Ogou Veve - Warrior Lwa Symbol in Haitian Metal Art

Vodou Veve Ogun - Handmade Haitian Wall Decor, Authentic Up-cycled Art Collection, 14.25" x 17.25"

Who Ogou Is Ogou - also written Ogoun or Ogun - is the warrior lwa: the spirit of iron, fire, politics and protection. He is called on for strength, for courage, and for victory when something must be fought for. He is not one spirit but an escort of them, and he changes his name as he changes aspect: Ogou Feray, Ogou Badagri, Ogou Adache. In Haiti he is syncretized with Saint James the Greater, and his feast falls on July 25. Reading the VeveA veve is the emblem that belongs to one lwa alone, traced in cornmeal and ash on the floor of the temple to call that spirit by name. Ogou's veve is built from swords, and the sword is the key to reading it. The position tells you which Ogou is being called: crossed swords for Ogou Feray, intertwined swords for Ogou Badagri. The blade stands for strength and for his willingness to defend whoever calls on him. Because Ogou is the lwa of iron, there is a particular fitness in rendering his veve in cut steel - the material is his own. About This Piece Hand-cut from a recycled steel oil drum in Croix des Bouquets, Haiti. The artist flattens the drum, traces the design, then cuts and chases every line by hand with hammer and chisel. Small variations between pieces are the mark of handwork, not a flaw. Fair trade. The artist is paid directly.