1.  TALISMAN  An object marked with magic signs and believed to confer on its bearer supernatural powers or protection. Something that apparently has magic power.

2.  In every culture you will find objects with powerful meanings.

3.  Oracle: Throughout history peoples everywhere have sought the divine intervention of divine powers to understand their fate.  Many African Cultures created oracles to communicate with ancestors, spirits and gods in order to obtain insight into human quandaries.

4.  The term "divination" describes efforts to foretell future events or to discover hidden knowledge by supernatur al means.

5. The religion of Haiti is Vodou  Vodou is a blend of African Animist religions and Taino Indian practices, laced generously with Catholic icons.

6.  Animism: Everything is alive, Everything is conscious, Everything has a soul. In serving the spirits, the Vodouisant seeks to achieve harmony with their own individual nature and the world around them, manifested as personal power and resourcefulness in dealing with life

7. Some Objects from the Vodou Religion...

8.  SOME SEQUINED "DRAPO“  Originally vodou flags were made for religious purposes only. The flags pay hommage to the spirits.

9.  Each one is made for a specific spirit.  The sparkles help focus the participants and mark the start of a ceremony.  Their rich colors, lavish textures and ancient symbols have now captured the attention of the art world.  Collectors can expect to pay thousands of dollars for imported vodou flags

10. AGWE, queen of the ocean. She and her husband are called upon every time a boat is pushed into the water. Symbols: boats, small metal fish, paddles, shells, trumpets, mirrors, combs.

12.  A flag representing Danbala the snake spirit and Bosou. Bosou is a mighty bull spirit represented with two horns. He is an unpredictable spirit, and like a real bull, he has a fiery and torrid temper. He is associated with the fertility of the soil.

13.  Each one is made for a specific spirit. The sparkles help focus the participants and mark the start of a ceremony.  Their rich colors, lavish textures and ancient symbols have now captured the attention of the art world.  Collectors pay thousands of dollars for vodou flags

15. Spirit Bundles - Paket Kongo Spirit-activated healing bundles, consists of curative herbs wrapped in cloths, criss-crossed with colorful satin ribbons, held in place with straight pins and topped with feathers. They amplify the healing nature of Vodou. Paket with arms akimbo are considered female; those with vertical stem are male. After having been "heated up" through fire rituals, these paket kongo work together to affect their cures, frequently in the name of Simbi Andeso, the water associated with healing medicines. - Marilyn Houlberg from "Vodou, Visions and Voice of Haiti" by Phyllis Galembo Ten Speed Press, Berkeley CA 1998

16. Danbala, the supreme snake spirit, together with his wife Ayida Wedo, the mistress of the skies, form the cosmic nexus between the sky and sea. Symbols: Snakes, eggs.