In the pictures section and slide show of our page you will see the Shrines's sacred serpent, Zombi.
He is named after the snake that the Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans, used to dance with in her ledgendary rituals in the 1800's.
The Zombi in the New Orleans and North American tradition differs from that of the Haitian. Called "Le Grand Zombie",  the snake serves as an oracular vessel for spirit to speak through, not the soulless shell of the Haitian concept many are aware of.
Our little Zombi keeps us connected to our roots and Mambo in New Orleans, and helps carry on the tradition of dancing with the snake that helps us renew our energies, shed that which we no longer need, and honour the most ancient ancestor of the Loa Nation, Danbala.
In the Carolinean traditions, a snake is caught in the wild, honoured and danced with, absorbing the negativity we want to dispell. Once the snake has been passed around, its spirit coiled around the entire group, it is released into the night, so it can slither away into the world that snakes dwell in, leaving us refreshed as if we have shed our skin. It is a rewarding practice, we have done it many times at open rituals that we have shared, however we have never caught and used a poisonous one..not yet. Although it has been a challenge offered by an elder. We will see, let you know how that works out.
The ones used most are Garter Snakes, Milk Snakes, Rat Snakes, Fox Snakes the ones most often found in the the marsh of the Carolinean Forest. Farther south the Whip snake, if you can catch it, there is a trick to that.Water snakes are another story, anyone who is familiar with the outdoors knows they have a nasty temper, can grow quite large and dont mind biting many times. But that can be the challenge in its own, to tame the water snake, and ask him/her serve the human spirit.
Our little Zombi is a passive and freindly Ball Python, raised since very young to be handled and danced with. When the drums begin he pokes out his head, waiting to be brought into circle. The more people passing him around the happier he is, and of course he has his favorites.
The coffin is our flare for drama, and gives him the time to connect with his ancestor snake from the bayou, Le Grand Zombi,  before she comes out to help heal.