View source for Baron Samedi

{{Short description|Loa of Haitian Vodou, Louisiana Voodoo and folk beliefs}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Multiple issues|{{cleanup rewrite|date=April 2018}}
{{more citations needed|date=October 2014}}}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = voodoo
| name= Baron Samedi
| day = [[November 2]]
| venerated_in = [[Haitian Vodou]], [[Louisiana Voodoo]], [[Folk Catholicism]]
| attributes = Rum, cigar, top hat, glasses with missing lens
| deity_of = Death, tombs, gravestones, cemeteries, dead relatives, obscenities, healing, smoking, drinking, disruption, spirits
}}
[[Image:CrossOfBaronSamedi.jpg|right|thumb|Cross of Baron La Croix]]
[[File:VeveBaronSamedi.svg|thumb|[[Veve]] for Baron Samedi]]

'''Baron Samedi''' ({{langx|en|Baron Saturday}}), also written '''Baron Samdi''', '''Bawon Samedi''' or '''Bawon Sanmdi''', is one of the [[Lwa]] of [[Haitian Vodou]]. He is a Lwa of the dead, along with Baron's numerous other incarnations [[Baron Cimetière]], [[Baron La Croix]] and [[Baron Criminel]].

He is the head of the [[Gede (Haitian Vodou)|Gede]] family of Lwa; his brothers are Azagon Lacroix and Baron Piquant. He is sometimes identified with [[Guede Nibo]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Courlander |first1=Harold |author-link=Harold Courlander |title=Gods of the Haitian Mountains |journal=[[The Journal of African American History|The Journal of Negro History]] |date=1944 |volume=29 |issue=3 |pages=348, 355-356, 361–362 |doi=10.2307/2714821 |jstor=2714821 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2714821 |access-date=15 April 2024 |issn=0022-2992|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

== Portrayal ==
Baron Samedi is usually depicted with a top hat, black tail coat, dark glasses, and cotton plugs in the nostrils, as if to resemble a corpse dressed and prepared for burial in the Haitian style. He is frequently depicted as a skeleton (but sometimes as a black man that merely has his face painted as a skull), and speaks in a nasal voice. The former [[1964 Haitian constitutional referendum|dictator]] of [[Duvalier dynasty|Haiti]], [[François Duvalier]], known as Papa Doc, modeled his [[cult of personality]] on Baron Samedi; he was often seen speaking in a deep nasal tone and wearing dark glasses.<ref>thedictatorship.com/biographies/papadoc.htm</ref>{{better source needed|date=April 2024}}

He is noted for disruption, obscenity, debauchery, and having a particular fondness for [[tobacco]] and [[rum]]. Additionally, he is the loa of [[resurrection]], and in the latter capacity he is often called upon for healing by those near or approaching death, as it is only the Baron that can accept an individual into the realm of the dead.<ref>Conner, p. 83, "Baron Samedi"</ref><ref>Conner, p. 83, "</ref>

Due to affiliation with François Duvalier, Baron Samedi is linked to secret societies in the Haitian government and includes them in his domain.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Taylor|first=Patrick|date=1992|title=Anthropology and Theology in Pursuit of Justice|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/2932023|journal=Callaloo|volume=15|issue=3|pages=811–823|doi=10.2307/2932023|jstor=2932023|issn=0161-2492|access-date=2021-11-29|archive-date=2021-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005074219/https://www.jstor.org/stable/2932023|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

Baron Samedi spends most of his time in the invisible realm of [[Haitian Vodou|vodou]] spirits. He is notorious for his outrageous behavior, swearing continuously and making filthy jokes to the other spirits. He is married to another powerful spirit known as [[Maman Brigitte]], but often chases after mortal women. Despite his crudeness and vulgarity, the Baron can nevertheless be charming and suave, and is renowned for his charisma. He loves smoking and drinking and is rarely seen without a cigar in his mouth or a glass of rum in his bony fingers. Baron Samedi can usually be found at the crossroads between the worlds of death and the living. When someone dies, he digs their grave and greets their soul after they have been buried, [[psychopomp|leading them to the underworld]].{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

== Connection to other loa ==
Baron Samedi is the leader of the [[Gede (Haitian Vodou)|Gede]], loa with particular links to magic, ancestor worship and death.<ref>Conner, p. 157, "Ghede"</ref> These lesser spirits are dressed like The Baron and are as rude and crude but not nearly as charming as their master.  They help carry the dead to the underworld.<ref>''Creole religions of the Caribbean'', Margarite Fernández Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert. New York: NYU Press. 2003. {{ISBN|978-0-8147-2720-1}}. Pg. 113 - 114</ref>

== Activities ==
Among believers in Vodou, Baron Samedi is the master of the dead as well as a giver of life. He can cure mortals of any disease or wound so long as he thinks it is worthwhile. His powers are especially great when it comes to Vodou curses and [[black magic]]. Even if somebody has been afflicted by a [[Curse|hex]] that brings them to the verge of death, they will not die if The Baron refuses to dig their grave. So long as The Baron keeps them out of the ground, they are safe.

In many Haitian cemeteries the longest standing grave of male is designated as the grave of Baron Samedi. A cross (the ''kwa Bawon'', meaning "Baron's cross") is placed at a crossroads in the cemetery to represent the point where the mortal and spiritual world cross. Often, a black top hat is placed on top of this cross.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Hayes|first1=Anne Marie|last2=Robinson|first2=Michelle|date=2001|title=Instructional Resources Haitian Art: Exploring Cultural Identity|url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/3193890|journal=Art Education|volume=54|issue=1|pages=25–32|doi=10.2307/3193890|jstor=3193890|issn=0004-3125|access-date=2021-11-29|archive-date=2021-10-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211005162942/https://www.jstor.org/stable/3193890|url-status=live|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== In other media ==
{{in popular culture|date=March 2023}}

=== Television ===
* Baron Samedi is revealed to be the true identity of Mambo Marie LeFleur, portrayed by Skye Marshall, in the [[List of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina episodes#Part 4 (2020)|fourth season]] of ''[[Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV series)|Chilling Adventures of Sabrina]]'', introduced in the [[List of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina episodes#Part 3 (2020)|third season]], developing a romantic relationship with [[Zelda Spellman]].
* Baron Samedi appears in the [[American Gods season 2|second season]] of ''[[American Gods (TV series)|American Gods]]'', portrayed by [[Mustafa Shakir]].
* Baron Samedi appears in the [[Supernatural (American TV series)|''Supernatural'']] season five episode "[[Hammer of the Gods (Supernatural episode)|Hammer of the Gods]]", portrayed by Precious Silburne. He is among the deities that meet at the Elysium Motel to discuss how to handle the threat of [[Lucifer]]. When Lucifer invades the Elysium Motel, Baron Samedi is among the deities killed.
* Baron Samedi is one of the available player chapters of ''[[Atmosfear: The Harbingers]]'' - an Australian video board game designed by Brett Clements and Phillip Tanner and published by Mattel as a major update to the ''Atmosfear'' series.
* Baron Samedi appears in three episodes of [[Grimm (TV series)|''Grimm'']]
* In ''[[Heroes (American TV series)|Heroes]]'', a man known as "[[List of Heroes characters#Baron Samedi|Baron Samedi]]" exists with the power of invulnerability and the brother of [[The Haitian]]. He was portrayed by [[Demetrius Grosse]].
* Baron Samedi appears in the season 7 ''[[MacGyver]]'' episode "Walking Dead"
* Baron Samedi appears in the third season of ''[[American Horror Story]]'', titled ''Coven'', under the name of [[Papa Legba]], portrayed by [[Lance Reddick]]. Dressed in top hat, black frock tails and dark glasses, his face is painted as a partial skull all in the traditional guise of Baron Samedi.
* Baron Samedi is in the British mystery series "Father Brown" in season 4 episode 10 titled "The Wrath of Baron Samedi."
* In episode 8 of the second season of ''[[Cloak & Dagger (TV series)|Cloak & Dagger]]'', Baron Samedi appears as a character played by actor Justin Sams.
* Baron Saamdi is the name of Dr. Faciler while under the fifth dark curse, in the seventh and final season of ''[[Once Upon a Time (TV series)]]''.

=== Film ===
* Baron Samedi is the alias of a villain in the 1973 [[James Bond]] adventure, [[Live and Let Die (film)|''Live and Let Die'']], portrayed by [[Geoffrey Holder]].
* Baron Samedi appears in ''[[Sugar Hill (1974 film)|Sugar Hill]]'', portrayed by [[Don Pedro Colley]].
* Baron Samedi appears in ''[[Zombi Child]]'', portrayed by Nehémy Pierre-Dahomey.
* The [[List of Disney villains|Disney villain]] character [[Dr. Facilier]] in the 2009 animated film ''[[The Princess and the Frog]]'' is inspired by Baron Samedi with how he dresses.

=== Video games ===
* Baron Samedi appears as a playable character in the 2014 [[multiplayer online battle arena]] ''[[Smite (video game)|Smite]]'', he was introduced in 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Baron Samedi A Closer Look |url=https://www.smitegame.com/news/baron-samedi-a-closer-look |access-date=2023-03-17 |website=www.smitegame.com |archive-date=2022-05-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220519234850/https://www.smitegame.com/news/baron-samedi-a-closer-look |url-status=live }}</ref>
* Baron Samedi appears as an avatar of [[Nyarlathotep]] in the seventh edition of ''[[Call of Cthulhu (role-playing game)|Call of Cthulhu]].''
* A Female version of him called Whisper appears in the mobile fighting game [[Shadow Fight 2]]. 
* Baron Samedi appears as a playable character in the [[James Bond]] games ''[[GoldenEye 007 (1997 video game)|Goldeneye 007]]'' (1997), ''[[James Bond 007: Nightfire]]'' (2002), ''[[James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing]]'' (2003), and ''[[007 Legends]]'' (2012)
* Baron Samedi appears as a character in ''[[Akuji the Heartless]]'' (1998)
* A rival gang in the game ''[[Saints Row 2]]'' are the Sons of Samedi, a gang with heavy vodou influences.
* A doll of the Baron can be found in ''Gibbous – A Cthulhu Adventure'' at the vodou Gentleman's place
* A zombified version of Baron Samedi is called "Baron von Bats" in ''[[Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare]]''.
* A character who styles himself after Baron Samedi in ''[[Shadowrun Returns]]'' is a Decker allied to the player.
* A weapon that references Baron in the game [[The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners|The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners]] named "Samedi's hand."
* Baron Samedi appears as the Loa of Death in the ''[[World of Warcraft]]'' series using a fictional alternate spelling, Bwonsamdi.
* Baron Samedi appears as one of the nine playable characters in the game '' [[Rogue Lords]] ''
* He appears as an enemy in the roguelike game [[Dungeons of Dredmor]].

=== Others ===
Baron Samedi is mentioned in ''Lover of the Bayou'' on the album ''( Untitled )'' by The Byrds .
* ''Le Baron Samedi'' is the title of a play written by French philosopher [[Henry Corbin]].<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Corbin |first1=Henri |title=Le Baron-Samedi (Féérie dramatique) |journal=[[Présence Africaine]] |date=1962 |issue=43 |pages=385–401 |jstor=26290617 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/26290617 |access-date=15 April 2024 |issn=0032-7638 |language=fr}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Lucrece |first1=André |title=Review of BARON-SAMEDI |journal=Présence Africaine |date=1988 |issue=145 |pages=208–211 |jstor=24351608 |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/24351608 |access-date=15 April 2024 |issn=0032-7638 |language=fr}}</ref>
* Baron Samedi has been adapted as [[Baron Samedi (comics)|two different characters]] in [[Marvel Comics]].
* One of the gods appearing in the comic book miniseries ''Loki: Ragnarok and Roll''.
* Inspired the character of Chimney Man in the musical ''[[Jelly's Last Jam]]''.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/Yf-_mHCZmws Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160225143558/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf-_mHCZmws&gl=US&hl=en Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{Cite web|title=Gregory Hines, Tonya Pinkins, Jammin' on Broadway - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf-_mHCZmws&t=256s|access-date=2021-01-26|website=www.youtube.com}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
* Baron Samedi appears as an entity in Cyberspace in ''[[Count Zero]]'' by [[William Gibson]], the sequel to ''[[Neuromancer]]''
* A [[privilege escalation]] vulnerability caused by a [[Memory management#HEAP|heap-based]] [[buffer overflow]] in the computer program [[sudo]] was named "Baron Samedit" as a combination of "Baron Samedi" and <kbd>sudoedit</kbd> (the vulnerable application).<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-01-26|title=CVE-2021-3156: Heap-Based Buffer Overflow in Sudo (Baron Samedit)|url=https://blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-research/2021/01/26/cve-2021-3156-heap-based-buffer-overflow-in-sudo-baron-samedit|access-date=2021-02-14|website=Qualys Security Blog|language=en-US|archive-date=2021-02-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210214073007/https://blog.qualys.com/vulnerabilities-research/2021/01/26/cve-2021-3156-heap-based-buffer-overflow-in-sudo-baron-samedit|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Cimpanu|first=Catalin|title=Recent root-giving Sudo bug also impacts macOS|url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/recent-root-giving-sudo-bug-also-impacts-macos/|access-date=2021-02-14|website=ZDNet|language=en|archive-date=2021-02-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210210114210/https://www.zdnet.com/article/recent-root-giving-sudo-bug-also-impacts-macos/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=New Linux SUDO flaw lets local users gain root privileges|author-first1=Sergiu|author-last1=Gatlan|url=https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-linux-sudo-flaw-lets-local-users-gain-root-privileges/|access-date=2021-02-14|website=BleepingComputer|language=en-us|archive-date=2021-02-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210213143629/https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-linux-sudo-flaw-lets-local-users-gain-root-privileges/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|first=Barclay |last=Ballard |title=Sudo bug also found to affect macOS|url=https://www.techradar.com/news/sudo-bug-also-found-to-affect-macos|access-date=2021-02-14|website=TechRadar|date=3 February 2021|language=en|archive-date=2021-02-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204224257/https://www.techradar.com/news/sudo-bug-also-found-to-affect-macos|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Inspired the character of [[Papa Shango]] in the [[WWE]] portrayed by Charles Wright.
* Baron Saturday, a character analogous with Baron Samedi, appeared in the novel ''[[Witches Abroad]]'' from Terry Pratchett's ''[[Discworld]]'' Series. Previously the ruler of Genua, he was murdered by Lady Lilith de Tempscire in order to enable a version of the [[Cinderella]] story to play out, but was resurrected as a zombie by Erzulie Gogol, a vodou witch and his former lover.
* Baron Samedi appears as a playable character in the video board game ''[[Nightmare (Atmosfear series)|Nightmare]]'' (1991), and hosts the game's first expansion (where he is played by Wenanty Nosul).<ref>{{cite journal|first = Steven |last = Paulsen |year = 1996 |title = Cowboys and Atmosfear |journal = Bloodsongs |issue = 7 |page = 16 |publisher = Bambada Press |location = Australia |quote = Baron Samedi, the zombie, is named after the ancient Arawak Indian God of the Dead.}}</ref>
* Baron Saturday, who represents Baron Samedi, appears in the album ''[[S.F. Sorrow]]'' by [[The Pretty Things]], where he takes the titular character on a trip through the Underworld and shows him horrible truths and revelations about his life.
* Baron Samedi is the title of a song by British rock band [[10cc]], appearing on their 1974 album, ''[[Sheet Music (10cc album)|Sheet Music]]''.
* Baron Samedi is portrayed by Geoff Castellucci in [[VoicePlay]]'s 2018 music video ''Queen in 5 Min,'' where he is introduced as "Baron, Dark Angel and Gatekeeper. Tool: Skull Cane" and gets a vocal feature in ''[[We Are the Champions]]''. He is the final afterlife deity Earl banishes before returning to life.
* Baron Samedi is discussed extensively in the four-part podcast titled ''Real Dictators: Papa Doc François Duvalier.'' Narrated by English actor [[Paul McGann]], Duvalier and his purposeful adoption of Baron Samedi's dress, voice, and actions to frighten the Haitian people in order to further exploit them for his own political agenda.
* Baron Samedi inspired the character of The Spirit of Jazz in the British comedy TV series ''[[The Mighty Boosh (TV series)|The Mighty Boosh]]'' (2004-2007).
* Baron Samedi is portrayed in SchwaB's 2005 music video for ''DJs in a Row''.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
* ''[[Voodoo: Truth and Fantasy|Voodoo: Search for the Spirit]]'', “[[Découvertes Gallimard|Abrams Discoveries]]” series. [[Laënnec Hurbon]]. [[Abrams Books|Harry N. Abrams, Inc.]] 1995. "Ghede"
* ''A Dictionary of World Mythology''. Arthur Cotterell. [[Oxford University Press]], 1997. "Vodou".
* ''The Voodoo Gods''. Maya Deren. Granada Publishing Limited 1975.
* {{cite book |title= Cassell's Encyclopedia of Queer Myth, Symbol and Spirit|last= Conner |first= Randy P. |author2=Sparks, David Hatfield |author3=Sparks, Mariya |year=1998 |publisher=Cassell |location=UK |isbn=0-304-70423-7}}
*Taylor, P. (1992). Anthropology and Theology in Pursuit of Justice. ''Callaloo'', ''15''(3), 811–823. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.2307/2932023</nowiki>
*Hayes, A. M., & Robinson, M. (2001). Instructional Resources Haitian Art: Exploring Cultural Identity. ''Art Education'', ''54''(1), 25–32. <nowiki>https://doi.org/10.2307/3193890</nowiki>

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
* {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090703053441/http://www.ezilikonnen.com/the_lwa/gede.html The Dead: Baron, Brijit and Gede]}}
* [https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/heal-me-julia-buckley-vodou-haiti-voodoo-chronic-pain-book-does-it-work-cure-a8181221.html Can vodoo succeed where Western medicine fails?]

{{Afro-American Religions}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Baron Samedi}}
[[Category:Haitian Vodou gods]]
[[Category:Death gods]]
[[Category:Love and lust gods]]