NPS Baron is an lwa of death in the African Voodoo religion. He is known as "Master of the Cemetery" or "Master of the Dead," and acts as a masculine lwa who guards cemeteries and regulates death. Like his wife, Baron controls the fate of those who are dying or sick due to magical spells. Additionally, when one dies, Baron digs the grave and transports the soul to the underworld. The cross that represents Baron was placed on the grave of the first dead man buried in a cemetery in Haiti, and was dedicated to Baron. He is generally depicted as a walking corpse adorned in typical Haitian burial clothing. Often, he is seen smoking a cigar or holding a glass of rum. Baron can be considered as the barrier between the realms of the living and the dead. Being a cemetery, the African Burial Ground similarly displays the connections between those alive and deceased.
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Last updated: November 9, 2015