Ghede Nibo
Encyclopedia
In Haitian Vodou, Ghede Nibo was a handsome young man who was killed violently. After death, he was adopted as a spirit or Lwa by Baron Samedi
and Maman Brigitte
and became a leader of the spirits of the dead. Envisioned as an effeminate, nasal dandy
, Nibo wears a black riding coat or drag. When he inhabits humans they are inspired to lascivious sexuality
of all kinds.
Ghede Nibo is considered a great healer, carrying a bottle of white rum infused with medicinal herbs. He often also carries a staff and smokes a cigar
. Nibo is the special patron of those who die young, and as such is often conflated with the Catholic saint Gerard Majella
. Purple is considered his sacred color, and usual offerings include black goats, black roosters, calabash
, cigars, coconut, fried plantains, pistachios, smoked herrings, sweet sesame balls, and white rum spiced with African bird pepper.
Until recently, Haitian farmers would perform a praise song to Ghede Nibo each November. It involved phallic thrusts and other erotic gestures and was named "Massissi", a Haitian term for a homoerotically inclined male.
Baron Samedi
Baron Samedi is one of the Loa of Haitian Voodoo. Samedi is a Loa of the dead, along with Baron's numerous other incarnations Baron Cimetière, Baron La Croix, and Baron Kriminel. He is the head of the Guédé family of Loa, or an aspect of them, or possibly their spiritual father...
and Maman Brigitte
Maman Brigitte
In Vodou, Maman Brigitte is a death loa, the wife of Baron Samedi. Maman Brigitte is one of the few Loa who is white and is depicted as being fair-haired and green-eyed with light European skin. She drinks hot peppers and is symbolized by a black rooster...
and became a leader of the spirits of the dead. Envisioned as an effeminate, nasal dandy
Dandy
A dandy is a man who places particular importance upon physical appearance, refined language, and leisurely hobbies, pursued with the appearance of nonchalance in a cult of Self...
, Nibo wears a black riding coat or drag. When he inhabits humans they are inspired to lascivious sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
of all kinds.
Ghede Nibo is considered a great healer, carrying a bottle of white rum infused with medicinal herbs. He often also carries a staff and smokes a cigar
Cigar
A cigar is a tightly-rolled bundle of dried and fermented tobacco that is ignited so that its smoke may be drawn into the mouth. Cigar tobacco is grown in significant quantities in Brazil, Cameroon, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Honduras, Indonesia, Mexico, Nicaragua, Philippines, and the Eastern...
. Nibo is the special patron of those who die young, and as such is often conflated with the Catholic saint Gerard Majella
Gerard Majella
Saint Gerard Majella is a Roman Catholic saint. He is the saint whose intercession is requested for children , childbirth, mothers , motherhood, falsely accused people, good confessions, lay brothers and Muro Lucano,...
. Purple is considered his sacred color, and usual offerings include black goats, black roosters, calabash
Calabash
Lagenaria siceraria , bottle gourd, opo squash or long melon is a vine grown for its fruit, which can either be harvested young and used as a vegetable, or harvested mature, dried, and used as a bottle, utensil, or pipe. For this reason, the calabash is widely known as the bottle gourd...
, cigars, coconut, fried plantains, pistachios, smoked herrings, sweet sesame balls, and white rum spiced with African bird pepper.
Until recently, Haitian farmers would perform a praise song to Ghede Nibo each November. It involved phallic thrusts and other erotic gestures and was named "Massissi", a Haitian term for a homoerotically inclined male.