The Vodū are a humanoid race of extradimensional beings that hail from Orun, a small pocket-dimension adjacent to Earth. An interdimensional nexus between Orun and Earth is located in Africa. They are also known as the West African Gods who have been worshiped by the humans of Africa as early as 10,000 B.C.[citation needed] or 2900 B.C.[5]
They continue to be worshiped in areas such as West Africa, the Caribbean (particularly Haiti and Cuba), and Central America.[1]
History
Origins
According to ancient myths, Buluku, the supreme all-father of the Vodū, merged with the primordial Earth Mother Gaea (later known among the Vodū alternatively as "Nana," "Ale," and "Asase Ya"), and sired twin offspring: the sun god Lusa and the moon goddess Mahu. As a result of this merging, the "supreme creator" was sometimes worshipped by mortals as the androgynous "Nana Buluku." Vodū worshippers believe that Lusa and Mahu joined forces to create the mortal world, mortal life, and mortal technology in four days' time. Buluku remained in Orun, content to leave this newborn mortal world's care to his children. Lusa and Mahu, in turn, sired several divine pairs of twins, including Avlekete and Ezili, Ogun and Shango, Dam-Ayido Wede and Sagbata, and Eschu and Legba.[1]
2900 BC
The Vodu were worshiped as early as 2900 BC.[5]
12th century
As early as the 12th century, the Yoruba people of the Niger River valley (in modern-day Nigeria) started worshiping the Vodū gods (as did the Fon people of Dahomey (in modern-day Benin). The Yorubans knew the Vodū Sky Father Buluku as "Olorun".
Lusa, Mahu, and their family became directly active in mortal affairs and descended to the ancient city of Ife, the legendary first city of the Yoruba people. Eventually, their twins, who each possessed a unique aspect of Buluku's omnipotence, strayed from Ife and settled in other mortal cities in Western Africa.[1] Shango himself went on to rule the mortal city of Oyo (in modern-days southwestern Nigeria) for a brief time.[6]
When many of their worshippers were forcibly relocated to the Caribbean islands as slaves in the 16th century AD, Dam-Ayido Wede, the Vodūn god of serpents, followed the slave ships across the Atlantic Ocean and brought Vodū worship to the New World.[1]
20th Century
For centuries, tribes in the Congo worshiped the Vodū goddess known as Mamalu, until the 1950s when white settlers convinced the tribes that Mamalu did not exist. Furious, Mamalu blamed the jungle adventurer Lorna the Jungle Queen as being responsible for stealing her worshipers. She influenced a tribesman named Kabu with offers be her mate if he performed a sacrifice to bring her to Earth. Lorna attempted to stop Mamalu but it was not until that Mamalu decided to take Lorna's companion Greg Knight as a mate did her plan fail as the jealous Kabu seemingly slew her.[7] Waku, prince of the Bantu Tribe, South Africa, found his rule briefly usurped by his own friend Jobu, who convinced the locals that the "Fire God" were mad at Waku. Waku clashed with Jobu, who was slain in a fire. Following Jobu's defeat the real "Fire God" appeared before Waku and decreed that Waku was fit to lead his people.[8]
Modern Age
Cuban-American entertainment entrepreneur Nestor "NeRo" Rodriguez consulted a priest of Santeria (a "santero") and invoked Eschu to empower him so that he could avenge his father, who had been murdered by the Kingpin (Wilson Fisk) years earlier. Eschu answered Rodriguez's call and granted him superhuman abilities. Calling himself "Eleggua" in honor of his patron deity, Rodriguez used his family's fortune to bankroll the Santerians, a street-level vigilante team operating out of New York City and comprised of his childhood friends, who were similarly empowered by Ezili, Ogun, Oya, and Shango.[1]
Powers and Abilities
Powers
- Enhanced Strength[1]
- Enhanced Endurance[1]
- Immortality[1]
- Immunity to all terrestrial diseases[1]
- Invulnerability[1]
- Healing Factor[1]
Each Vodu possess a unique aspect of Buluku's omnipotence.[1]
Every Vodu has his unique ability -often connected to forces of nature.[1]
Average Strength Level
Average male god can lift about 25 tons, a female goddess about 20 tons.[1]
Habitat
Habitat
Miscellaneous
Type of Government
Council of the Vodû[4]
Representatives
Ananai, Avlekete, Babalú, Buluku, Damballah/Dam-Ayido Wede, Eschu/Ellegua, Ezili, Gorilla God/Ghekre, Ngi, Legba, Lusa, Mamalu, Mahu, Ogun, Oya, Sagbata/Baron Samedi, Shango
Notes
- In West Africa, the Òrìshà or Vodu religions are not gathering their gods in pantheons like we know for ancient European believe systems like Thor's Asgardians or Hercules' Olympians. Instead every family has one special Òrìshà or Vodu they worship. Said fact leads to the result that there are unmanageable accounts of Òrìshàs and countless variations in stories, origins, manifestations and interpretations in West Africa.
- In the Marvel Universe, 'Vodun' is depicted as some kind of magic[9][10] -especially as 'Black Magic'.[10][11][12][13][14] It is also suggested that 'Vodun' has or had human sacrifices a couple of times,[15][16] but in reality 'Voodooists' sacrifice production animals, alcohol and even vegetables. It is also shown misleadingly that the oracle uses bones to predict the future.[17] In fact the oracle uses kauri mussels.
- The name Damballah was previously used by spawn of the Elder God Set,[18] and the name of Set in Zembabwei, one of the Black Kingdoms during the Hyborian Age.[19][20][21]
- The pantheon of Wakanda is known as The Orisha,[22][23] although it is composed of gods from various African origins: Bast, Thot, and Ptah from Egypt,[24] Kokou from Benin,[25] and Mujaji from South Africa.[26] One possible explanation for the use of the term orisha is that Yoruba is one of the languages spoken in Wakanda.[27] In addition to the main pantheon, other gods are worshiped in Wakanda like the Lion God (which is also another deity from Egypt, Sekhmet)[28][29] and the gorilla gods Ghekre[30][1] and Ngi, the latter adored by the tribe that would become Jabari.[31][32]
- Fire god has not been identified, but may be associated with Ogun.[33]
Trivia
See Also
- 19 appearance(s) of Vodū
- 1 minor appearance(s) of Vodū
- 7 mention(s) of Vodū
- 11 image(s) of Vodū
- 26 representative(s) of Vodū
Links and References
- Vodū on Wikipedia.org
- African Gods at Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- African Gods at Comicvine.com
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1; The Vodū's entry
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1
- ↑ Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1; Brother Voodoo's entry
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #17
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z #3; Council of Godheads' entry
- ↑ Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1; Shango's entry
- ↑ Lorna, the Jungle Queen #5
- ↑ Jungle Tales #3
- ↑ Strange Tales #172
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Strange Tales #173
- ↑ Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #1
- ↑ Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #2
- ↑ Doctor Voodoo: Avenger of the Supernatural #4
- ↑ New Avengers Vol 2 #34
- ↑ Strange Tales #169
- ↑ Doctor Strange, Sorcerer Supreme #16
- ↑ Strange Tales #170
- ↑ Marvel Zombies: The Book of Angels, Demons & Various Monstrosities #1; Damballah's entry
- ↑ King Conan #1
- ↑ King Conan #3
- ↑ Savage Sword of Conan #31; Hyborian Gazetteer, Forbidden City's entry
- ↑ Black Panther Vol 6 #13
- ↑ Black Panther Vol 6 #15
- ↑ Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1; The Heliopolitans entry
- ↑ Kokou at Wikipedia
- ↑ Mujaji at Myth Encyclopedia
- ↑ Marvel Atlas #2; Wakanda's entry
- ↑ Thor & Hercules: Encyclopaedia Mythologica #1; Lion God's entry
- ↑ Lion God at Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- ↑ All-New Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A to Z: Update #2; Panther God's entry
- ↑ Jabari at Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
- ↑ Marvel Comics Presents Vol 3 #2
- ↑ Jobu (Waku foe) at Appendix to the Handbook of the Marvel Universe
