THE SPIRITS OF HAITIAN VODOU!

Welcome to our Meet the Lwa series. Each page offers a brief overview of the Lwa’s origins, attributes, and ceremonial roles—designed for spiritual students, researchers, and practitioners seeking clarity and context.

These teachings were passed down to me by my elder Mambos, spiritual godparents, and our beloved Hougan Aboudja, in collaboration with Hougan Jour Mwen Lonje, whose lifelong service and deep initiatory knowledge continue to guide our work.

As the founder and Vodou practitioner of Erzulie’s Voodoo New Orleans, I created this archive to share the foundational aspects of each spirit with respect, accuracy (from our Vodou house’s perspective), and spiritual devotion. Every detail—from Veve symbols to ritual offerings—has been curated to reflect the integrity of our tradition and the legacy of those who came before us.

♥ Kalfou: Crossroads, Chaos & Magical Power

Kalfou is the master of the crossroads and the crossing of ways, sharing this function with his Rada opposite, Papa Legba. However, Kalfou is a different spirit altogether—he is the turning of the wheel, the rapid changing of fate, the element of chaos, and the trickster. He is a master of charms, magical means, leaf medicines, and poisons. Kalfou presides over the pile fèy (ritual crushing of leaves) and collaborates with Gran Bwa and the Bawon as one of the most powerful spirits in the Vodou pantheon.

♥ Symbols & Attributes

Cruciform, broom

♥ Colors

Grey, black and red, white and red

♥ Sacred Spaces

Altar: In the crossroads
Altar Tree: Ponpon Jòn (Acacia Farnesiana)

♥ Sacrificial Animals

Red and black rooster, black and grey “frize” chicken

♥ Offerings

Red, white, and black beans cooked with rice; roasted corn and peanuts presented in a kwi (gourd-half bowl)

♥ Ritual Drinks

Kleren (raw white cane rum), kleren steeped with Sowosi (Momordica Charantia) or Absent Mawon (Artemisia Absinthium)

♥ Veneration Day & Luminary

Saturday
Red or black beeswax candle (boudji)

♥ Catholic Saint Counterpart

St. Andrew the Apostle (due to the X-shaped cross symbol)

♥ Characteristics & Manifestations

Kalfou can be amiable as quickly as he can be cruel. Unlike Papa Legba, Kalfou is virile—very tall (about 84 inches), strong, and leanly muscled. He moves like a whirlwind, turning round and round through the temple. He is a powerful magician and master of secret societies, feared and revered for his ability to shift fate and conjure chaos.

♥ Greetings

Bilolo! Madjoman-sa!

♥ EXPLORE MORE FROM OUR ARCHIVE

This archive is dedicated to preserving the spiritual, historical, and academic foundations of Haitian Vodou. We invite you to explore:

We welcome all knowledge shared in good faith. If you are a scholar, practitioner, or elder with insights to contribute, please email your notes or reflections to webmistress@erzulies.com. All credited contributions will be cited with respect and care.

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