Ayida-Weddo

Ayida Wedo (also spelled Ayida Hwedo or Ayida-Wedo) is a serpent deity in Haitian Vodou and West African Vodun traditions. In Haitian Creole, she is known as Ayida Wedo, and in Fon, one of the languages of Benin, she is called Ayida Hwedo. She is often associated with water, rainbows, and fertility, and is typically depicted as a rainbow serpent or as a woman with a serpent's tail. Ayida Wedo is the wife of Damballa, the sky father and creator deity in these traditions. Together, they represent the complementary forces of the universe, with Ayida Wedo embodying the earth and the feminine principle. In Vodou rituals, she is often invoked for healing, protection, and blessings related to love and fertility. Her symbol, the rainbow, is a powerful emblem of her connection to the natural world and her role as a bridge between the divine and the earthly realms.

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Ayida-Weddo

Rainbow serpent loa

Ayida-Weddo, also known as Ayida, Agida, Ayida-Wedo, Aido Quedo, Aido Wedo, Aida Wedo, and Aido Hwedo, is a powerful loa spirit in Vodou, revered in regions across Africa and the Caribbean, namely in Benin, Suriname and Haiti. Known as the "Rainbow Serpent", Ayida-Weddo is the loa of fertility, rainbows, wind, water, fire, wealth, thunder, and snakes. Alongside Damballa, Ayida-Weddo is regarded among the most ancient and significant loa. Considered in many sources as the female half of Damballa's twin spirit, the names Da Ayida Hwedo, Dan Ayida Hwedo, and Dan Aida Wedo have also been used to refer to her. Thought to have existed before the Earth, Ayida-Weddo assisted the creator goddess Mawu-Lisa in the formation of the world, and is responsible for holding together the Earth and heavens. Ayida-Weddo bestows love and well-being upon her followers, teaching fluidity and the connection between body and spirit.

Last modified: 2025-11-05T18:22:30ZView full article on Wikipedia