PLEAS FROM THE EYE OF A STORM: 

MANBO SALLIE ANN GLASSMAN’S

HURRICANE PROTECTION RITUAL 2010

Story and Photos Copyright © 2010 by Alyne A. Pustanio

Every summer Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman assembles the members of her house, La Source Ancienne Ounfo, and other devotees to perform a Vodou ritual specifically designed to summon the protection of the spirit world against the devastating effects of hurricanes and tropical storms that can lay waste to Louisiana and other regions along the Gulf of Mexico.  The ritual honors two female deities who have traditionally protected New Orleans from these storms – the Catholic Our Lady of Prompt Succor and the Vodou Lwa of storms and passion, Ezili Danto.

Each year since the devastation and environmental carnage wrought by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, Manbo Sallie Ann credits the powerful protectors with keeping Katrina from dealing an even more devastating blow, and regularly reminds devotees that Katrina was turned away from New Orleans at the very last minute – a not insignificant point. 

Like almost everything else in New Orleans, the rituals have come to be thought of as falling into one of two categories: “B.K.” (before Katrina) and “A.K.” (after Katrina).  But Manbo Sallie Ann is not a woman easily given over to worry.  In the past she has said, “Worry is a pretty useless emotion . . . I always give it up to Danto.  This will be the year, or it won’t.  It’s up to her.”  The same holds true today, even though it can be said that the Manbo’s ritual has taken on a poignancy and urgency not always evident in prior years.

In addition to anxiety about the possibility of “another Katrina,” this year the minds of everyone are consumed with the worry, sense of loss, and anger surrounding the BP oil spill poisoning the Gulf of Mexico off the Louisiana coast.  The approach of a major hurricane could affect the repair and clean-up efforts in a myriad of ways, from shutting down clean up operations and damaging the engineering efforts that have finally capped the spill, to spreading the mucky oil further into the delicate Louisiana wetlands and along other areas of the coast on an unstoppable storm surge. 

All these concerns weigh on the minds and hearts of the small assembly that has braved the heat and sticky humidity of a New Orleans July night to join Manbo Sallie Ann in her efforts to appeal for spiritual aid in averting a scenario that this year could combine the power of nature and the carelessness of man to bring ruin and, in the words of some locals, “finish the job Katrina started.”

As she begins the ritual, Manbo Sallie Ann soberly reminds the gathering that what we are now experiencing are the effects of “swiftly changing times” and of our neglect of the environment around us, putting our own needs first.  “As you can see,” she points out, “there’s no air conditioning on tonight.  It’s just one of the things we’re going to have to get used to if we’re really going to demonstrate to spirit that we are willing to make an effort to change.”

As with other rituals, the conch shell is blown in the four compass directions to call the attention of spirit to what is about to take place.  The assembly, standing about the columnar “peristyle” – the pedestal that symbolically represents Damballah Wedo, the serpent that climbs from the depths of the abyss to the vaults of the heavens, and the most revered spirit in Vodoun – begin to sway and move to the drumming.  The magical and otherworldly chanting of Manbo Lorien begins the invocation of the spirits to come and lend their aid, to bring forth the great and fearsome Ezili Danto.

Ezili Danto, commonly syncretized with Our Lady of Prompt Succor, is one of the most feared and beloved spirits of the vodusi.  She arrives like a storm and with her scored daggers slices and stabs away all the obstacles between the petitioner and spirit.  On a personal level, she removes those things that are cluttering and obscuring the life of the devotee, allowing him or her to move on with what is important.  Like a hurricane wind that can blow and toss massive objects like leaves before it and often not leave much behind, in a very similar way Danto may leave the devotee holding next to nothing, but whatever is left is all that is needed to proceed and excel.  Fearsome in aspect (she is represented by the Black Madonna who cradles her infant protectively and displays the scars of her struggle to protect what she claims as her own), the legend of Danto is that she was one of the instigators of the infamous slave uprising against the French on the island of San Domingue at the end of the 1700’s – an event that strikes close to the heart of many old-line New Orleans families.  Because she would not betray her cause or reveal anything about her co-conspirators, Danto’s tongue was cut out.  As Manbo Sallie Ann explains, “If she appears and takes possession of anyone here, which is a great honor, she can be approached but she will only hack and growl in response, since her tongue was taken, but don’t let this make you afraid to go to her.”

As the tempo of the drums and the ritual pick up, offerings are made at the peristyle in honor of Ezili Danto.  These include all manner of things to please her including spicy friend pork rinds (her favorite), peasant cakes, cigars, rum, hot peppers or sauce, cinnamon sticks or candies, and to please her aspect as Our Lady, flowers, candles, and heady perfumes.

Manbo Sallie Ann anoints the area around the peristyle and draws the veve – the spiritual symbol – of aiding spirits in cornmeal on the ground.  Cornmeal is said to be sweet to spirits, and they will follow it anywhere, eating it up; thus they are summoned to witness and help with the ritual.  Finally, Danto’s veve is drawn and Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman calls her forth, three times, in the heavy Kreyol patois of the vodusi.

This is the point when the ritual changed.  A strong power, a fierce presence had come and was abiding with the group.  The feeling was palpable; and as the Manbo and her followers moved on to the fire part of the ritual – the lighting of fireworks to celebrate the arrival of Danto – the effect was thrilling.  She – Danto – was there, present, in some and around others.  But she had come.

Devotees assembled and danced about the peristyle as Manbo Sallie Ann and her attendants shook the ritual gourds over the participants to pull the spirit down over them.  The drums and singing went on; many approached the altar of Danto nearby and simply danced or prayed there in private.  Others danced wildly in a circle about the peristyle.  Within a short time, however, Danto was ready to make her presence known as part of our objective reality: to do so, she took possession of Manbo Sallie Ann.

Danto, in the Manbo, now brandished two daggers and moved about through the assembly.  To be stopped by her, to have her touch your face, your back, your breast with one of her daggers is an incalculable honor, and I can say from personal experience that to look into her eyes – the eyes of Manbo Sallie Ann through which Danto now regarded the human world – was like looking down an opaque, seemingly endless wormhole into the realm where spirit abides.  The experience is phenomenal.

A hack, a look, an embrace that can bring tears to the eyes, and Danto is moving on to the next penitent, the next devotee in need of succor from her powerful being.

Manbo Karen Jeffries, recently initiated into the Vodou religion, stood by in amazement.  “Powerful, powerful stuff,” she said with a smile.

"New Orleans' Top Haunted Tour Guide, Manbo Karen Jeffries"

Indeed, it was.

Within a week following the 2010 Hurricane Protection ritual a tropical wave formed near the island of Puerto Rico that for the first time this season had forecasters and locals worried.  Though it had an unfriendly atmosphere for development, it kept forming and re-forming and was able to get up enough wind strength to be named “Bonnie,” the first tropical system of the season.

But as Bonnie tried to keep it together, like a society girl after a binge of shopping and an alcohol lunch, a wave of dry air kept coming at her from her western side, from the coastal region of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.  Ultimately, as Bonnie stumbled over Florida and into the Gulf of Mexico, the persistent dry wave from the west was strong enough to break her up into a disorganized mess of summer thunderstorms.  By the time she reached the Louisiana coast she had some water to dump, but all she could manage at New Orleans was some showers and a last bubble-gum blowout before dissipating completely.

Danto?  Our Lady of Prompt Succor?  The caprice of weather and air currents?

We in New Orleans know the real answer, and somewhere Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman is smiling. 

Island of Salvation

We offer a wide assortment of materials for people interested in reaching the Spirit. Many of the items are handmade by Manbo Sallie Ann Glassman.

Sallie Ann Glassman is an initiated Vodou priestess who calls up and mediates the power of the Spirit. Sallie is internationally recognized for her lectures, art, readings and healing ceremonies.

She is one of a handful of Americans ordained into Vodou in the traditional Haitian initiation. Sallie is passionate about sharing the rich spiritual and cultural heritage of Vodou. Often maligned and misunderstood, Vodou is actually a healing and life-affirming religion. This ancient religion, currently practiced by 50 million people, speaks directly to our troubled world today. She believes that to discover Vodou is to embark on an encounter with divine mystery. Sallie owns the Island of Salvation Botanica, a store and gallery specializing in Vodou religious supply, medicinal herbs, and Haitian and local artwork. The shop was awarded the “Best of City” award by National Geographic Traveler in 2004. www.feyvodou.com

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