Damballah (Dan-Ayido-Hwedo) - Marvel Universe: The definitive online source for Marvel super hero bios.

Damballah (Dan-Ayido-Hwedo)

(Redirected from Dam-Ayido)

Real Name
Dan-Ayido-Hwedo

Aliases
"Bon Dieu" ("the Good God"), Agaou Wedo, Anviewo, Dam-Ayido, Dan Houeza, Dan Petro, Dan Yi, Dangbe, Danger Mina, Danh, Dumballah, Serpent God, Snake-God, others

Identity
Damballah is publicly known, generally as a mythological character or a fictional being from the Voodoo religion.

Occupation
God of the dead and the grave, god of Serphents

Citizenship
Ala (realm of the Vodu Gods)

Place of Birth
Unrevealed

Known Relatives
Ayida Wede (wife), Lusa (father), Mahu (mother), Buluku (grandmother), Nana (Gaea, grandmother), Sagbatta (Baron)Samedi, twin brother), Age, Eschu, Legba, Ogun, Shanggo/Xevioso(brothers), Avlekete, Ezili/Erzulie, Oya (sisters), Maman Brigitte (sister-in-law), others

Group Affiliation
Vodu Gods (Gods of Africa)

Education
Unrevealed

Height
12' (variable)

Weight
300 lbs. (variable)

Eyes
Black (variable)

Hair
None (variable)

Powers
Like all Vodu, Damballah has superhuman physical abilities and is highly resistant to disease, injury and aging. Damballah manipulate certain unidentified energies associated with curses and the underworld, granting him powers over life and death.

Abilities
Damballah also grants his mortal followers special powers, such as the power to control others. Damballah often takes the form of an immense serpent of extraordinary size.

First Appearance
Dracula Lives #2 (1973)

Origin
Doctor Strange: Sorcerer Supreme #17 (1990)

Significant Issues
Official Handbook Bibliography

Dam-Ayido Wede was initially a relatively minor Vodu god (worshiped as nature-gods by the Fon and Yoruba in Africa). In the 16th century, he followed his enslaved mortal worshipers across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean islands, particularly Haiti, and to the USA's southern rim. The Africans sought solace from their ancient gods while combining elements from Catholicism and the Holy Roman Church. Dam-Ayido reinvented his image to comport with Western culture, adopting the name "Damballah" and representing himself as the Vodu sky father to his worshipers. As the Vodu religion was bastardized into "vaudo" and "voodoo" by confusion with the French "vaudois" (a French Catholic heresy) and Santeria, Damballah achieved far greater prominence. As a result, many Haitian Voodoo practitioners invoke Damballah rather than Buluku, Mahu or Lusa when seeking assistance from their supreme creator. Damballah usually manifests as a large snake who speaks in barely-intelligible hissing. His wife, Ayida Wede, also often manifest as a large snake, and is often referred to as the "Rainbow Serpent."

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contributors: Wezqu, ohitsme

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