Erzulie
Goddess of Love and Beauty
Loa (spirit) in Haitian Vodou
Place of Origin: Haiti
Origin Date: Erzulie has been venerated since the 17th century, with her prominence growing in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Domain: Love, beauty, jewelry, dancing, luxury, flowers
Symbols: Heart, three wedding rings
Attributes: Love, beauty, luxury, compassion
Epithets: Maîtresse Mambo Erzulie Fréda Dahomey, Èrzulie Dantòr
Equivalents: Iyalorde Oxum (Yoruba goddess Oshun)
Religion: Haitian Vodou
Sacred Texts: Mentioned in various Vodou texts and oral traditions
Iconography: Depicted as a pale, bejeweled woman in pink dresses with three wedding rings
Relations: Damballa, Agwe, Ogoun (husbands)
Description
Erzulie is a family of loa associated with love, beauty, jewelry, dancing, luxury, and flowers. She is often depicted as a pale, bejeweled woman wearing pink dresses and three wedding rings, symbolizing her marriages to Damballa, Agwe, and Ogoun. Erzulie embodies femininity and compassion but also has a darker side, being seen as jealous and spoiled. She is syncretized with the Mater Dolorosa in Christian iconography and is associated with the Yoruba goddess Oshun.
Narratives:
Erzulie Freda Dahomey: Represents the Rada aspect of Erzulie, embodying love, beauty, and luxury. She is known for her flirtatious nature and her inability to attain her heart's most fervent desire, often leaving services in tears.
Erzulie Dantor: The Queen of the Petro nation, depicted as a fierce black woman holding her son, Ti Jean Petro. She is a protector of women, children, and the marginalized, offering spiritual knowledge and lasting wealth.
Worship Beliefs and Practices
Erzulie is worshipped through rituals involving offerings of jewelry, perfume, sweet cakes, and liqueurs. Her colors are pink, blue, white, and gold. During ritual possession, she may enter the body of either a man or a woman.