Lynne Warberg
Atibien@aol.com
I am not an anthropologist. I thought I was only pursuing my career by
following the camera operator for The Serpent and the Rainbow to Haiti in
1987. I passionately loved the man and just as passionately was devoted to
photography. My goal was to make pictures that made me feel good inside. And
not care if anyone else liked them. I would like them and the experience
would belong to me and only me.
Three weeks before I traveled to Haiti for the first time I passed through
New Orleans. I wanted to learn something about "voodoo" (I only knew the
negative side of voodoo and what the word conjures: magical spells and voodoo
dolls manipulated to inflict pain.) I enter the one and only 'Voodoo Museum"
and begin to browse. I pick up a book "Famous Voodoo Rituals and Spells,
Fascinating Secrets of Mysterious Voodoo" by H.U. Lampe and read the first
page: "The voodoo religion, Voodoo, Vodoun, and Vodun are different spellings
of what is one of the world's most exotic religions..." Over 60 million
people practice vodoun worldwide."
After meeting and photographing the curator of the Voodoo Museum, Charles
Gandolf, I find myself in New Orleans' St. Louis Cemetery. Standing before the
tomb of Marie LaVeau I follow Charles's instructions and ask the powerful
Voodooienne's spirit to assist me in photographing voodoo in Haiti by
repeating this spell...
"Knock seven times on the tomb, make seven crosses with a red stone which you
will find lying on the ground, leave an offering of seven pennies. Make your
appeal to the famous spirit and your wish will be granted."
My wish to Marie LaVeau becomes a reality. The more time I spend in Haiti the
greater the results. My photographs begin to feel to me that they are being
administered by an unseen force. I love the images I am making, I truly love
myself for allowing it to happen. I am under a spell.
My passion for Haiti consumes all aspects of my life. I begin to feel the
camera operator is too possessive. The truth is I am slipping away. Haiti
possesses me and there is no place to run but into her loving arms. I rent a
hut on a South Coast beach near Jacmel where I spend as much time as I can. I
meet amazing people from all walks of life. I divide my time between New York
City and a career in photography on film sets and living in Haiti. The voodoo
gods administer many introductions. I develop many close relationships. Among
my friends in Haiti, a Canadian writer poses as a lover, friend and brother
but never to be the father of my children. I deeply crave that relationship
and he assists me in finding it. He teaches me a lot about myself even though
I don't realize it at the time. He was always yelling at me and forcing my
transformation. He once said that earth is a training ground for furthering
our evolution in the universe. Haiti is definitely boot camp. Haiti is a
dusty, dirty bloody canvas. Ask anyone that has spent some time there...
that in spite of yourself it takes over and you lose your senses. And every
minute you are there you love and hate it and when you are not there it is
all you can do not to think about it. Once you succumb and step inside of the
moving picture the rest of the world calls Haiti you become connected to an
incredible force.
The time I spent in Haiti built a spiritual reservoir for me. I feel so
fortunate that I know the voodoo gods. Without them how would I have survived
the past ten years of my life? I am a mother now and a wife and I still have
a career but now it is more about helping others than only being focused on
myself.
Beyond the beliefs of any one religion, there is the truth of the human spirit.
Beyond the power of nations, there is the power of the human heart.
Beyond the ordinary mind, the power of wisdom, love, and healing energy are at work
in the universe.
When we can find peace within our hearts,
we can contact these universal powers.
This is our only hope.
Tarthang Tulku
- Lynne Warberg
Atibien@aol.com
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