hounsi

English

Alternative forms

Etymology

From Haitian Creole, from Fon.

Pronunciation
  • (UK) IPA(key): /ˈ(h)uːnsi/

Noun

hounsi (plural hounsis)

  1. A voodoo initiate; a helper for a houngan or mambo.
    • 1953, Maya Deren, Divine Horsemen, McPherson & Company 2004, p. 48:
      At the entrance to the tent, the hounsis stretch out upon the mats.
    • 1985, Wade Davis, The Serpent and the Rainbow, Simon & Schuster, p. 48:
      Each hounsis remained anonymous, focused inward and turned away from the audience toward the poteau mitan and the drums.
    • 1995, Karen McCarthy Brown, in Cosentino (ed.), Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou, South Sea International Press 1998, p. 214:
      In both Rada and Petwo modes of ritualizing, it is customary for ounsis to show respect to priests and priestesses through such ritual salutations.
This article is issued from Wiktionary. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.