Lwa Met Tet
 
 The importance of the “Master of the Head”

Everyone in the world has Lwa. The most significant of the Lwa that may walk with an individual is the Lwa Met Tet. Met Tet literally means Master of the Head. This is similar to what some would consider a Holy Guardian Angel. The Lwa Met Tet of an individual is that individual’s personal guardian. The identity of the Met Tet can be that of a Rada lwa, a Petro lwa, a Gede Lwa, or even a personal Djab the individual has with them.

You do not choose your Lwa met tet. Just as you do not choose your own Mother or Father. You are born with this Lwa. The Lwa are said to “live in the blood” of an individual. This makes perfect sense, as blood itself is life. That is another reason why loss of blood is so draining, it is in part like losing some of your own power and force, weakening the lwa in your head. Although the lwa reside in the blood, the Met Tet, as named, abides in the head of the individual. This Lwa, as well as the Lwa who walk with the person, are separated from the individual at the time of death. They may then leave or be inherited by someone in the person’s spiritual or biological family.

The Met Tet is usually identified as the first Lwa to possess an individual, or the Lwa that possesses that individual most often. Yet, this Lwa will not be the only Lwa that can possess someone. Other than the Master of the Head, an individual may have a number of Lwa that “walk with him or her”. These Lwa, although not master of the head, are important to the individual and assist him/her through life. They may also appear rather frequently in possession through that individual. Unlike other traditions, where a person may only be possessed by their Head Spirit, we become possessed by a number of Lwa. On top of this, Houngans and Mambos are expected to be able to call any Lwa into their heads.

The Met Tet is not easily identified or defined. Usually people have many characteristics that are parallel to those of the Met Tet. This Lwa works on the same wavelength as that of the individual. They have similar vibes, and correspond to the individual. The identity of the Met Tet is not to be given away to people just because they ask.

It is considered offensive to ask someone who their Lwa Met Tet is. Also, the identity of this Lwa is not given away in fear that a person with such knowledge will serve that Lwa, therefore making the person vulnerable to magickal as well as other attacks. When someone asks who the Met Tet of someone else is, the usual assumption is that the person wants this information to work wanga, magick, against said individual. This is why you would not go around saying to people: “Hey my Lwa Met Tet is so and so!” The main fear is that the person will serve that Lwa better than you, and therefore make you vulnerable to magick and hardships.

With all the importance of the Met Tet, one would think that everyone “must” know this information for their own well being. This, however, is untrue. Many Vodouisants know the identity of their Lwa Met Tet way before they ever become Kanzo. The Lwa, his/herself, may have told the individual in a dream, may have come to possess the person first, or is the Lwa that most often shows up in this person’s head during ceremonies – yet, even when one goes to become Kanzo, unless one is going to take the rank of Sou Pwen or higher, this is not divined. Don’t get me wrong though, knowing the identity of your Lwa Met Tet is extremely beneficial, however, knowing the identity of this lwa is not absolutely essential, it is only so if you are becoming a Houngan or Mambo. The Lwa Met Tet is most often identified in the djevo during the Kanzo ceremony, although it may also be divined during a Lave Tet.

Usually, during divination, a Houngan or Mambo will identify Lwa that are walking with you, AT THAT TIME; this means that these are not necessarily the Lwa that are always with you, they are the ones that are willing to handle your situation, to work with you to come to a resolution. The Met Tet should be identified in person. Again, the best way to know the identity of the Lwa Met Tet is through a Lave Tet or Kanzo. However, Houngans and Mambos may have an idea of which Lwa it is before that time. It may turn out that they were right, or it may turn out during the Kanzo or Lave Tet that it is another Lwa altogether. Usually, it is the Lwa that walk with you, though, that can be defined much more easily. This is again because the Met Tet is often ellusive, as it should be in order to protect your well being.

Service to the Met Tet provides a number of benefits to the individual. It will make him or her stronger, his or her magick better and more effective, and clear obstacles in the life of the individual. Although, once again, this is usually known to a Houngan or Mambo, who is thus able to serve their own Lwa Met Tets for their own success.

The Met Tet, however, cannot be identified with a simple Tarot card reading, as some unscrupulous Houngans and Mambos are claiming they are doing. Again, it is under the context of a ritual, in a special ceremony, that this Lwa is identified. That doesn’t mean however that individual Houngans and Mambos will not try to identify that Lwa through other means. Especially when trying to work malevolent or aggressive wanga against an individual.