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 Azaka Mede is the beloved country cousin of the Rada nation in Haitian Vodou. Papa Zaka is the patron of agriculture and farming. His symbols of the simple woven makout bag with tassels and his denim clothes reveal his earthy, simple ways. His garb is that of the peasant - denim pants, straw bag. It's why the chromolith of St. Isidore is his image in Vodou.
His bag also belies his importance as a Lwa of abundance and magic. The bag is an amalgation of both Ki-Kongo and Spanish origins. The Iberians carried a similar bag, featuring two tassels. The Ki-Kongo had a bag called nkutu, whose name means small bag on shoulder. And the covering of knots or tassels, as seen in his veve, indicate the magical nature of the bag - not unlike Ki-Kongo nkisi, with their elaborate decorations.
Thus, Azaka's bag is both productive and magical. The bag, along with his pipe (for pleasure) are the key symbols of this earthy, and popular Lwa.(Farris, Sacred Arts of Vodou, 1995, pg. 124)
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