Venezuelan fetish of Eshu

Eshu (other names include Exú, Elegua and Elegba) is an Orisha, and one of the most important deities of the Yoruba mythology and related New World traditions. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (467x700, 73 KB) Description: Exú (Brazilian Vodun), Eleggua (Cuban Vodun), Esu or Eshu. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (467x700, 73 KB) Description: Exú (Brazilian Vodun), Eleggua (Cuban Vodun), Esu or Eshu. ... A fetish (from French fétiche; from Portuguese feitiço; from Latin facticius, artificial and facere, to make) is an object believed to have supernatural powers, or in particular a man-made object that has power over others. ... This article is about a type of spirit. ... The mythology of the Yorùbá is sometimes claimed by its supporters to be one of the worlds oldest widely practised religions. ... Afro-American religions are a number of related religions that developed in the Americas among African slaves and their descendants in various countries of the Caribbean Islands and Latin America, as well as parts of the southern United States. ...

He has a wide range of responsibilities: the protector of travelers, god of roads, particularly crossroads, the deity with the power over fortune and misfortune, and the personification of death, a psychopomp. Every religious ceremony or ritual begins with an offering to Eshu; failure to do so guarantees failure in the intent of the ceremony^[1]. Eshu is revered within the Orisa-Ifá system of the Yoruba as well as in African diasporic faiths like Santeria/Lukumi and Candomble developed by the descendants of enslaved West Africans in the Americas, where Eshu was sometimes identified with Saint Anthony or Saint Michael^[2], depending on the situation. He is identified by the colors red and black, or black and white and his caminos, or paths (compare: avatar) are often represented carrying a cane, shepherd's crook, as well as a pipe. This is an article about the mythology of the Psychopomp. ... This article is about the type of spirit. ... ‹ The template below (Citations missing) is being considered for deletion. ... Lukumí or Regla de Ocha, most widely known as Santeria, is a set of related religious systems that fuse Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorùbá beliefs. ... Iya Nass - Terreiro da Casa Branca Candombl is an Afro-American religion practised chiefly in Brazil but also in adjacent countries. ... Saint Anthony the Great (c. ... Guido Renis archangel Michael (in the Capuchin church of Sta. ... This article is about the concept in Hindu philosophy. ...

Eshu is a trickster-god, and plays frequently tempting choices for the purpose of causing maturation. He is a difficult teacher, but a good one^[3]. As an example^[4], Eshu was walking down the road one day, wearing a hat that was red on one side and black on the other. Sometime after he departed, the villagers who had seen him began arguing about whether the stranger's hat was black or red. The villagers on one side of the road had only been capable of seeing the black side, and the villagers on the other side had only been capable of seeing the red half. They nearly fought over the argument, until Eshu came back and cleared the mystery, teaching the villagers about how one's perspective can alter a person's perception of reality, and that one can be easily fooled. In other versions of this tale, the two tribes were not stopped short of violence; they actually annihilated each other, and Eshu laughed at the result, saying "Bringing strife is my greatest joy". For other uses, see Trickster (disambiguation). ... This article is about the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... For other uses, see Red (disambiguation). ... This article is about the color. ...

In Brazil, the female counterpart of the Exus are called Pomba Gira.

Eshu in different cultures

The cult of Eshu is widespread in the New World, as well as in Africa, and he is worshiped under many different names and attributes^[5]:

• Exu: Although connected with the Orisha Eshu or Elegba of the Yoruba-based traditions of Candomble and Santeria, the exus and exuas of Umbanda and Quimbanda are in fact spirits of the dead^[6].

• Eleggua: Ellegua is another name used among Lukumi for Eshu.

• Legba: In Vodou, Papa Legba is the intermediary between the divine and humanity, while Kalfu is his Petro manifestation. Eshu also resembles the Voudon loa Simbi who is both the god of magic and the intermediate between humanity and papa legba.

• Lucero: In Palo Mayombe, Lucero (also NkuyoMañungaLubaniba) is the deity of balance and guidance through paths.

• Esu: In Yorubaland, this is an energy that rose out of the Yangi (sacred red rock) and allows people to communicate with the Irunmole, Orisa, Orunmila, and so on. Is the oldest Esu. Also important in the African diaspora. All Esu live in consecrated sacred rocks.

The mythology of the Yorùbá is sometimes claimed by its supporters to be one of the worlds oldest widely practised religions. ... Iya Nass - Terreiro da Casa Branca Candombl is an Afro-American religion practised chiefly in Brazil but also in adjacent countries. ... Lukumí or Regla de Ocha, most widely known as Santeria, is a set of related religious systems that fuse Catholic beliefs with traditional Yorùbá beliefs. ... Umbanda is a religion that blends Catholicism, Kardecist Spiritualism, and Afro-Brazilian religions . ... Quimbanda is an Afro-American traditional religion found in Brazil. ... This article is about the West African religion. ... In Haitian Vodou, Papa Legba is the intermediary between the lwa and humanity. ... In Vodun, Kalfou or Carrefour (literally crossroads) is the Petro manifestation of Papa Legba and can be quite dangerous, whereas Legba, his kinder Rada counterpart, is associated with the sun, Kalfou is regarded as a lwa of the moon. ... Petro loa are a family of loa in Haitian Voodoo. ... In Haitian Vodun, Simbi (also Simbi, Simbi dleau) is one of the three cosmic serpents, and is the water snake loa. ... Palo, or Las Reglas de Congo are a group of closely related denominations or religions of largely Bantu origin developed by slaves from Central Africa in Cuba. ...

Best Known Exus in the Brazilian traditions

Exu Tranca Rua
Exu Tranca Rua das Almas
Exu Sete Encruzilhadas
Exu Sete Capas
Exu Tiriri
Exu Veludo
Exu de Marabos
Exu Zé Pelintra
Exu Mirim

References

External links

• Attributes and Music of Eshu
• Cleansings and Ewe Orisa Esu (Sacred Herbs of the Orisa Esu)
• Two webcomics depicting Eleggua as a superhero
• (Eleggua-Eshu)
• Alawoye.com Baba'Awo Ifaloju, showcasing Ifa using web media 2.0 (blogs, podcasting, video & photocasting)

v • d • e American religions with African roots
Religions	Candomblé · Hoodoo · Kumina · Obeah · Palo · Quimbanda · Santería (Lukumí) · Spiritual Baptist · Umbanda · Haitian Vodou · Louisiana Voodoo · Winti
Deities	Babalu Aye · Eshu · Iansan · Mami Wata · Obàtálá · Ogun · Ọlọrun · Orunmila · Ọṣun · Shango · Yemaja
Roots	West African Vodun · Ifá, Oriṣa (Yorùbá) · Lwa (Dahomey) · Nkisi (Kongo) · Catholicism (Portugal, Spain)