Elegua (

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

: Èṣù-Ẹlẹ́gbára, also spelled Eleggua; known as Eleguá in

Latin America Latin America or * french: Amérique Latine, link=no * ht, Amerik Latin, link=no * pt, América Latina, link=no, name=a, sometimes referred to as LatAm is a large cultural region in the Americas where Romance languages — languages derived f ...

and

Spanish-speaking Hispanophone and Hispanic refers to anything relating to the Spanish language (the Hispanosphere). In a cultural, rather than merely linguistic sense, the notion of "Hispanophone" goes further than the above definition. The Hispanic culture is th ...

Caribbean islands) is an Orisha, a deity of roads in the religions of

Santería Santería (), also known as Regla de Ocha, Regla Lucumí, or Lucumí, is an African diaspora religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Cuba during the late 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between the tradit ...

Winti Winti is an Afro-Surinamese traditional religion that originated in the colony Suriname, part of the Dutch Empire. It is a syncretization of the different African religious beliefs and practices brought in mainly by Akan and Fon slaves durin ...

Umbanda Umbanda () is a syncretic Afro-Brazilian religion that blends traditional African religions with Roman Catholicism, Spiritism, and Indigenous American beliefs. Although some of its beliefs and most of its practices existed in the late 19th ce ...

Quimbanda Quimbanda () is an Afro-Brazilian religion practiced primarily in the urban city centers of Brazil. Quimbanda practices are typically associated with magic, rituals with Exus, and Pombagiras spirits. Quimbanda was originally contained under the ...

Holy Infant of Atocha Holy Infant of Atocha, ''Santo Niño de Atocha'', ''Holy Child of Atocha'', ''Saint Child of Atocha'', or ''Wise Child of Atocha'' is a Roman Catholic image of the Christ Child popular among the Hispanic cultures of Spain, Latin America and th ...

, and Candomblé.

In Africa

Elegua is known as Èṣù-Ẹlẹ́gbára in the Yoruba religion and is closely associated with

Eshu Èṣù is an Òrìṣà/Irúnmọlẹ̀ in the ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion of the Yoruba people. Èṣù is a prominent primordial Divinity (a delegated Irúnmọlẹ̀ sent by the Olódùmarè) who descended from Ìkọ̀lé Ọ̀run, and the Chie ...

. ''Ẹlẹ́gbára'' means the "master of force" in the

Yoruba language Yoruba (, ; Yor. '; Ajami: ) is a language spoken in West Africa, primarily in Southwestern and Central Nigeria. It is spoken by the ethnic Yoruba people. The number of Yoruba speakers is roughly 50 million, plus about 2 million second-languag ...

Santería

Eleguá (Legba) is known in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Colombia, Cuba and Puerto Rico as the orisha and "owner" of ''caminos'', or roads and paths. All ceremonies and rituals in Santería must first have the approval of Eleguá before progressing. He is the messenger of Olofi. Within the "''Regla de Ocha''" uba he slightly differs from Echu, who in this case is seen as his brother, by having less dangerous and less aggressive characteristics. Eleguá moves silently; in contrast, Echu "breaks through". Manifestations of Eleguá includes Akefun, Aleshujade, Arabobo, Awanjonu, Lalafán, Obasín, Oparicocha, and Osokere. There is a '' patakí'' (story) in Santería in which Olodumare gives Eleguá the keys to the past, present, and future; for this reason, Eleguá is often depicted holding a set of keys. A figure of Eleguá may be placed in the house behind the entrance door.

In Brazil

In Afro-Brazilian religion Elegbara is one of the titles of Exu.

References

External links

Santeria cubana :: Tratado de Eshu-Elegbara

Santeria.fr :: All About Eleggua

Santeria.fr :: Todo Sobre Eleggua

Santeria.fr :: Tout sur les Eleggua
Traditional African religions Yoruba deities Yoruba mythology Brazilian deities Crossroads mythology Liminal deities Trickster gods Santería {{deity-stub

In Africa

Santería

In Brazil

See also

References

External links