Lwa
The spirits of Haitian Vodou, who are served, fed and asked for help, and who speak by possessing devotees.
Also: loa, lwa, iwa, papa legba, veve
The lwa (also written loa) are spirits of Haitian Vodou, understood as intermediaries between people and the distant creator, Bondye. They belong to nations or families: Rada, drawn from Dahomey and Yoruba sources and regarded as cool; Petwo, hotter, born in Haiti; the Gede, spirits of the dead. Examples include Papa Legba, who opens the way between worlds, Ezili Dantò, a protective mother, and Baron Samedi, a Gede. Each has colours, foods, songs and a drawn symbol, a veve. At a ceremony, a lwa is believed to mount a devotee, the horse, and speak. The relationship is one of mutual obligation: service in exchange for guidance and protection. Some names in the pantheon are specific to families and lineages.