Born and raised in the United States, Mark Alexander Moellendorf, also known as Aboudja, has been serving the Vodou mysteries of L'Afrik Ginea for many years, having been first introduced to into the religion by initiation over a decade ago. Since 1999, Aboudja holds the title of houngan asogwe... senior priest of Haitian Vodou tradition, and this is the highest level of priestly authority that the religion may bestow. For personal reasons, he chose to pass the djevo taking the ason once again in 2001, and this marked his third kouche.
Thanks to the efforts of Manbo Marie Carmel Charles, Aboudja was initiated this final time in Sosyete Freshaire, the antique lineage of Bo Houngan Freddy Senat and Bo Manbo Nancy Pierre. Together, they received their ason from their father the ansyen bon Emile Senat -Bo Houngan daGinea Menfò, who was initiated by his father Salbadja -Bo Houngan daGinea Menfò, who was in turn initiated by his father Badja -Bo Houngan daGinea Menfò. Following his initiation wherein with eyes open he saw and received the ason directly from the hand of the mystery Met Papa Loko Atisou, Aboudja was baptized (with the all to appropriate name) Yabofè -Bo Houngan daGinea Menfò.
This initiation took place in the neighborhood of Kalfou Lamontin just outside of Port-au-Prince, Haiti in October of 2001. It was properly witnessed by many, many houngan and manbo both from the surrounding area, as well as from Brooklyn, New York. These included Aboudja's manman hounyo -Manbo Jocelyn Joseph (Kalfou), the house konfyans kay -Houngan Joseph "Le Colonel" Bateau (Fontamara), his maren kanzo -Manbo Rose Laure St. Louis (Port-au-Prince), his paren kanzo, his good friend Houngan Yvonne Jour-Lecoeur (Fontamara), and even the well known Bo Manbo Joumabon of Brooklyn, NY and Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
Houngan Aboudja is the temporal and spiritual head of Sosyete Flè d'Abome (The Flower of Abomey Society), a Vodou house founded in the city of New Orleans in 2000 together with his initiatory sister Manbo Michele, and the indispensable support of their sister Manbo Dunni. As the head of a spiritual house, Aboudja adheres strictly to lineage tradition (regleman Ginea) in his practice of the Vodou religion just as it was given to him thereby maintaining it in its traditional form ?fwan Ginea. The house just celebrated its third annual obligation to 21 Nations of Spirit on April 17th 2004 with each year bigger and better than the previous. Many houngan and manbo from the New York Vodou community attended this service.
Houngan Aboudja is a licensed minister, a counselor, and an educator having lectured on Haitian Vodou in numerous forums, at festivals, and in academic settings. He holds professional credentials in nursing and behavioral science, and is also an avid student of Caribbean herbology. Coupled with his education and understanding of the science of the Vodou mysteries, Houngan Aboudja's initiatory authority qualifies him to perform all of the associated liturgical duties, including officiating at ceremonies and initiations, as well as providing powerful and affective services for those in need. Currently, he holds Vodou services for the spirits both in New Orleans, LA and Brooklyn, NY.
In all these ways, Bo Houngan Aboudja works tirelessly for the preservation and recognition of the Haitian Vodou religion as being one of the principle legacies of our African ancestors in the West.