All change on the altar front

For me, October is a month in which there's far too much to do.

I make it a point of honour to have all personal debts - spiritual or material - paid off by Fet Gede, and with characteristic procrastination on my part I've left it to the last couple of weeks of the Vodou year to get things done. Aside from one major promise to Ogoun Badagris which I've told him is not going to be carried out until he gives me the resources to do so (The local Vodou contingent is giggling right now, because they know what I'm talking about. I can't hear them, but I know they're doing it.) I've got several small but pressing jobs to carry out.

Given Fet Gede is the festival of the dead I've got several changes to make to the altar which houses Baron, Brigitte et al. While none of these are actual promises that need keeping by November 2nd, it would be nice to at least make a start on my Gede To-Do list by then. I need to redraw the Veve card that hangs from the back of their space, and I'm on the lookout for a St Rosalia card for Brigitte. I've found the Gede are easily the most idiosyncratic and whimsical family of Loa, so when I say I need a miniature metal wastebin for the altar and ideally a little Oscar the Grouch toy around which I can tie a black ribbon, I hope nobody will think I'm a heretic.

I've promised my resident Petro Loa some major improvements in her space, with a new veve card and a total of three knives on her altar by the end of the year. I'm still planning how to decorate the handles of those knives, but while I'm working on that I've made some alterations to her wanga doll. I've given her a lovely red net shawl, and placed a tin-foil knife in each hand and in her belt. I've replaced her somewhat googly red bead eyes with ones made of red foil ribbon; far more glittery and atmospheric! I'm quite pleased with the effect and I hope she is too.

Last but never least, I've got to finish making my Anaisa altar. I've only recently come into contact with this lovely Metresa from the 21 Divisions tradition, but I'm smitten. I'm on the lookout for a lovely golden-yellow altar cloth, a yellow hand fan and some St Anne images.

Check back after Fet Gede - I might post pictures of the completed altars!

Nagini