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The Kongo nation of Lwa encompass a large and diverse group of spirits. The Kongolese made up the majority population of slaves imported into the southern peninsula of Haiti during the slave trade. Â Their style of worship is still dominant, as seen through the liturgy of songs and service that is is still the hallmark of southern Vodou practice in Haiti today. This is one reason for the preponderance of Kongo entities in places like Jacmel, Leogane and Jeremy.
Kongo spirits include a wide variety of spiritual manifestations. They range from the Simbis - those watery spirits who manifest as Makaya, Andezo and Gangan, to their Mother, Gran Simba, as well as more obscure ones who are served strictly within a family peristyle. The Simbis nation is also seen as snakes, and the songs dedicated to them elude to this reclusive, hidden animal nature.
It's interesting to note that though animals are often used as visual symbols of the spirits, They themselves are not animals. Simbi is no more a snake than Dambala is. Our little human minds just can't quite grasp Their awesome natures, and so we choose a symbol that best reflects or means what we perceive Their nature to be. Simbi is seen as a snake, because He is known to be intelligent - just as snakes are often used in the occult to symbolize hidden power and knowledge. Simbi is also said to be shy and reclusive, just as snakes are in nature. It takes work on the part of the society, to get Him to manifest in service.
We've listed the Simbis here, as They are the family of spirits we serve in Sosyete du Marche.
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