Here's more about the snake loa {god} Damballah:

In voudun religions Damballah is considered the loa of life; fertility, and wisdom; He is recognized by the color white or rainbow colors; symbols snake, serpent, lightning.

To appease the loa, songs would also be sung desceibing the qualities, behavioral patterns, and needs, asi in this song sung to Damballah, the snake deity:

He cannot be drown in the water
Papa Damballah, you are a snake,oh!
Why don't you drown?

He cannot be drown in the water
Papa Damballah. you are a snake, oh!
Why don't you drown?
Why don't you drown in the water?

Joseph E. Holloway, editor "Africanism In American Culture" ;Jessie Gaston Mulira} 'The Case of Voodoo In New Orleans', quoting Courlander, "Drum & Hoe", pg 78; {Indiana University press, 1990; p.46}

-snip-

For additional information on loas and voudon, click http://www.swagga.com/voodoo.htm Origins of Voodoo

Here's a brief excerpt of that article:

"Voodoo is a derivative of the world's oldest known religions which have been around in Africa since the beginning of human civilization. Some conservative estimates these civilizations and religions to be over 10 000 years old. This then identify Voodoo as probably the best example of African syncretism in the Americas. Although its essential wisdom originated in different parts of Africa long before the Europeans started the slave trade, the structure of Voodoo, as we know it today, was born in Haiti during the European colonization of Hispaniola. Ironically, it was the enforced immigration of enslaved African from different ethnic groups that provided the circumstances for the development of Voodoo. European colonists thought that by desolating the ethnic groups, these could not come together as a community. However, in the misery of slavery, the transplanted Africans found in their faith a common thread.

The word "voodoo" comes from the West African word "vodun," meaning spirit. This Afro-Caribbean religion mixed practices from many African ethnics groups such as the Fon, the Nago, the Ibos, Dahomeans, Congos, Senegalese, Haussars, Caplaous, Mondungues, Mandinge, Angolese, Libyans, Ethiopians, and the Malgaches...

The serpent figures heavily in the Voodoo faith. The word Voodoo has been translated as "the snake under whose auspices gather all who share the faith". The high priest and/or priestess of the faith (often called Papa or Maman) are the vehicles for the expression of the serpent's power. The supreme deity is Bon Dieu. There are hundreds of spirits called Loa who control nature, health, wealth and happiness of mortals. The Loa form a pantheon of deities that include Damballah, Ezili, Ogu, Agwe, Legba and others. During Voodoo ceremonies these Loa can possess the bodies of the ceremony participants. Loa appear by "possessing" the faithful, who in turn become the Loa, relaying advice, warnings and desires. Voodoo is an animist faith. That is, objects and natural phenomena are believed to possess holy significance, to possess a soul"...