BARON DEL CEMENTERIO / BARON OF THE CEMETERY AND THE GHEDE
BARON
DEL CEMENTERIO
BARON OF THE CEMETERY
AND
THE GHEDE
The Ghede are not the Guia Espirituales "Gide Lespri" of ones Cuadro Espiritual persay, as the Ghede march to their own drum. They as a division can bring comfort as much as they can bring fear, they can sustain life, as they can feast on death. They can be happy and at the same time stern. They can bring comfort and bring fear, and of all the Mysteries and Divisions; none is as mysterious and as unpredictable as the Ghede.
Of the Gede family also spelled Ghuede, Ghede or Guede ( I will use variations of the spelling through out this blog post ). none is as widely known as el Baron del Cementerio. He is the ancient Lwa and guardian of the Cemetery and graveyards, and is the Lwa who has a foot in both planes of existence, one foot in the realm of the living and one foot in the realm of the dead. He is often known as the rebel and disobedient Lwa, who passes death at a drop of a hat. The Cemetery and graveyards are his playground, his kingdom and his domain here on earth, and as with many places on earth, it is considered a "Punto" of pure magical energy and within its walls egoists an energy that can strike fear, terror, wonder, peace, awe and sorrow within the hearts of humanity. In Spanish it is known as el Camposanto and it is in this place that el Baron del Cementerio reigns as King. It is in these sacred sites and hollowed grounds that our dead, and our ancestors reside, and it is in this area where for many, after death, our humanly remains will reside.
The eldest male tomb of any given Cemetery is also viewed as a Punto of much sacred energy, for it is this tomb that is the sacred shrine of el Baron del Cementerio. It does not matter if the eldest tomb is that of a male infant, child or that of a male adult who lived until ripe old age, it is here where el Baron del Cementerio manifests his energy on earth. It is at the oldest grave and at the entrance to the cemetery where el Baron del Cementerio keeps his watchful eyes on all those who enter and leave. It is at this Punto where practitioners of Haitian Vodou, Dominican 21 Division and the Puerto Rican Sance tradition make and leave their Servicios to el Gran Baron del Cementerio and his Division. He is known as the leader of the Ghede Division, their King, their Ruler, their Priest their Father and their Godfather, their Jefe, for the Ghede can not do anything without first consulting with el Baron del Cementerio.
Offerings to el Baron del Cementerio are always left at either the entrance of the graveyard or before the oldest male tomb. If the tomb has a Cross or a Crucifix this is sacred to el Baron del Cementerios vuelta known as el Baron de la Cruz, and if you are good at remembering dates and know for a fact that the person was buried on a Saturday then Baron del Sabado ( Baron Samedi / Sabalo ) comes into play, if the oldest grave is that of a female, then La Baronesa, La Barona or Mama Buyita are Queens of the sacred grounds. The offerings known as servicios are always placed before the tomb on a punto firmado and three crosses or exes with cascarilla or red brick are drawn upon the tomb and a punto firmado is drawn with corn meal Offerings to the Baron del Cementrio and the Ghede are always spicy and hot; dark rum soaked in hot peppers, jalapeños or habaneros, fried sweet plantains, rice and beans, food with much spice, unfiltered cigarettes, pork rhinds, ice cold strong unsweetened coffee, popcorn, seeds and peanuts. Which are placed within a jiguera and on top of the Punto firmado which is comprised of crosses, a coffin, a shovel, a pick, a top hat and skulls, drawn with the corn meal and are all sacred symbols of the dead and the cemetery. All this is often surrounded by 9 candles of red, purple black and at times yellow, which are placed around the tomb. Servicios are often done on Tuesdays, or Fridays, at 12 noon, or 12 midnight.
GRAN BARON DEL CEMENTERIO
( 9 is the number of the dead and purple and red is the color of royalty. )
Each corner or cardinal point of the Cemetery is protected by a Centinela, there is Boco Tebú Tecacho "North", Abúm "South", A Lembó "East" and Cacique, Rey de la "Encabezá "West" and those who become initiated into Sance and 21 Division are instructed on where they are properly located and who these Centinela where in life. But each simple offerings must always be presented to them first, then crossed before you and placed on the Punto firmado before the tomb.
Offerings are placed in potato sacks, or a jicara / jiguera and a pave woven hat are placed on top of the tomb, with a pair of sunglasses that is missing one of the lenses.
The Ghede spirits including el Baron del Cementerio and all his vueltas are never truly satisfied, they are gluttonous spirits who are the first to partake of all animal sacrifices given within Vodou, Palo and Santeria, ( Yes the Gede are part of the Ocha tradition, Orisha such as Oya, Yewa and Iku are Ghede ) and at the very moment of death when the Ghede consume, it is el Gran Baron del Cementerio who stands before them. The Guede have an unquenchable thirst for the essence of death and the Ghede always feed when life is lost through murder, natural causes. accidents, through a freak of nature, or when another Orisha or Lwa in their natural environment needs to feed, it is the Ghede who feast first.
( Roadside Descansos are also sacred to the Ghede Division especially that of el Baron de la Cruz and Mama Buyita. )
Although the Ghede are spirits of death, the Baron del Cementerio who is also the Angel of Death and the Ghede are also known for being great healers and guardians of children and can heal those very things that may bring death or even prolong it. It does not matter the age, financial statues, religious views or race, the Ghede will mount all, at least once in this lifetime, even if its through the physical death if the body..
The Baron del Cementerio has three major vueltas that I have spoken of earlier and each is syncretized with a Catholic Saint, as is the case with most Lwa. ( The Catholic Saint is what we use most to depict our Lwa. ) El Baron del Cementerio is syncretized with Saint Elijah of Mount Carmel, Baron de la Cruz or Papa Ghede as he is also known is syncretized with Saint Gerard de Mayela and Gede Sabalo or Baron del Sabado is syncretized with Saint Expedite, or vise a versa depending on the practitioner.
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