Tyson A. Horne / Courtesy of New Orleans & Company
Within the walls of Kingsway—a storied New Orleans residence famously transformed into a recording sanctuary by producer Daniel Lanois—a different kind of energy takes hold. Where stars like Bob Dylan and U2 once tracked hits, the air now hums with the pulse of Afro-Caribbean percussion and the resonant voices of Vodou priestesses.
Though its days as a commercial studio have passed, the 1848 French Quarter mansion remains a vessel for history. On a humid Friday evening, owner Sean Cummings threw open the estate’s iron gates to welcome an international assembly of storytellers, priests, and practitioners from Haiti, Ghana, Angola, and beyond. This gathering served as a spiritual prelude to the third annual New Orleans International Vodou Day, fostering a space for communion and cultural exchange.
In a foyer bathed in the home’s vintage acoustics, Manbo Asogwe Mami Moun joined singer-songwriter Malou Beauvoir for a transcendent, spontaneous performance, expertly underscored by the intuitive drumming of Andrew Wiseman. These traditional songs, intended to invoke the Lwa—spirits serving as intermediaries between humanity and the divine—possess an emotional weight that transcends theological boundaries. Even for the uninitiated, the music serves as a profound testament to the resilience of the African diaspora.
It is crucial to distinguish this profound spiritual practice from the sensationalized “voodoo” caricatures popularized by cinema. For the practitioners gathered in New Orleans, these rituals are a vital, living heritage. This sentiment was echoed at the symposium held at Xavier University, where ethnomusicologist and Yale scholar Houngan Collin Edouard discussed the “transtemporal” nature of Vodou music. He poignantly observed that these songs offered a voice to ancestors who were otherwise silenced by the institution of slavery, noting, “The voice travels if the body cannot.”
The weekend culminated in a ceremonial procession and service that, despite being moved indoors due to weather, remained undeterred in its devotion. Amidst incense and candlelight, the rhythmic prayers wove a tapestry of continuity, proving that these traditions remain deeply embedded in the soul of New Orleans—a city where history, music, and spirit are perpetually intertwined.
Billboard’s travel expenses were supported by New Orleans & Company.
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