Agawou is a lwa (spirit) of Haitian Vodou, associated with storms, wind, lightning, thunder, and earthquakes. He is served across the Danwonmen, Petwo, and Rada rites, recognized as both terrestrial and aquatic. Some identify him with the Holy Spirit or Saint Augustine, emphasizing his extraordinary power.
His possessions are marked by intensity and violence, requiring oungan (priests) and manbo (priestesses) to prepare carefully to manage the chwal (horse) — the human body ridden by the spirit. In Vodou songs, his command over natural forces is reflected in verses such as: “Agawou blows the wind, he blows the Nor’easter.”
Agawou is brother to Azaka Mede, and both are symbolized by the soud (biting lizard). In the ounfò (Vodou temple), Agawou is represented by a pyè tonnè (pre-Columbian thunderstone), taking the form of an arrowhead, axe, or polished stone. His resting tree is the kenèp (Spanish lime), his ritual days are Friday and Saturday, and his sacred colors are black, white, and red.
His syncretic associations vary depending on the region. Some link him to Saint Rock or Saint Michel; others associate him with a small black figure praying in a boat, found in chromolithographs of the Virgin of Charity. In certain parts of northern Haiti, Agawou is tied to Saint John the Baptist and known as Agoun Tonnè or Ogoun Tonnè. In this variant, he is the brother of Ogoun Balindjo.
Those possessed by Agawou often announce themselves with fierce declarations:
“Damn lightning! . . . It’s me, Agawou Lightning! . . . It’s me, the lightning, damn it! . . . It’s me, damn it, the cannon officer of God! When I grumble, the sky and earth tremble! M-hou-ou (×3).”
During these possessions, the chwal may spit at observers, shake hands aggressively, or climb trees with sudden force.
Stories about Agawou’s power persist in Haitian oral tradition. One recounts a Protestant convert who, while attending a Vodou ceremony as a spectator, was overtaken by Agawou, injured herself, and fled the temple to the jubilation of the assembled Vodouists. Everyday sayings echo his authority; some Haitians, when threatened, raise a finger to the sky and say, “Agawou says if God wants it.”
Service to Agawou is considered a serious obligation. Failure to honor him can bring severe punishment or death. For those who serve faithfully, he offers protection against fire and lightning. Yet despite his role as protector, Agawou is regarded as deeply distrustful of humans.
Offerings to Agawou, often made jointly with Azaka Mede, include tòm-tòm — a dish composed of sweet potatoes, malanga, plantains, and okra. Farmers pray to him when rains fall too heavily. In ceremonies aimed at controlling the weather, a Vodou priest may bury bottles of rainwater or tie knots in vines to bind the rain.
In Dahomey (present-day Benin), “Agawou” was a military title, held by the commander of the army of Allada — a post once occupied by Gawou Ginou, the father of Haitian revolutionary leader Toussaint Louverture.
