The Haitian Spirit: Paintings, Sculpture and Vodou Banners

The Haitian Spirit: Paintings, Sculpture and Vodou Banners at Indigo Arts Gallery. "...Doubtless the most spectacular Haitian art form is the sequin-covered Drapo Vodou or 'Voodoo Flag.' Vodou banners derive directly from the practice of the Vodou religion, a syncretism of traditional African religions brought to Haiti by slaves, with the Catholicism of their former masters. The banners are traditionally the work of practicing vodou priests and their followers. They are displayed in the vodou sanctuaries and are carried at the commencement of a ceremony. Each flag depicts the vévé symbol or image of the loa to which it is devoted. The flags are made of shiny silk fabrics to which have been sewn a brilliant mosaic of sequins and beads. A full-size banner typically contains 18,000 to 20,000 sequins and may take ten days to complete."