Saut-d'Eau
Encyclopedia
Saut-d'Eau is a municipality in the Mirebalais Arrondissement
, in the Centre Department
of Haiti
. It has 34,885 inhabitants.
Its name is French for 'waterfall', named after a large waterfall called 'Le Saut'. The area holds cultural significance in Haiti, to both Catholic
and Vodou practitioners. In the 19th century, it is believed that the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
(or the closely associated Vodou Lwa, Erzulie Dantor) appeared on a palm tree there. A French priest, afraid of the superstition this would inspire, cut the tree down, but it nonetheless became an important religious destination for Haitians, akin to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico
.
Annually, the falls are the site of a large, important religious pilgrimage
, during the festival of Our Lady of Carmel, from July 14–16. A Eucharistic rite is held during the festival, as well as various vodou rituals, but the penultimate devotional activity is bathing in the waters of the falls, and asking favors of the Virgin or Erzulie.
The water is also sacred to the lwa Damballah and Ayida Wedo, the book The Serpent and the Rainbow
is named for their appearance at this site.
Mirebalais Arrondissement
Mirebalais is an arrondissement in the Centre Department of Haiti, with 164,910 inhabitants.Postal codes in the Mirebalais Arrondissement start with the number 52.The arondissement consists of the following municipalities:* Mirebalais...
, in the Centre Department
Centre Department
Centre is one of the ten departments of Haiti, located in the center of the country, along the border with the Dominican Republic. It has an area of 3,675 km² and a population of 564,200 . Its capital is Hinche. It borders the Dominican Republic to the east. It is the only landlocked...
of Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
. It has 34,885 inhabitants.
Its name is French for 'waterfall', named after a large waterfall called 'Le Saut'. The area holds cultural significance in Haiti, to both Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
and Vodou practitioners. In the 19th century, it is believed that the Virgin Mary of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the title given to the Blessed Virgin Mary in her role as patroness of the Carmelite Order. The first Carmelites were Christian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the Holy Land during the late 12th and early to mid 13th centuries...
(or the closely associated Vodou Lwa, Erzulie Dantor) appeared on a palm tree there. A French priest, afraid of the superstition this would inspire, cut the tree down, but it nonetheless became an important religious destination for Haitians, akin to the Virgin of Guadalupe in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Annually, the falls are the site of a large, important religious pilgrimage
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey or search of great moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith...
, during the festival of Our Lady of Carmel, from July 14–16. A Eucharistic rite is held during the festival, as well as various vodou rituals, but the penultimate devotional activity is bathing in the waters of the falls, and asking favors of the Virgin or Erzulie.
The water is also sacred to the lwa Damballah and Ayida Wedo, the book The Serpent and the Rainbow
The Serpent and the Rainbow (book)
The Serpent and the Rainbow is a book by ethnobotanist and researcher Wade Davis. He investigated Haitian Vodou and the process of making zombies. He studied ethnobotanical poisons, discovering their use in a reported case of a contemporary zombie, Clairvius Narcisse.The book inspired a dramatic...
is named for their appearance at this site.