Manbo

A manbo or mambo is a female ritual specialist in the Haitian Vodou tradition. Like her male counterpart, the oungan (or houngan), she performs ceremonies, initiations, healings, and divinations. She is a spiritual guide for those who make contact with the gods through possession. Her symbol is the ason, a rattle that she receives at the time of her acknowledgment as priestess. She uses it both to invoke the gods and to direct rituals.