Baron Samedi

Baron Samedi is usually depicted with a top hat, black tail coat, dark glasses, and cotton plugs in the nostrils, as if to resemble a corpse dressed and prepared for burial in the Haitian style. He is frequently depicted as a skeleton (but sometimes as a black man that merely has his face painted as a skull), and speaks in a nasal voice. The former President-for-Life of Haiti, François Duvalier known as Papa Doc, modeled his cult of personality on Baron Samedi; he was often seen speaking in a deep nasal tone and wearing dark glasses.[1]

He is noted for disruption, obscenity, debauchery, and having a particular fondness for tobacco and rum. Additionally, he is the loa of resurrection, and in the latter capacity he is often called upon for healing by those near or approaching death, as it is only the Baron that can accept an individual into the realm of the dead.[2][3]

Baron Samedi spends most of his time in the invisible realm of vodou spirits. He is notorious for his outrageous behavior, swearing continuously and making filthy jokes to the other spirits. He is married to another powerful spirit known as Maman Brigitte, but often chases after mortal women. He loves smoking and drinking and is rarely seen without a cigar in his mouth or a glass of rum in his bony fingers. Baron Samedi can usually be found at the crossroads between the worlds of death and the living. When someone dies, he digs their grave and greets their soul after they have been buried, leading them to the underworld.

The Baron has been known to make deals with humans who want his power at their disposal. Or, if he wants a particular human connected to him he will initiate this process. Considering the deal is favorable he will make it. This usually is preceded by a kind of adventure the two will share. He wants to know who they are before he accepts them in his circle, and if a human has what he wants he will make sure the price is one the human is more than willing to pay.

Baron Samedi is the leader of the Guédé, loa with particular links to magic, ancestor worship and death.[4] These lesser spirits are dressed like the Baron and are as rude and crude but not nearly as charming as their master. They help carry the dead to the underworld.[5]

As well as being the master of the dead, Baron Samedi is also a giver of life. He can cure mortals of any disease or wound, so long as he thinks it is worthwhile. His powers are especially great when it comes to Vodou curses and black magic. Even if somebody has been afflicted by a hex that brings them to the verge of death, they will not die if the Baron refuses to dig their grave. So long as the Baron keeps them out of the ground, they are safe.

He also ensures that all corpses rot in the ground to stop any soul from being brought back as a zombie. What he demands in return depends on his mood. Sometimes he is content with his followers wearing black, white or purple clothes or using sacred objects; he may simply ask for a small gift of cigars, rum, black coffee, grilled peanuts, or bread. But sometimes the Baron requires a Vodou ceremony to help him cross over into this world.

• Appears in the second season of Cloak & Dagger, portrayed by Justin Sams. In the episode "Two Player", Samedi has Tyrone trapped playing Duel in D'Spayre, an arcade game. After Tandy tries to help Tyrone without being able to win the game, Samedi sees a bridal bouquet when he learns that Evita paid the price by marrying the Loa, leaving Tandy and Tyrone to go free.
• Baron Samedi is revealed to be the true identity of Mambo Marie LeFleur, portrayed by Skye Marshall, in the fourth season of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, introduced in the third season, developing a romantic relationship with Zelda Spellman.

• Appears as an avatar of Nyarlathotep in the 7th edition of Chaosium’s RPG Call of Cthulhu.

• Appears as a villain in Live and Let Die, portrayed by Geoffrey Holder.
• Appears as a playable character in the video game Smite.
• Baron Samedi inspired the character of Bwonsamdi,[6] a powerful loa that controls the souls of the dead, primarily of trolls in the game World of Warcraft
• Appears in the second season of American Gods, portrayed by Mustafa Shakir.
• Inspired the character of Chimney Man in the musical Jelly's Last Jam. [7]

• Voodoo: Search for the Spirit, “Abrams Discoveries” series. Laënnec Hurbon. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. 1995. "Ghede"
• A Dictionary of World Mythology. Arthur Cotterell. Oxford University Press, 1997. "Vodou".
• The Voodoo Gods. Maya Deren. Granada Publishing Limited 1975.
• Conner, Randy P.; Sparks, David Hatfield; Sparks, Mariya (1998). Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit. UK: Cassell. ISBN 0-304-70423-7.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Baron Samedi.

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