About the author
Gro Mambo Angélá Noványón Idizol
Visionary, Motivator and Spiritual Guide, High Priestess, Ethno-botanist, psychic and vessel for spiritual possession of the Loa for more than 30 years, Gro Mambo Angélá Noványón Idizol has pioneered the path to accurate representation of the Haitian Voodoo religion and African-based faiths in the media and mainstream society. Known throughout the world as ‘Gro Mambo,’ she has been at the forefront of a growing cross-cultural exchange of spiritual empowerment and holistic healing.
Gro Mambo was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the eldest of four children in a military family. Although she was first exposed to African religion and culture through her study of African dance, she had a spiritual calling – a calling that began with initiation in the Akan religion from Ghana in 1971. Gro Mambo fell seriously ill, suffering from severe headaches and losing her eyesight. She was facing a major brain surgery and sought help in African faith where her health was restored through spiritual baths and rituals. Convinced that spiritual baths were the blessing from God that healed her, Gro Mambo received her Akan initiation, her name was changed to Abena Aborogwa and she began studying African religion in song and dance.
From 1970 to 1973, she excelled as a professional dancer, choreographer and Master dance instructor with the Arthur Hall Dance Ensemble. In 1973 she founded Spirit Cultural Dance Ensemble. Her dreams led her to Haiti where, in 1977, she studied the Voodoo religion. She established a relationship with Papa Hiliare Michele Noványón Idizol, a prominent high priest (Gro Hungan) and founder of Le Peristyle Sanctuary, in Mariani, Haiti. From him she learned the indigenous practices of the people of Haiti, religion, herbal medicines, song, dance and drum.
Gro Mambo studied extensively in Haiti, learning all aspects of the religion of Haiti: divination, ethnobotany (herbal medicines) that are utilized in all spiritual works, veves (Loa symbols), shantes (prayers in song for the Loa), dance (basic and complex Loa dance movements/rituals) and drum from the Haitian masters in those areas. Years later she was initiated as a Mambo and later as a Gro Mambo (High Priestess). The Loa (divine forces) gave her the spiritual name Gro Mambo Angélá Noványón, Idizol.
As a Gro Mambo her mission was to bring to the United States every component of the true African religion as it evolved from former slaves of the Congo, Dahomey, Togo and the native Indians of the island of Haiti. Gro Mambo was a first level Mambo in 1983 when she founded LePeristyle Haitian Sanctuary, the first 501(c)(3) non-profit recognized church of Haitian Voodoo in America, where she maintains the tradition of a Humofor and sanctuary. Gro Mambo provides comprehensive divine guidance and spiritual upliftment, spiritual prescriptions for success, wealth and prosperity, rituals and ceremonies, giving her clients a look into the future and a blueprint for a person's success and happiness.
In 1999, at the direction of Loa (divine forces), Gro Mambo founded the National African Religion Congress (NARC), the certifying board for priests and priestesses of African-based religion and represents the interests of priests and priestesses of African-based belief systems in the United States and around the world.
There have been many articles in print media and video recordings made which document Gro Mambo and the remarkable spiritual possessions that are manifestations of the Loa/Orisa (Divine Forces of God). She has served as an expert witness in the Philadelphia judicial system and is an inspirational speaker, university lecturer and broadcast consultant. Her publications include Divine Messages of the Loa (Vols. I and II), Keeping it Real and The African Way.