Baron Samedi - The Powerful Lwa Of Life And Death In Haitian Voodoo | Voodoo Religion Explained

Within the religion of Haitian Voodoo, this job is undertaken by the Lwa of the dead who goes by the name of Baron Samedi, and whose name means ‘’Baron Saturday’’ in French. The Haitian people believe that the first man buried in a cemetery becomes the manifestation of its guardian who is reality the Baron, an entity considered to hold knowledge of the dead and the underworld. Baron Samedi often comes into the world as a beggar with a unique presence, but he is depicted as a tall black man wearing a formal attire which includes a black tuxedo and a top hat. Along with his iconic cane, the baron often appears with his face painted to resemble that of a skull, no wonder why in some cases he is depicted as having a skull instead of a human face. The Baron is represented by phallic symbols and noted for obscenities and debauchery, with a particular fondness for tobacco and alcohol. There are few symbols associated with the Baron as well and these include coffins, black goats, roosters and skeletons. Even the colo