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♦ Sorcerer: ♦ Sabbat:
Some notes on Wanga (until I can pretty them up) - these notes come from reading I did in days past and need some topping up. "Wanga" is a diminutive, a term for a charm or a spell, usually black or destructive magic. Compared to words like "Thaumaturgy" (to perform miracles) or "Dur-An-Ki" (Mastery of Heaven and Earth) it's kind of insulting. Better terms for it would be "Sevis Loa" or "Service" (as in rendered and paid in full). As a magical system these practices tend to be transactionally-based. People want and need things from the spirits, spirits want things from the world of men, the magician stands at the crossroads and can facilitate transactions for everyone. This middle-point is known as "the marketplace", at least in Vodoun. As a magical system these religions come from disparate sources brought together into a sophisticated practice. Vodou, for instance, comes from the religious practices of West Africa, Roman Catholic ritual and liturgy, the practices of the indigenous Taino (the Taino created sand-glyphs which evolved into the Veves used in vodou, for instance, and the reverence for Zemi thunderstones and other fetish objects also comes from the Taino) and European occultism and mystery practice, including Ceremonial Magick, Freemasonry and other sources. A practitioner of Wanga would do many of the same rituals a Tremere sorcerer does, the same way. Differentiate from Thaumaturgy in that Paths = Intimate relationships with the spirits you have developed. Rituals = one-and-done transactions with the spirit world. Wangateur would be taught to be careful about delving too deeply into too many Paths before you have developed spiritually/resourcefully, lest you wind up in hock to too many spirits - This is bad. Note Dr. Facilier in "The Princess and the Frog", all the different colors he's wearing. In Vodou, this is a HUGE red flag, he's made too many long-term deals with too many spirits! Primary path = your bond with the spirit with whom you share the closest bond. In Vodou this is the "Met tet" ("Spirit of the Head"). Can also be reflected with Totem, Spirit Mentor, etc. |