“La Sireine Dogoué” vèvè flag

Elaborately decorated with sequins and beadwork, vèvè flags derive from the beliefs and practice of Haitian Vodou, or Voodoo. They are carried at the commencement of ceremonies in which followers call on spirits, known as loa, to receive offerings, grant requests, and settle grievances, among other functions. Loa, not deities themselves, are supernatural beings who act as intermediaries between humans and the supreme deity, called Bondye. This vèvè flag signifies the spirit La Sireine Dogoué, a mermaid-like figure who, along with her male counterpart, Agoue, exercises control over all things aquatic.