
Ezilí Dantor or Erzulie Dantó is the main
loa
( ), also called loa or loi, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo. Many of the lwa derive their identities in part from deities venerate ...
(or ''lwa'') or senior spirit of the
Petro
Petro is a masculine given name, a surname and an Ancient Roman cognomen. It may refer to:
Given name
* Petro Balabuyev (1931-2007), Ukrainian airplane designer, engineer and professor, lead designer of many Antonov airplanes
* Petro Doroshenko ( ...
family in
Haitian Vodou
Haitian Vodou is an African diasporic religion that developed in Haiti between the 16th and 19th centuries. It arose through a process of syncretism between several traditional religions of West and Central Africa and Roman Catholicism. There is ...
. Ezili Danto, or Ezili Danto', is the "manifestation of Erzulie, the divinity of love,". It is said that Ezili Danto has a dark complexion and is maternal in nature. The Ezili are feminine spirits in Haitian vodou culture that personify womanhood.
The Erzulie is a goddess, spirit, or loa of love in Haitian voudou. She has several manifestations or incarnations, but most prominent and well-known manifestations are
Lasirenn (the mermaid),
Erzulie Freda
Erzulie (sometimes spelled Erzili or Èzili) is a family of loa, or spirits, in Vodou.
Overview
The Erzulie is a family of loa that are often associated with water (fluidity), femininity, and feminine bodies. They are one of the only group o ...
, and Erzulie Dantor. There are spelling variations of Erzulie, the other being Ezili. They are English interpretations of a Creole word, but do not differ in meaning.
Worship
Tuesdays are the days reserved to worship Ezili Dantor. Worship is normally done in solitary in front of an altar identified by the colours blue, green and red. The most recurrent sacrifices consist of créme de cacáo, jewels, golden rings and
Agua de Florida. For her birthday a wild pig is normally the main sacrifice.
Haitian Mythology
In Haitian mythology, there are multiple spiritual entities, or
lwa
( ), also called loa or loi, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo. Many of the lwa derive their identities in part from deities venerated ...
, that work between this world (the mortal world) and the divine world. The Ezili is the Rada spirit that personifies different aspects of womanhood. Ezili Freya represents romantic love and erotic sexuality, while Ezili Danto represents the hardworking and sometimes angry mother.
In Haitian society, Ezili Danto strongly resonates with lower class women.
While she represents hardworking women and mothers, Ezili Danto also has the power to destroy. Her vehement displeasure has earned her the reputation of being the red eyed, "Erzulie, ge-rouge." Her destructive powers often come in the form of natural disasters and the forces of nature. In ''Zora Neale Hurston, Haiti, and Their Eyes Were Watching God,'' Ezili's Danto's rage is described as "violent reminder to the folk that their passive faith in Euro-Americans, or Christianity, to determine their fate is misguided."
Ezili Dantor and the Haitian Revolution

It is accounted that the slave revolt of 1791, started with a pact which followed a big feast in honour to Ezili Dantor. For this reason she is considered the national
loa
( ), also called loa or loi, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo. Many of the lwa derive their identities in part from deities venerate ...
. Considered to be the loa of vengeance and rage, made it to be popular among single mothers during the 1980s and 1990s in
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
and
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares with ...
.
The syncretic modern representation of this loa is commonly associated to the
Black Madonna of Częstochowa
The Black Madonna of Częstochowa ( pl, Czarna Madonna / Matka Boska Częstochowska; la, Imago thaumaturga Beatae Virginis Mariae Immaculatae Conceptae, in Claro Monte, lit=Miraculous Image of the Immaculate Conception, the Blessed Virgin Mary ...
, the patron saint of
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, , is a country in Central Europe. Poland is divided into Voivodeships of Poland, sixteen voivodeships and is the fifth most populous member state of the European Union (EU), with over 38 mill ...
. The original association of Ezili Dantor with this
Catholic
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwide . It is am ...
icon is hypothesized to be from copies of the icon brought to Haiti by Polish soldiers sent by order of
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
, to subdue the then still ongoing
Haitian Revolution
The Haitian Revolution (french: révolution haïtienne ; ht, revolisyon ayisyen) was a successful insurrection by self-liberated slaves against French colonial rule in Saint-Domingue, now the sovereign state of Haiti. The revolt began on 22 ...
. It is accounted that the Polish legion saw the struggle of the Polish nation during the
Partitions of Poland in the struggle of the Haitian slaves in fights for their freedom, and as a result the Polish soldiers eventually
turned on the French army to join the Haitian slaves. As a consequence of this action, during
Jean-Jacques Dessalines
Jean-Jacques Dessalines (Haitian Creole: ''Jan-Jak Desalin''; ; 20 September 1758 – 17 October 1806) was a leader of the Haitian Revolution and the first ruler of an independent Haiti under the 1805 constitution. Under Dessalines, Haiti bec ...
's
1804 massacre, which took place shortly after the Haitian victory; the Poles were left alive and granted citizenship of the newly-founded
Republic of Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and so ...
. The descendants of these soldiers are still living in the island, specifically in the locality of
Cazale
Cazale (french: Casale) also Cazales, is a village in Haiti. It is located in a mountainous region more than 70 kilometers from Port-au-Prince, the capital. It is the main population center of the Polish community in Haiti, called ''La Pologne'' ...
.
A generalized misconception about Ezilí Dantor is to associate the loa with motherhood, mostly in Louisiana's voodoo and other American modern assimilations of voodoo. Mostly because of its association with a portrait of
Mother Mary with child Jesus. The accurate modern reading from Haitian accounts by voodoo priests and worshippers from the island, is to associate the pink dressed child Jesus with
Ezilí Freda, the younger sibling of Ezilí Dantor, who is also responsible of leaving 2 scars on Dantor's cheek during a fight over the love of
Ogun
Ogun or Ogoun (Yoruba: Ògún, Portuguese: Ogum, Gu; also spelled Oggun or Ogou; known as Ogún or Ogum in Latin America) is a spirit that appears in several African religions. He attempted to seize the throne after the demise of Obatala, who ...
, according to the legend.
[Llerena Cano, Guillermo. The Petro and the Rada. January 2011.]
Appearance in Books
The 2013 novel ''Zora Neale Hurston, Haiti, and Their Eyes Were Watching God.'' is a collection of ten (10) essays from various authors that break down and analyze the literary work of Zora Neale Hurston, and her 1937 novel ''Their Eyes Were Watching God.'' Hurston's stories follow a light-skinned woman by the name of Janie Crawford. Hurston writes the character of Janie with characteristics that resemble Ezili Freda, but that both Freda and Danto live within her. Janie falls in love with and marries a dark-skinned man named Tea Cake, but must show him that she is not above working in the fields like other working class folk. By working in the fields, Janie shows that she is not afraid of hard work, is mature, and embraces Ezili Danto.
See also
*
Erzulie
Erzulie (sometimes spelled Erzili or Èzili) is a family of loa, or spirits, in Vodou.
Overview
The Erzulie is a family of loa that are often associated with water (fluidity), femininity, and feminine bodies. They are one of the only group of ...
References
Folk saints
Haitian Vodou gods
Black Madonna of Częstochowa
National personifications
Polish diaspora in North America
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