Vodun Glossary

Ashé, Ase, Ashae
1. the divine energy and power in all things
2. spiritual authority

Àyànmô
one’s destiny or fate

Ayé, Aiye
the physical/material realm

Houngan, Oungan
a priest of Haitian Voudou

Ifá, Afa
1. a name for the Yoruba belief system
2. a name for Orunmila, the deity in charge of divination

Ile
1. a house or group of practitioners of Vodun or a related diaspora belief system

Ikin
sacred palm nuts used in Ifa divination (Ifa dida or Idafa)

Iruke, Eruke
a fly whisk
irukere ifa is the fly whisk used in Ifa divination
irukere Oya is the fly whisk of Oya, the Orisha of storms, wind, and change the  iruke specific to Ochossi is called an iruexin or irucshin

Kindoki
1. a term of Congo origin that means magic or sorcery.  It has become a general term for west and central African and diaspora magic or sorcery.
2. a specific style of African and diaspora sorcery that is eclectic much like Obeah, but with fewer ties to the West Indies as well as less reliance on middle eastern or judaic ceremonial magic or esoterism.
Related words: Ndoki, magic or a mystical energy or being;                                Zindoki, a witch or practitioner of kindoki.

Mambo
a priestess of Haitian Voudou

Nkisi
1. an object whose ashe is utilized for a specific purpose
Example: a stick of cinnamon kept for protection or dispelling negative energy
2. an object imbued with ashe from other beings for a specific purpose
Example: a stick of cinnamon blessed and therefore enhanced by a priest/ess with the ashe of Eshu for protection or dispelling negative energy
Charms, mojo bags, gri-gri, crystals, macutos, and Spirit dolls are types of nkisi.

Okan
a person’s consciouness or heart

Olorisa, Olorisha
A person who worships/honors the Orisha

Ori
the divine part of a person, essentially the soul

Orisha
a deity, a force of Nature that has been personified in order for we humans to be able to understand some things about it

Orun
1. the Spirit or unseen realm
2. dimensions normally invisible or imperceptible with the normal 5 senses

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