The Guede

The Guede are the family of Lwa which possesses control over death given their name means guardians of the dead this comes as no surprise. These Lwa live in cemeteries under the rule of a Baron and Brijit who were usually the first man and woman to be buried in a cemetery. Since the Baron and Brijit rule the cemetery it is customary that their graves be mark with cross shape tombstones so that when people come to bring offering or pray they can recognize their graves. While each share equal significance it is the Baron who normally decides whether a person is going to live or die because if he does not believe it is their time he would not put them in the earth allowing them to live. The Guede while possessing power over death also has control over life in the form of fertility and healing. For example when someone is sick people would usually pray to the Guede to heal that person especially if it was a child since Guede are the protectors of children, the same goes for if someone was trying to get pregnant they would also pray to the Guede for assistance. Though the Guede are very helpful Lwa though that is not to say that they do not have a bit of a wild side because in most cases when a Gede is invoked they are love to dance the Banda which mimic’s intercourse and use foul language and sexual innuendos while solving a person's problems.