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I am cold, l am wet I have just come from the cold sea I cannot stand up because half my body is a fish Bring me my comb Bring me my mirror
So sings the mermaid Lasiren, a spirit (Iwa) associated with seduction and wealth; so she sang recently as she possessed a female follower in a Vodou ceremony just west of Port-au-Prince. Her arrival is marked by the blowing of the conch shell, a sound reminiscent of a plaintive foghorn. The ounsis (servitors) quickly come to her side bringing her symbols, the comb and the hand mirror, necessary accoutrements for her beautification. They support her under each arm as she gently sways back and forth as if still moving in deep water. Holding the mirror in one hand, she slowly combs her "wet" hair. Mirrors, resembling pools of captured water, are associated with water: both have reflective surfaces that can be used to communicate with other worlds.
Water enters Vodou cosmology in many forms and on many paths. Marine spirits like Lasiren can be contacted through bodies of water ranging from the sea, to rivers and streams, to springs and pools, whether natural or in tubs in the Vodou temple. Spirits animate the volatile dramatic elements of the tropical storm: the gusting winds that precede the rain, the thunder and lightning that accompany it, and the rainbow that marks its conclusion. They reside in the tumultuous, spectacular waterfall at Sodo, site of the July pilgrimage for Ezili, as well as in the quiet, soft presence of the dew, recognized as Simbi "Larouze" (Courlander 1985:328). Aquatic creatures such as fish, whales, and snakes, particularly the rainbow python, join composite fantastic creatures such as mermaids to symbolize the Iwa of the water. In addition, marine vessels from sailboats to ocean steamers are used to reference the male sea spirit Agwe.
Some water spirits are associated with the cool and sweet Rada divinities; others are Petwo, hot and volatile. Some, like Lasiren, can switch back and forth between Rada and Petwo as they please. Harold Courlander refers to the whole range of beliefs and practices centering on these Iwa as "The Water RoadChimin Dleau" (1985:70).
Water spirits have roots in both Europe and Africa. In...