How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
You know Marassa? They're lwa, gods, the gods of twins—super-strong, super-hardcore, even though they look like three little kids. They're some of the oldest gods from Africa. Even now in vodou, the Marassa come right after Papa Legba in the ceremony. Marassa can heal you, can bring you good luck, can make people fall in love with you. (1.64)
Where was Marassa when we were suffering through a cold last week? Shorty explains the magic behind the god since he's guessing we're not as familiar with voodoo as he is. Since he (and Toussaint) were born twins, he has extra special powers. Or so many people believe…
Quote #2
Vodou, it's the old religion of Haiti. The slaves brought it over from Africa. In vodou, you got lwa, who are like gods, but sometimes they can be ancestors, too. Haitians, they believe that the lwa can come down and possess their bodies during ceremonies, talk through them. We call it mounting—the lwa mounts you and uses your body. (1.87)
Again we're let in on the traditions associated with the supernatural. And again we get the idea that Shorty tries to separate himself from people who believe in this stuff. We can't help but wonder how much of this is tied up in belief in other beings (like ghosts, deities, you name it), and how much deals with the culture of the people in Haiti.
Quote #3
Manman, though, she loved all of it, and she believed in it all, even if she knew me and my sister were frauds, were bulls***. She had a houngan she went to. (1.88)
Shorty distinguishes between what his mom believes (voodoo) and what he does (nothing), which makes us question whether this stuff is real or not. It also makes us think about how Shorty and Marguerite are involved in voodoo, but don't necessarily buy into it themselves. In other words, appearances aren't always reality.