Petwo

There are more than 1,000 divinities, or Lwa, in Vodu, as practiced in Haiti. The Lwa are grouped in several pantheons, or nanchon. Petwo is one of those nanchon, along with 16 others. The most important nanchon include, in addition to the Petwo pantheon, the Rada, Nago, Kongo, Juba, and Ibo pantheons.

Of these, the Petwo pantheon is arguably one of the two most important, in terms of both size and the role played by Petwo Lwa in Vodu. The other main pantheon is the Rada pantheon. In fact, the Rada and the Petwo pantheons have integrated other nanchon. Thus, the Nago and the Juba Lwa are often thought of today as Rada, whereas the Kongo and Ibo are commonly assumed to be part of the Petwo Lwa.

Many scholars have not hesitated to suggest that Rada Lwa were “good,” whereas Petwo Lwa were “bad,” if not outright “evil.” Such a sweeping characterization is not appropriate because it fails to do justice to a somewhat more complex reality. In fact, there are constant overlaps between the different pantheons of Lwa. The same Lwa may appear as Rada and then as Petwo. What seems to distinguish the Petwo pantheon from the Rada pantheon is, above all, the general character, attitude, or persona of the Lwa. Rada Lwa are often associated with a peaceful demeanor and benevolent attitude. However, this is not always the case. When displeased or offended, they may also turn out to be quite vindictive. In contrast, Petwo Lwa are commonly thought of as forceful, aggressive, and dangerous. Yet they may also be protective of the living and quite generous. For example, Ezili Dantò, a Petwo Lwa, is appealed to by those wishing to have children. She is also known for “giving” money. Thus, one must resist the easy temptation of a simplistic classification and labeling.

The word petwo may have come from a powerful Houngan, a Vodu priest, by the name of [Page 526]Don Petwo or Don Pedro. The latter is believed to have lived in the region of Petit-Goave in the late 18th century and to have distinguished himself by actively participating in the struggle for freedom, which eventually led to the independence of Haiti in 1804. More specifically, according to some, Don Petwo would have created a fast-paced dance that could bring about the mounting of a whole assembly by the Lwa. Furthermore, Don Petwo was said to have great psychic powers because he was gifted with clairvoyance.

The famous ceremony of Bois Caiman, which took place on August 14, 1791, and which initiated the revolutionary war in Haiti, was led by the Houngan Dutty Boukman. During that ceremony, a pig was sacrificed, thus clearly indicating that the whole affair was a Petwo ritual because the pig is the typical sacrificial animal in Petwo rituals. In fact, and without this being surprising, given their hot energy, Petwo Lwa are widely believed to have played a major role in providing the enslaved Africans with the ability to organize, fight, and triumph over the French slave regime. For example, one may discern on paintings of Ezili Dantò two parallel vertical scars on her right cheeks. Many believe and repeat that it was while fighting against the white colonists during the revolutionary war that Ezili Dantò's face was thus wounded. Also, sometimes Ezili Dantò is represented with a chopped-off nose, and this is assumed by many to be as a result of a wound suffered in combat as well. Another example worth mentioning is that of Ogu Sbango, a Petwo Lwa, who would have, according to the oral tradition, inspired and protected Dessalines, a major player in the Haitian revolution, during fighting. Not only are Ogu Shango and Ezili Dantò important Petwo Lwa, but so are other spirits such as Legba Petwo, Danballa Flangbo, Ogu Petwo, Ezili Mapyang, Marinette Pye Chech, and many others.

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