LISA
allyGod
Lisa is the masculine, solar figure of the creator couple Mawu-Lisa, at the heart of the cosmology of the Fon and Ewe peoples, in the Gbe area of the former kingdom of Dahomey, present-day Benin, and of neighbouring Togo. Associated with the sun, the day, heat and strength, he forms with Mawu, bound to the moon, the night and gentleness, an androgynous unity whose union grounds the order of the world. The traditions present him in turn as the twin brother, the husband or the son of Mawu. According to the most widespread myth, Mawu shapes human beings in clay while Lisa teaches them to build civilisation, to farm and to handle tools. He is sometimes likened to the Yoruba orisha Obatala, which reflects the circulation of cults between Yorubaland and the Gbe area. The cult of Mawu-Lisa had its centre at Abomey, capital of Dahomey, and was prolonged in the vodun religions of West Africa and their Afro-diasporic heritages.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Weaver of the currents. LISA watches over the flow of the waters and the fluid memory that binds the worlds within the Mabioni. Bound to the Swahili pantheon.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of sacred wood, old metal and black stone, engraved with symbols of creation, embodiment of the power of Lisa
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Does Lisa really belong to the Swahili pantheon?
No. Despite a sometimes erroneous label, Lisa belongs to the vodun pantheon of the Fon and Ewe peoples, in the Gbe area of the former Dahomey, present-day Benin, and of Togo, and not to Swahili East Africa.
What is the difference between Mawu and Lisa?
Mawu is the feminine aspect, lunar, nocturnal and clement, Lisa the masculine aspect, solar, diurnal and ardent. United in Mawu-Lisa, they form an androgynous deity whose balance sustains the order of the world.
Where was the cult of Mawu-Lisa celebrated?
Its historical centre was Abomey, capital of the kingdom of Dahomey. The cult spread among the Fon, the Ewe and the other Gbe speakers, then into the vodun traditions and their Afro-diasporic heritages.
Related spirits
Sources and references
- Article Wikipedia (EN) Mawu, section sur Mawu-Lisa et Lisa
- Encyclopedia.com, entree Mawu-Lisa
- Oxford Reference, entree Mawu-Lisa