Eshu
Colours | black-red black-white |
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numbers | 1, 3 and 21 |
Eshu (Elegua, Elegba, Eshú, Echu, Exú) is in the religion of the Yoruba and the Afro-American religions derived from it, the lord of the streets, crossroads and doors. He is responsible for the path in life, for success or failure, for encounters and decisions, for coincidences, accidents and unfathomable fate. Eshu has a special role among the orishas . Rather, it is attributed to the spirits. Its main functions are to convey messages from the people to the Orishas and the almighty Olódùmarè . Eshu must be the first to be greeted in all rituals and also be the first to receive his offerings. He manages the Ashé and is considered a trickster .
In Candomblé , Brazil , he is syncretistically associated with the Catholic Archangel Gabriel and in the Cuban Santería with the Santo Niño de Atocha . His greeting is Laroê Exú , his colors are red and black and his day is Monday. Every candomblé ceremony begins with a toque for Eshu to calm him down so that he does not cause harm and establish communication with the orishas. He is often associated with the devil. This does not mean the Christian devil, the incarnation of evil, but rather the anarchic, mischievous Mephistopheles . He is cheeky, impulsive, chaotic, unpredictable, likes to create confusion and arguments and has power over sexual desire. He is respected and feared at the same time. His contradicting character is symbolized by the following description: when he sits on the floor, his head bumps against the ceiling; if he gets up, he is just as high as the carpet.
Web links
- Dr. Hans Gerald Hödl, lecture from 2003: African Religions II - Introduction to the religion of the Yorùbá ( Memento from March 15, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 1.9 MB)
- Dr. Hans Gerald Hödl, script of a lecture from 2006: Afro-American Religions (PDF; 1.5 MB)
- Thomas Altmann ( Memento from July 16, 2007 in the Internet Archive ), article from 2004: Yoruba-Religion (Lukumí) ( Memento from July 2, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) and many links Concerning Afro-Caribbean Religion, Santería and Batá Drumming ( Memento of March 10, 2005 in the Internet Archive ) (October 2004)
- Kerstin Volkenandt: ( Memento from September 13, 2001 in the Internet Archive ) Chapter 6.1 of the essay: Olodumare and the Orishas ( Memento from October 11, 2002 in the Internet Archive )