The Petwo (Haitian Creole: Petwo), also spelled Petro[a] and alternatively known as dompete, are a family of lwa (loa) spirits in the religion of Haitian Vodou. They are regarded as being volatile and "hot", in this contrasting with the Rada lwa, which are regarded as sweet-tempered and "cool."
The Petwo are also known as the Dompete.[4] They are considered one of the nanchons ('nations') of lwa spirits in the religion.[5] Various commentators have described the Petwo as a "pantheon" of deities.[6] Along with the Rada, they are one of the two main groups of lwa worshipped by practitioners in Port-au-Prince.[7]
The Petwo spirits are considered to be volatile and hot-tempered,[2] exhibiting bitter, aggressive, and forceful characteristics.[4] In this they contrast with the Rada lwa, who are deemed sweet-natured and dependable.[8] The Petwo lwa are kept separate from the Rada lwa, both spatially, by placing their altars in different parts of the ounfo (temple), and temporally, by invoking them at different stages in a ritual.[3] The anthropologist Karen McCarthy Brown suggested that the contrast between the Rada and the Petwo reflected that between "two archetypal social groups", namely family members and foreigners or insiders and outsiders.[2]
Due to their nature, Petwo lwa are treated carefully by Vodouists.[2] They are deemed especially effective at getting things done, particularly when it comes to matters linked to money.[2]
A common offering to the Petwo lwa is rum that has been mixed with coffee, spicy pepper, blood, and gunpowder.[2] The drum rhythms selected for Petwo rites are typified by their rapid and harsh sound.[2] Also involved in Petwo rites are small explosions of gunpowder, cracking whips, and shrieking police whistles.[9]
Historyedit
Desmangles thought that the Petwo lwa were not deities brought to the Caribbean by enslaved Africans but rather emerged on the island of Hispaniola amid the conditions of slavery.[4] Later research instead suggested that they derived from the spirit pantheons of the Kongo people of West Central Africa.[10]
As spirits associated with anger and rage, they came to be linked to the Haitian Revolution.[5] The mythology of the Petwo lwas is a uniquely Dominican-Haitian phenomenon, not something inherited from Africa.[4]
Ogun is a lwa who does not fit neatly into either the Petwo or Rada nanchon. Although he carries weaponry, which is associated with the Petwo, he is seen as the defender of Rada values.[2]
Referencesedit
Notesedit
^Scholars who have used the spelling "petro" include Leslie Desmangles (1992).[1] More recent sources using the spelling "petwo" include those of the anthropologist Karen McCarthy Brown (1991),[2] and the historian Kate Ramsey (2011).[3]
Brown, Karen McCarthy (1991). Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn. Berkeley: University of California Press. ISBN0-520-22475-2.
Desmangles, Leslie (1992). The Faces of the Gods: Vodou and Roman Catholicism in Haiti. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press. ISBN978-0807843932.
Métraux, Alfred (1972) [1959]. Voodoo in Haiti. Translated by Hugo Charteris. New York: Schocken Books.
Ramsey, Kate (2011). The Spirits and the Law: Vodou and Power in Haiti. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. ISBN978-0-226-70379-4.
petwo, petwo, haitian, creole, petwo, also, spelled, petro, alternatively, known, dompete, family, spirits, religion, haitian, vodou, they, regarded, being, volatile, this, contrasting, with, rada, which, regarded, sweet, tempered, cool, contents, description,. The Petwo Haitian Creole Petwo also spelled Petro a and alternatively known as dompete are a family of lwa loa spirits in the religion of Haitian Vodou They are regarded as being volatile and hot in this contrasting with the Rada lwa which are regarded as sweet tempered and cool Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 Examples 4 References 4 1 Notes 4 2 Citations 4 3 Sources 5 External links 6 See alsoDescription editThe Petwo are also known as the Dompete 4 They are considered one of the nanchons nations of lwa spirits in the religion 5 Various commentators have described the Petwo as a pantheon of deities 6 Along with the Rada they are one of the two main groups of lwa worshipped by practitioners in Port au Prince 7 The Petwo spirits are considered to be volatile and hot tempered 2 exhibiting bitter aggressive and forceful characteristics 4 In this they contrast with the Rada lwa who are deemed sweet natured and dependable 8 The Petwo lwa are kept separate from the Rada lwa both spatially by placing their altars in different parts of the ounfo temple and temporally by invoking them at different stages in a ritual 3 The anthropologist Karen McCarthy Brown suggested that the contrast between the Rada and the Petwo reflected that between two archetypal social groups namely family members and foreigners or insiders and outsiders 2 Due to their nature Petwo lwa are treated carefully by Vodouists 2 They are deemed especially effective at getting things done particularly when it comes to matters linked to money 2 A common offering to the Petwo lwa is rum that has been mixed with coffee spicy pepper blood and gunpowder 2 The drum rhythms selected for Petwo rites are typified by their rapid and harsh sound 2 Also involved in Petwo rites are small explosions of gunpowder cracking whips and shrieking police whistles 9 History editDesmangles thought that the Petwo lwa were not deities brought to the Caribbean by enslaved Africans but rather emerged on the island of Hispaniola amid the conditions of slavery 4 Later research instead suggested that they derived from the spirit pantheons of the Kongo people of West Central Africa 10 As spirits associated with anger and rage they came to be linked to the Haitian Revolution 5 The mythology of the Petwo lwas is a uniquely Dominican Haitian phenomenon not something inherited from Africa 4 Examples editEzili Danto is a Petwo lwa 11 Ogun is a lwa who does not fit neatly into either the Petwo or Rada nanchon Although he carries weaponry which is associated with the Petwo he is seen as the defender of Rada values 2 References editNotes edit Scholars who have used the spelling petro include Leslie Desmangles 1992 1 More recent sources using the spelling petwo include those of the anthropologist Karen McCarthy Brown 1991 2 and the historian Kate Ramsey 2011 3 Citations edit Desmangles 1992 p 187 a b c d e f g h Brown 1991 p 101 a b Ramsey 2011 p 8 a b c d Desmangles 1992 p 36 a b Desmangles 1992 p 15 Brown 1991 p 385 Desmangles 1992 p 187 Ramsey 2011 p 8 Brown 1991 p 385 Brown 1991 p 100 Brown 1991 p 101 Ramsey 2011 p 9 Ramsey 2011 p 9 Brown 1991 p 246 Sources edit Brown Karen McCarthy 1991 Mama Lola A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn Berkeley University of California Press ISBN 0 520 22475 2 Desmangles Leslie 1992 The Faces of the Gods Vodou and Roman Catholicism in Haiti Chapel Hill University of North Carolina Press ISBN 978 0807843932 Metraux Alfred 1972 1959 Voodoo in Haiti Translated by Hugo Charteris New York Schocken Books Ramsey Kate 2011 The Spirits and the Law Vodou and Power in Haiti Chicago University of Chicago Press ISBN 978 0 226 70379 4 External links editEzili Danto Single Mother with a Knife by Kevin Filan petwo song video Archived 2014 06 05 at the Wayback MachineSee also editRada loa Paquet congo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Petwo lwa amp oldid 1183432988, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
