Dreaming of snakes in Haitian Vodou: meaning
In Haitian Vodou a snake is not automatically a threat. Damballa, one of the oldest lwa, appears as a great white serpent and stands for wisdom, calm and purity. A snake in a dream is therefore first read with Damballa in mind.
Within this tradition
Damballa Wedo comes from the Rada tradition, with roots in the old kingdom of Dahomey, where the serpent Dan was venerated. He is cool, quiet and white: he does not speak, but moves like a snake when he rides a participant in a ceremony. His wife Ayida Wedo is the rainbow, and together they are depicted as two serpents winding around each other: heaven and earth, water and light in balance.
A white snake in a dream, especially near water or in a calm atmosphere, is therefore often read by practitioners as nearness to Damballa: blessing, calm, wisdom, or a call to purity and patience. A snake coiling around a tree or post recalls the poto mitan, the centre post in the peristil along which according to tradition the lwa come in. Two snakes together, or a snake with a rainbow, recall Damballa and Ayida Wedo.
Not every snake points to Damballa. A black or aggressive snake, or a dream full of fear, is read differently, and the atmosphere of the dream counts more than the animal alone. Sometimes a snake dream is also simply fear of snakes.
Because the signs of the lwa are a language and not a dictionary, practitioners discuss a vivid snake dream with a houngan or manbo, who can help discern who spoke and what was asked.
Common variations
A white snake
Often connected with Damballa: blessing, calm and wisdom.
A snake around a post or tree
Recalls the poto mitan, along which the lwa come.
Two snakes or a snake with a rainbow
Damballa and Ayida Wedo: balance and union.
An aggressive snake
Read differently: the atmosphere counts more than the animal.
What does your dream mean?
Write your own dream and get an interpretation straight away. Free, no account.
You already have an account. Write your dream in the app: it goes straight into your Dream Book, read within your tradition.
Write your dream in the appFrequently asked questions
Who is Damballa?
One of the oldest lwa of Haitian Vodou, who appears as a white serpent and stands for wisdom, calm and purity.
Is a snake in a dream bad in Vodou?
Not in itself. A white, calm snake is often read as blessing.
Should I do something after such a dream?
Dreamkin does not prescribe ceremonies or offerings. Whoever finds a dream weighs heavily discusses it with a houngan or manbo who knows them. Lighting a candle or remembering an ancestor is always possible.