Marie Laveau

Marie’s known History

Marie Laveau, also spelled Laveaux, (born 1801?, New Orleans, Louisiana [now in the U.S.]—died June 15, 1881, New Orleans), Vodou queen of New Orleans. Laveau’s powers reportedly included healing the sick, extending altruistic gifts to the poor, and overseeing spiritual rites.

Life in New Orleans

There is some confusion regarding Laveau’s year of birth. Some documents indicate that she was born in 1794, while other research supports 1801 as the year of her birth. She is said to have been born to an African woman, named Marguerite Darcantel, and to Charles Laveau.

Marie Laveau married a Creole man from Sainte-Domingue (now Haiti) named Jacques Paris. He reportedly disappeared and was later reported dead. Upon his disappearance, Laveau began referring to herself as the “Widow Paris.” After the reported death of her husband, Laveau started a relationship with Jean Louis Christophe Duminy de Glapion. Together, they had several children, some of whom were victims of the various yellow fever outbreaks that plagued New Orleans due to the city’s poor drainage system. Although Laveau was a committed mother and wife, much of her priority in caretaking was extended to her spiritual children and the general community.

Laveau became a hairdresser to create economic stability for herself and her family. Through interaction with her black clients who were house servants, she was exposed to personal information about her wealthy white clients, who often sought her counsel. Laveau used this information to give informed counsel to the people who sought advice from her concerning their personal affairs. Many wealthy and politically affluent individuals, both white and black, paid Laveau for personal advice, intervention in some situation, and protection against any evil energy that might have been placed against them.

Vodou in New Orleans

Vodou, as a religious system, is derived from spiritual practices from Dahomey, the historic western African kingdom (located in what is now Benin). Vodou is actually a Fon word that means “spirit” or “deity.” Vodou was transported to the United States during the transatlantic slave trade.

(Source Britannica Online)

Marie’s Powers

(Marie has the power of voodoo, and her main purpose is to undo the powers that Kalfu gives to people.)

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Spoilers

In future books, Arthur Ace Briggs will act as a hitman for Marie, but only to take away the villain’s powers and send them to a Supermax Prison Eleo Nova created secretly because people with powers could receive them again. For Ace to take their powers, he must first learn the villain’s powers and then give the information to Marie. Then Marie makes a voodoo doll that can be used to capture the power.

In special cases, Marie can give those powers to Ace temporarily or to another special person that can accept the powers permanently.

Only certain people can receive powers. Webb Corporation tests kids in the womb to see if they can receive powers. But they can only receive the powers after puberty. But Kalfu will only offer the powers if they have proven to be evil adults.

Eleo Nova knows that Marie Laveau has been dead for two centuries. He does a secret DNA test that perfectly matches the sample from the Marie Laveau tomb in New Orleans, but Marie’s body remains.