Legend Lives On
Submitted by N.O.V.A.
Times Picayune 06-16-2006


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Tomb-side ceremony honors voodoo priestess Marie Laveau 125
years after her death

Bringing flowers to the tomb of a dead ancestor is a common
practice in New Orleans. But the 125th anniversary of when some
historians believe voodoo priestess Marie Laveau died drew more
than family member Barbara Trevigne to St. Louis Cemetery No. 1
on Thursday.
"She is in this tomb, ladies and gentlemen," Trevigne said,
referring to debate over where Laveau was buried. "She is not
under the Superdome, and she is not buried standing up."

Mystery fuels the Laveau legend, which draws thousands of
visitors each year to the Basin Street grave site.

Some people believe that Laveau, the patron saint of Louisiana's
voodoo tradition, was born in Saint-Domingue, which is now
Haiti. Others say she was born in New Orleans.

Some say she died on June 15, 1881, and some say she died on
June 16, 1881.

Some say she was buried at St. Louis No. 2, but others believe
she is buried at St. Louis No. 1.

Laveau was so well known that her obituary was published in New
Orleans and in The New York Times. Only the grave of Elvis
Presley draws more visitors to an individual American burial
site.

"Today we commemorate you," Laveau historian Ina Fandrich said
at a commemorative ceremony Thursday. "We invoke your healing
power today for all of us in this city."

Her head wrapped in a colorful tignon, like the one Laveau is
often pictured wearing, Fandrich stood in front of the tomb,
ringing a brass bell as she asked Laveau to help the city
recover from Hurricane Katrina.

A former professor of religious, African-American and women and
gender studies at LSU, Fandrich said she believes Laveau was
born "a free mulatto girl child" on Sept. 10, 1801, in New
Orleans, that she died June 15, 1881, and that she is buried in
St. Louis No. 1.

Fandrich, who has written a book about Laveau, adds an "X" to
the voodoo queen's name because she believes her family did so.

Some visitors mark Laveau's tomb with X's -- a relatively recent
"good luck" tradition that is widely considered desecration and
vandalism.

"When I was a little girl, this didn't happen," said Trevigne, a
clinical social worker who portrays Marie Laveau at various New
Orleans history events.

A hairdresser by trade, Laveau was a devout Catholic with
incredible healing power, Fandrich said.

"You could fix anything and turn anything around," she said as
she faced the tomb. "Bring us peace and love."

Under a hot sun amid whitewashed tombs, the ceremony ended as
voodoo priest and karate teacher Elmer T. Glover Jr. popped the
cork on a bottle of Andre Champagne as the small group sang,
"This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine."

Glover poured some of the bubbly wine on the ground in front of
the tomb, where candles and flowers were placed to honor
Laveau's memory and spirit. Then those who gathered there sipped
Champagne from their cupped hands, after Fandrich shared the
remainder of the chilled drink.

Along with flowers, her children and grandchildren, "Marie
Laveau loved Champagne," Fandrich said.