Azaka Medeh

Azaka Mede (also known by various names such as: Kouzin, Couzen, Azake, Mazaka, Mede, Papa Zaka, Zaca, Papa Zaca, Cousin Zaca, etc.)[1] is the loa of the harvest in Haitian Vodou mythology.[2] Another way to reference this loa is through the name "Azaka Médé".[3]

Azaka Medeh
Known forLoa of Harvest

The Cousin Zaka or Zaca is the most Marxist of the loa. This loa wears a red kerchief, which the color red is a symbol that represents both Voodoo and a communist symbol. Cousin Zaka wishes about all else to advance the spirit of rebellion and also introduces the loa, which in turn is then urged to communicate for their distinct and mythic personalities.[3]

He evolved after the Haitian Revolution when slaves were able to own land.[2] Depicted as a country bumpkin who loves to eat, he is kind and gentle and he has no alternate sinister (petro) form. He is seen as a protector of peasants and defender of the poor, and is identified with Saint Isadore.[4] He is celebrated and affiliated with Labor Day in Haiti (May 1).. Azaka tends to ignore white people and instead focuses on celebration food, sexuality and all of the other pleasures in life.[3]

The name Azaka may have come from the language of the Indigenous Taino people, in which "zada" meant corn, and "maza" meant maize.[2] Azaka Medeh belongs to the same family of spirits as Azaka-Tonnerre, loa of thunder.

Asaka is the loose female interpretation of him as mother of the earth in the Broadway musical Once on This Island. Asaka is the mother of the earth as she oversees plants and all growing things. This goddess is thought to be the reason for flourishing herbs, more plants to cover the earth, and the never-ending production of these plants. She is thought to have a hand in keeping trees green and productive, for all eternity.[5]

Azaka and the relation to Sakpata, the deity of the earth

In recent years, there has been a growing movement among practitioners of Vodou in the diaspora to travel to the Benin Republic to reconnect with their roots and learn from Vodou practitioners there. One area of particular interest has been the vodou Azaka, a deity associated with agriculture and fertility.

However, as these practitioners have delved deeper into their research, they have discovered that Azaka may in fact be Sakpata, a deity associated with the earth, healing, and disease in West African Vodou.

This discovery has been both surprising and illuminating for many practitioners. On one hand, it challenges long-held assumptions about the nature of Azaka and its place in Haitian Vodou practice. On the other hand, it opens up new avenues for exploration and connection between practitioners in the diaspora and their counterparts in West Africa.

As practitioners continue to learn more about Sakpata, and its relationship to Azaka, they are gaining a deeper appreciation for the complexity and richness of Vodou practice. They are also discovering new ways to incorporate this knowledge into their own practice and to share it with others.

Ultimately, this renewed interest in Sakpata, and its connection to Azaka, is a testament to the power and resilience of Vodou as a living tradition. As practitioners continue to explore and evolve their practice, they are keeping this vibrant and dynamic tradition alive for future generations.

References
  1. Malbrough, Ray T. (2003). Hoodoo Mysteries: Folk Magic, Mysticism & Rituals. Llewellyn Worldwide. ISBN 978-0-7387-0350-3.
  2. Asante, Molefi; Mazama, Ama (2009), "Azaka, The Loa", Encyclopedia of African Religion, Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications, Inc., pp. 82–83, doi:10.4135/9781412964623, ISBN 9781412936361, retrieved 2023-01-25
  3. Compton, Wayde (2003). "Culture at the crossroads: Voodoo aesthetics and the axis of blackness in literature of the black diaspora". American Physiology Association. 6 (27/28): 481–513, 541 – via ProQuest.
  4. Pressley-Sanon, Toni (2014). "Haitian (Pre)Occupations: Ideological and Discursive Repetitions: 1915-1934 and 2004 to Present". Caribbean Studies. 42 (2): 115–153. ISSN 0008-6533. JSTOR 24706366.
  5. Nies, Betsy (2014-09-29). "Transatlantic Mermaids: Literary and Cultural Fantasies from Copenhagen to Haiti and the United States". Amaltea. Revista de mitocrítica. 6 (0). doi:10.5209/rev_amal.2014.v6.46527. ISSN 1989-1709.
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