Florence Deltor Jean Joseph becomes first female Ati of Haiti's KNVA

The National Confederation of Haitian Vodou (KNVA) installed Florence Deltor Jean Joseph as its new Ati on Sunday, October 18, 2026, during a ceremony held at Dereyal, in the commune of Limonade, North department, according to Le Nouvelliste. She becomes the first woman to hold the position within the organization. Deltor Jean Joseph succeeds Prospère Louidor, who had been serving in an interim capacity. According to Le Nouvelliste, her rise to the head of the confederation was accompanied by calls for unity within the sector, for the transmission of traditions, and for greater recognition of Vodou in Haitian society. The title of Ati denotes the supreme spiritual authority within the confederation, a role previously associated with figures such as the late Ati national Max Gesner Beauvoir. Further details of the ceremony and of Deltor Jean Joseph's stated priorities were not provided in the available report.