BARON KRIMINEL

Justice awaits beyond the grave. Sometimes justice emerges from the grave. Baron Kriminel is a fierce spirit of justice. He is custodian of the graveyard, captain of the zombi squad. He leads an army of zombis.

Baron Kriminel is a headhunter. He wears a belt of severed heads and carries a sack filled with souls he has collected. Does he make you nervous? Then remember, he’s a force of justice: if you have no guilt, you need have no fear. Behave yourself; behave ethically and kindly and you will never meet him—unless you go looking for him, but that’s another story: he is also patron of criminals who invoke him for safety and success. Baron Kriminel is the Master Criminal but also the vigilante who enforces justice.

He’s accused of being a cannibal, which is not untrue but ignores the complexities of this mysterious, powerful spirit. Behave like a pig and be consumed like a pig. Baron Kriminel inflicts justice by transforming someone into a pig, which he then eats with no knife but only a fork and spoon, i.e., slowly and excruciatingly painfully. The fork and spoon are also symbolic of his aloof, unsympathetic nature: he eats like a colonial master from slavery days.

Dominican Vodou classifies Baron Kriminel as a centinela (sentinel or guardian). Place his image by your doors looking outward to protect against enemies and invasion.

Kriminel is classified among the Barons and the Petro or Bizango lwa. His close companions include Ezili Dantor, Marinette, Ti Jean Petro, and Simbi Andezo. He is a coldhearted, merciless spirit; if you find yourself in trouble with him, appeal to Ezili Dantor, who is most likely to save you, although Simbi Andezo may be helpful, too.

• Baron Kriminel is syncretized to Saint Pancras or Saint Sebastian.

ALSO KNOWN AS:

Baron Criminel; Captain Zombi

CLASSIFICATION:

Baron; Bizango; Centinela; Lwa

ATTRIBUTES:

Cross; fork (sometimes fork and spoon; the better to eat you with, my dear)

COLOURS:

Black, red

ANIMAL:

Pig

SEE ALSO:

• List of Lwa
• The Barons
• Bizango
• Circe
• Ezili Dantor
• Marinette
• Petro
• Ti-Jean Petro
• Simbi

SOURCE:

Encyclopedia of Spirits: The Ultimate Guide to the Magic of Fairies, Genies, Demons, Ghosts, Gods & Goddesses– Written by Judika Illes Copyright © 2009 by Judika Illes.

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