It seems that some years ago, under the regime of President Borno, there suddenly appeared in the streets of Port-au-Prince a crowd of Ghedes (all of them houngans possessed by Ghede) wearing the "formal" costume of the lord: the tall top-hats, long black tail-coats, smoked glasses, cigarettes or cigars, and canes. An enormous crowd naturally collected about them, and joined them in their march to the National Palace. They all took the guards by surprise, and, singing, swerved throught the gates and up the drive and to the door itself, where they demanded money of the President. President Borno, who is reputed to have been sympatheic to Voudoun ritiual (secretly so) and yet feared bourgeois opininon was in great dilemma. He finally gave in, obstensibly merely to quiet the mob, and the Ghedes with their supporters left the grounds. But Ghede had make his point. Death, who has consumed so many heroes, bows before no man and will remind even the most illustrious that one day he too will be consumed. So Ghede had gotten his money and went off to gorge himself, singing...

from Divine Horsemen by Maya Deren [p107]

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