Bossou Veve - Sacred Bull Lwa in Haitian Metal Art

A veve is the emblem of one lwa alone - the spirits served in Haitian Vodou. Before a ceremony, an oungan or manbo traces it on the earthen floor of the peristyle in cornmeal and wood ash, and the spirit descends through it. Becauseeach lwa has exactly one veve, the symbol functions as a name. Bossou's is read through the horns.

Bossou is the sacred bull of voodoo. Often shown with three horns that mean Strength, Wildness, and Violence, he is a very powerful, mighty and aggressive lwa of immense power, fertility, and sexuality. Bossou should not be approached lightly or with ego, as his fury is swift, savage, and devastating. Bossou will carry the weight and work hard when approached in the right manner.

Bossou is the Spirit of the great Bull, the spirit of change, the power to overcome. He is strong and constant. In Vodou he is called on to remove the spirits of the dead. Bossou is served as a healer, and also an incredible protector able to defeat all his enemies. He is often seen as a fire-breathing bodyguard and exorcist.

This piece begins as a 50-gallon steel oil drum. The artist burns out the inside with banana and sugar cane leaves, cuts the drum open and flattens it into a metal canvas roughly 3 feet by 6 feet. The design is then traced and cut entirely byhand with a hammer and chisel, and finished with a protective coating. The work is done in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti, where this tradition has been passed down since the 1950s. No two pieces are identical. Fair trade. The artist is paid directly.

It's Cactus Metal Art Haiti