Tibonanj

Within the Vodu ontological structure in Haiti, the human being is conceived of as being made of three parts: Although the most obvious one is the physical body, the human being also has a bipartite spiritual component, the tibonanj and the gwobonanj. Whereas the gwobonanj is the manifestation in human life of the immortal and divine spirit, God itself, the tibonanj represents the more personal side of an individual. This ontological structure is reminiscent of and derives from original African ontological models, such as the ancient Egyptian spiritual duality kalba or the Fon semedolselido.

The tibonanj has essentially two functions. First, it plays an identifying role because it represents one's unique qualities and one's personality. In that respect, the tibonanj can be controlled by another person through spells. The second important function of the tibonanj is moral because it represents one's conscience and one's morality, as revealed in one's actions. The tibonanj ultimately allows one to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong and hopefully make the morally correct decisions.

Haitian Voduists do not necessarily think of the gwobonanj and the tibonanj as separate entities.

Much to the contrary, they believe that both are tied into an organic relationship on which the well-being of the person is predicated. The tibonanj and the gwobonanj must function in harmony because they ultimately mirror one another. Only at the time of death will the gwobonanj and the tibonanj separate. The tibonanj will not leave the Earth until the ninth day after death has occurred. Although much attention is paid to the gwobonanj at the time of death, this is not the case with the tibonanj, which, on being expelled from the body with the last breath, assumes an anonymous status, and becomes of little, if any, use to the living.