houngenikon

plural houngenikons · alternative ounjenikon

1. voodooThe leader of singing in a voodoo ceremony.

   I was told that the Vodou priest Cesar had had a serious fight with Nicole, the ounjenikon, mistress of song, of his temple.

   1995, Karen McCarthy Brown, in Cosentino (ed.), Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou, South Sea International Press 1998, p. 211

   3 more examples

   The houngenikon thereupon starts off the song, the drums and the chorus join in and when it is ended the houngan inquires: “Are you satisfied?”

   1953, Maya Deren, Divine Horsemen, McPherson & Company, published 2004, page 51

   The drums changed and the Houngenikon came dancing on to the floor, holding a vessel filled with some burning liquid from which sprang blue and yellow flames.

   1954, Ian Fleming, Live and Let Die

   Sometimes Bienaimé nods in the direction of a particularly noisy racket, and the houngenikon flicks at those kids with his whip.

   1989, Amy Wilentz, The Rainy Season