Goddess Erzulie

Last Updated on March 30, 2018 by Coven of the Goddess

I am Erzulie. Originally I was the Goddess Oshun, the Yoruban river goddess. My origins are deeply rooted in the heart of my Native West Africa. This land became known as the kingdom of Dahomey, modern-day Benin. I am of the mighty Orisha, my counterparts are Oya, Oxum, and Yemaya among others. Let me tell you my story, how I Oshun came across the mighty ocean and became Erzulie.

When the white men came and stole my people for slaves and took them across the mighty ocean to Haiti, I became known as Erzulie or Ezili. Women began to call on me when their slave owners would rape them to produce more slaves, and separate them from their husbands and children. I was the one they called upon to help them with their fear and hurt. I became the Haitian goddess of love and beauty, but then, my people were taken from Haiti to the New World of America, where their white masters were at first fascinated with their beliefs, but then became afraid and forbid their slaves to worship in the way of their homeland. But my people were smarter than their masters, and through time a mixing of both religions emerged.

Forced to convert to the religion of their masters, my people were baptized as Catholic Christians so that they would be saved and dedicated to Jesus Christ. Now there is nothing wrong with this prophet, only that my people did not know him and by stripping them of their beliefs, took from them sometimes the only security they knew. But as they learned the ways of the Catholic faith, my people would practice Catholicism in front of their masters, they practiced the old ways in private. Saints could easily represent the gods and goddesses of the ancestors. For someone wanting to call upon the snake god Danbhala-Wedo, St. Patrick was an easy replacement.

And I Erzulie continued to live as Erzulie-Freda, a most be beloved Lwa (Loh-wa) of the Voduon faith. As Erzulie-Freda despite my African origin, appear as a most beautiful white Mary draped in pearls and surrounded by hearts. My people would call upon the Virgin Mary to find me. As slaves became free people and they were allowed to again follow their own paths and I once again have come into my own.

I am first known as Mistress Erzulie, a beautiful lunar goddess married to the sun-god Legba. It is said that my beautiful dark skin came from our heated interludes. I live passionately and feel things deep, deep within my being. Much like the Greek Aphrodite, I like my men, my clothes and my accessories a bit on the lavish side. I like things pleasing to the eye. My many names reflect the vast swings of my many moods, each felt as passionately as the other. In this sensual aspect I am also called Le Femme Belle, a fair and desirable maiden also likened to Venus. I have three husbands and wear three wedding rings to honor all three. My favorite color is pink and I love to spend time in milk baths infused with sweet-smelling oils and scents. For truly the sense of smell can spark a reaction extremely intense be it good or bad. I alsolove sweet sugar desserts and pink champagne. I am bit on the gluttonous side, but enjoy everything with the utmost fervor.

I am Erzulie- Ge-Rouge, the red-eyed crone. I sometimes cry over the limitation of love and I cry when things hurt me or know that I have lost something or someone close to me. I feel my loss and my grief deep within and I experience it through all phases of the mourning process. It is good to grieve, it is good to cry for that allows one to let go instead of holding it within.

As Erzulie-Toho you can see the ugly side of love, when love has gone bad and heart-break has caused sickness within from holding on to the ugliness of the hurt. I am a negative side of Erzulie, that would rather seek vengeance than move on and heal. But I feel these feelings as deeply as I loved the one that harmed me. But as Erzulie-Toho, internalize these feelings and make my own self sick.

However as Erzulie-Dontor, I actively seek vengeance and my colors turn to that of black and red and my symbol is the dagger. This is the aspect of me that one calls upon to seek the vengeance for being harmed. I am often pictorially represented as Saint Barbara Africana and have large scars tribal scars on my cheek. I am considered heterosexual as I am often displayed as the Black Virgin holding a child, but I am also the matron saint of lesbians. I said to have two husbands and have a passion for knives. I am feared for my ruthlessness and should be called upon by those women in domestic violent situation or those who have been raped or abused.

I am also known as La Sirene the beautiful sea serpent, and Maman Brigette, yes a descendent of the mighty Celtic Goddess Brigid. I am married to the god of the cemetery and as Maman Brigette, I am call upon to “raise the dead” or heal those that are at the point of death. I am a tough talking goddess that likes to spew obscenities and like to drink rum laced with hot pepper. When I am called upon I am known to dance the sexually suggestive and artistic ‘banda’ and it is said that the virtuosity of my dancing is legendary.

I am Erzulie, the notoriously vain, lavishly sexual, adamantly jealous, Voduan Lwa. I embrace every emotion and happening with passion. Like my human counterparts, I can thrive in my passionate lifestyle, but when to wrapped up in it can become unbalanced. I am moody and demanding and when I am calling someone get rather annoyed if ignored. I am Erzuli, the female Lwa of love, sexuality, passion, pleasure and prosperity. I am quite powerful in fulfilling desires. I am the Goddess of dreams, hopes and aspirations. I am the ability to conceptualize and create what it is I seek and desire. I do this by having passion.