The Serpent and the Man who Drove Them Out.
March 17th is St Patrick’s Day. It is also the Feast of Damballah. The only thing these traditions seem to share is the date, a fascinating history, and snakes. So what are these fascinating histories, and how are they intertwined?
St Patrick’s and His Day
First let’s look at the primary patron saint of Ireland and why people have celebrated him for the past 1,000 years.
St. Patrick’s Fascinating history
St. Patrick lived in the 5th century. He grew up in Roman Britain. The precise location of his birth is under much debate. Some claim his birthplace to be in modern day England. Others place it somewhere in Scotland, or even Wales. At the tender age of 16 he was kidnapped and taken to Ireland as a slave. During his enslavement he found his spirituality and converted to Christianity.
Six years later, he began hearing a voice that told him how to escape. After a rather arduous journey, he returned to his family. He then further dedicated himself to his Christian devotion. Now this story could end here and would make a very satisfying movie. It does not, however, end here.
A few years after returning home, St. Patrick began having a vision of a man that came from Ireland. This man was calling him back to the land of his captivity. The man told him to spread his faith amongst the Irish natives. St. Patrick followed these instructions and returned to the Emerald Isle as a missionary. He was so successful he later became a bishop in Ireland. Now, he shares the honor of being the patron saint of Ireland with St Brigid of Kildare. Why hasn’t Hollywood taken this story up yet?
St Patrick’s Day
The first St Patrick’s Day parade occurred in 1601 in a Spanish colony down in Florida.
March 17th is the presumed anniversary of St. Patrick’s death. For over 1,000 years the Irish have celebrated St. Patrick’s Day as any other Saints Day. To them, on St. Patrick’s Day, the morning is spent in church followed by an afternoon feast. There are no parades or festivities. This is obviously very different from how America observes St. Patrick's Day. The first St Patrick’s Day parade occurred, not in Ireland, but in 1601 in a Spanish colony in Florida.
Today in America, St. Patrick’s Day means the green beers and rivers flow freely. People, of Irish descent or not, celebrate Irish pride. For Americans, St. Patrick’s Day is far more about being Irish than Catholic. There is a very good reason for this.
Upon arrival in America, Irish immigrants were treated very poorly. As the Irish population in the States increased, they began using their numbers to improve their standing in politics and society. St. Patrick’s Day parades were designed as a display of Irish solidarity. They were a display of the increasing population and power they had in their communities. With this show of power both their stature in society and treatment improved.
St Patrick’s Legacy
Despite the differences in celebrating St Patrick's Day, the legends surrounding him remain the same. Many legends surround St. Patrick. There is a story of how he used the three-leaf clover to explain the Holy Trinity to the people of Ireland.
The most famous legend, however, is how St. Patrick led the snakes out of Ireland. There have never been any snakes in Ireland, by the way. Snakes were, however, a common symbol for pagans. So yes, in a way St. Patrick did drive the snakes out of Ireland. He ushered in Christianity, forcing the Pagan religions into hiding at best, and into obscurity at worst.
Poor snakes. They have really gotten a bad rap amongst the Abrahamic religions. The whole Garden of Eden thing and being the symbol for the embodiment of evil doesn’t look good. Not all world views see the snake as evil though.
Snakes in religion
At its most ancient core, serpents are a symbol of death, life, rebirth, and fertility. The shedding of skin signifies continuous renewal. We see this symbology around the world from different cultures and throughout time. One of the most prevalent cross-cultural images of this is the Ouroboros.
Whether you’re familiar with the term Ouroboros or not, you’ve seen the symbol. This is the image of a serpent eating its own tail. It represents the wholeness of creation. It is the continuous circle of life, death, rebirth, and fertility. The oldest record of this symbol was a text located in the grave of Tutankhamun dating from the 14th century BC. This symbol is also found in Roman, Norse, Greek, Germanic, South American, and Indian cultures.
Positive snake references are also seen in Buddhist texts, the Hindu Vedas, Hellenistic, Assyrian, Sumerian, Minoan, Aboriginal, Mayan, African, and Native American mythologies. See? Not all snakes are bad. In some of these traditions, snakes are even seen as creators. Damballah is one example of a creator serpent.
Damballah
Danballah, Damballah, or Damballah-Wedo is the oldest and most powerful god in Vodou. He is the primordial creator, not only of the world but of all the other gods as well. He is often depicted as a great white serpent. People seek Damballah’s aid in matters of wealth, prosperity, good health, and fertility.
Damballah is one of the most revered and important loa (spirits) in the Vodou tradition. He is often depicted as a serpent, symbolizing his deep connection to the earth and his role as a creator and life-giver. His ancient wisdom and patience stem from his status as one of the oldest and most powerful spirits in the Vodou pantheon. His unperturbed demeanor and aloofness from human concerns reflect his transcendental nature, which is beyond the scope of mundane experiences.
Damballah's peaceful presence serves as a reminder of the continuity of life and the eternal nature of existence. As a serpent, he embodies the cyclical nature of life, death, and rebirth, and his existence ties humanity to its ancient roots and the natural world. His non-verbal communication underscores his primal and pre-linguistic essence, allowing him to convey profound knowledge and understanding through his mere presence and the environment around him.
As the consort of Ayida Wedo, the rainbow serpent, Damballah forms a divine union that embodies the balance and harmony of the cosmos. Their relationship is symbolic of the interconnectedness of all things and the equilibrium that sustains the Universe. Together, they represent the duality of creation—Damballah as the grounding, nurturing force of the earth, and Ayida Wedo as the vibrant, colorful manifestation of life's possibilities. Their combined energies create a perfect synergy of cosmic forces, sustaining life and ensuring the natural order of the world.
Topics Often Associated with Damballah
Creation and Wisdom: Similar to other Vodou traditions, Damballah is often associated with creation, wisdom, and divine knowledge. He is regarded as a primordial deity who played a role in shaping the world and humanity.
Fertility and Healing: Damballah is also associated with fertility and healing. Practitioners may invoke Damballah's aid for matters related to fertility, childbirth, and health. Offerings and rituals may be performed to seek his blessings for fertility or to request healing for ailments.
Protection and Guidance: Damballah is considered a protective spirit who offers guidance and assistance to his devotees. Followers may call upon Damballah for protection against harm, both physical and spiritual, and for guidance in navigating life's challenges.
Damballah is all about purity. His color is white and offerings to him should be white. His preference is an egg on a bed of flour. Strong scents are offensive to Damballah. Tobacco and strongly scented cleaning products are top offenders. Cleanliness is important to Damballah.
Preferred Offerings
In New Orleans Voodoo and other Vodou traditions, offerings to Damballah, also known as Damballah Wedo, typically include items that symbolize purity, wisdom, and fertility. Here are some preferred offerings to Damballah:
White Foods: Damballah is associated with the color white, which symbolizes purity and spiritual cleansing. Therefore, offerings of white foods are commonly made to Damballah. Examples include white eggs, white rice, white beans, white cornmeal, and white cheese.
Milk and Dairy Products: Milk is often offered to Damballah as a symbol of nourishment, fertility, and abundance. Other dairy products such as yogurt and cheese may also be included in offerings.
Coconut: The coconut is considered a sacred fruit in many Vodou traditions and is associated with purity, fertility, and spiritual energy. Offerings of whole coconuts or coconut milk are often made to Damballah.
Water: Damballah is closely connected to water, particularly springs and other bodies of water considered sacred. Offerings of clean, fresh water may be poured as libations to honor Damballah's association with water and creation.
White Candles: Lighting white candles is a common practice in Vodou rituals to invoke the presence of Damballah and other spirits associated with purity and light.
Flowers: White flowers, such as lilies or jasmine, are often used as offerings to Damballah. Flowers symbolize beauty, purity, and spiritual elevation.
Serpentine Symbols: As Damballah is often depicted as a serpent, serpentine symbols or imagery may be included in offerings as representations of the deity.
It's important to approach offerings with sincerity, respect, and reverence. Offerings are made as acts of devotion and gratitude, expressing the practitioner's connection to the spirits and their willingness to establish and maintain a relationship with them. Additionally, offerings should be disposed of appropriately after rituals, such as by burying them in the earth or leaving them in a natural setting.
So how did the Saint that drove the snakes out if Ireland become associated with the great white serpent of Vodou?
Snakes are the only thing St. Patrick and Damballah have in common. Damballah is also associated with Moses for the simple reason that Moses’ staff turned into a serpent. It seems like a weak connection, but again, there is a good reason for it.
Damballah and Christianity intersected when the French brought African slaves to Haiti. In Haiti, the Catholic-French outlawed anything to do with African religions. The ruling French feared the slaves and demonized anything to do with their home culture. This served to weaken the slaves' culture. It undermined the slaves’ community and made them easier to control. Practicing Vodou was punitive, but converting to Christianity was worthy of praise.
In Haiti, Vodou remained illegal to practice until 1972. In 2003 it was made an official religion in Haiti.
The Haitian slaves were not going to let their heritage die. To keep their own traditions alive they worshiped their own deities under the guise of Catholic saints. Due to the serpent connection, Damballah took on the guise of St. Patrick. It’s funny, considering Damballah is a serpent, and St. Patrick was the man who banished serpents.
Shameless Plug
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Dambalah is becoming my favorite Lather to use. Sure, I like to spice things up with Maman Brigitte, or the Baron. You cannot go wrong with Marie Laveau or Papa Legba either. There is just something powerfully simple and soothing in the Damballah formula.
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