Lwa, also called loa, are spirits in the African diasporic religion of Haitian Vodou. They have also been incorporated into some revivalist forms of Louisiana Voodoo. Many of the lwa derive their identities in part from deities venerated in the traditional religions of West Africa, especially those of the Fon and Yoruba.
A painting of the lwa Damballa, a serpent, by Haitian artist Hector Hyppolite.
A cross in the cemetery at Port-au-Prince, Haiti; this symbolizes the lwa Baron Samedi.
A large sequined Vodou "drapo" or flag by the artist George Valris, depicting the veve of the lwa Loko Atison.
A drummer in a Vodou ceremony in Brooklyn, New York City during the early 1980s
African diaspora religions
African diaspora religions, also described as Afro-American religions, are a number of related beliefs that developed in the Americas in various nations of the Caribbean, Latin America and the Southern United States. They derive from traditional African religions with some influence from other religious traditions, notably Christianity and Islam.
Example of Louisiana Voodoo altar inside a temple in New Orleans.