Lakou
The family compound in Haiti, where the family's lwa are served across generations.
A lakou is in Haiti a family compound where several households of one family live together, with a shared place for the family's lwa and ancestors. The lwa are thus inherited and served from generation to generation. Well-known lakou, such as Souvenance and Soukri, are also religious centres.
Dreams about an old family house or yard are sometimes connected in Vodou readings with the lakou and the family lwa.
Related terms
- Lwa The spirits of Haitian Vodou, each with their own character, domain and signs.
- Papa Legba The lwa of the gate and the crossroads, greeted first in every ceremony.
- Erzulie The family of lwa of love and motherhood: Erzulie Freda and Erzulie Dantò.
- Damballa The ancient lwa of the white serpent: wisdom, calm, purity and water.
- Gede The family of lwa of the dead, led by Baron Samedi: humour at the boundary of life and death.
- Gwo bonanj and ti bonanj The two soul parts in Vodou: the big good angel that travels in sleep, and the little good angel, the conscience.
- Ogou The lwa of iron, fire, work and struggle.
- Houngan and manbo Priest and priestess in Haitian Vodou.
- Vèvè The drawn symbol of a lwa, made with cornmeal on the ground.
- Agwe The lwa of the sea, ships and those who cross the sea.
- Mami Wata A water spirit venerated across West and Central Africa and the diaspora: beauty, wealth and the water.