Eshu (Elegba, Elegua, Legba, Exu)
Orisha of Crossroads, Messenger of the Gods, Divine Trickster
The most complex and misunderstood of all Orisha, Eshu stands at the crossroads between the human and divine worlds. He is the messenger who carries sacrifices to Olodumare and brings divine responses to humanity. Master of language, chance, and transformation, Eshu opens and closes roads, creates chaos and opportunity, and reminds humans that the universe is fundamentally unpredictable. Without Eshu, no communication between worlds is possible - which is why every ritual begins with his acknowledgment.
Eshu Must Be Fed First
In every ritual, ceremony, or offering to any Orisha, Eshu must receive his portion first. Failure to honor Eshu before other Orisha ensures that your prayers will not be delivered and may bring his mischief upon you. This is not because Eshu is evil, but because he is the gatekeeper and messenger without whom nothing reaches the divine realm.
Attributes and Domains
The Many Faces of Eshu
Eshu is said to have 21 paths (or 121, or 201, depending on tradition) - more than any other Orisha. Each represents a different aspect of his nature:
Eshu Laroye
The Talker - master of communication and speech
Eshu Elegbara
The Powerful One - associated with power and chaos
Eshu Aye
Eshu of the World - master of earthly matters
Eshu Alaketu
Guardian of the Gate - opens and closes paths
Eshu Odara
Eshu the Good - brings good fortune when properly honored
Eshu Obasin
Eshu of the Night - works in darkness and shadow
Mythology and Pataki (Sacred Stories)
Eshu's pataki reveal his essential role in the cosmos. He is not evil - he is the principle of chance, choice, and consequence. His tricks teach lessons, and his chaos creates opportunity for change.
Eshu at the Crossroads - The Two Friends
Two friends who were closer than brothers lived on opposite sides of a road and farmed adjacent fields. They vowed that nothing could ever come between them. Eshu, hearing this arrogant claim, decided to test them. He made a hat that was black on one side and red on the other. Wearing this hat, he walked between their fields. Later, one friend said, "Did you see the man with the black hat?" The other replied, "What are you talking about? His hat was red!" They argued, then fought, then tried to kill each other - their friendship destroyed over what they thought they knew. Eshu appeared and showed them the two-sided hat. "Both of you were right, and both were wrong. You fought over your limited perspective." This pataki teaches that Eshu reveals the limitations of certainty and the importance of considering multiple viewpoints.
Eshu Becomes the Divine Messenger
In the beginning, Olodumare needed a messenger to travel between Orun (heaven) and Aye (earth), carrying human prayers up and divine will down. Many Orisha applied for the position, but each had flaws - some were too proud, others too slow, others couldn't understand human speech. Eshu alone could travel freely between all realms, speak all languages, and deliver messages without altering them (unless he chose to). Olodumare appointed him divine messenger with one condition: all sacrifices must first give Eshu his portion as payment for delivery. This is why Eshu is honored first at every ceremony - without his service, no offering reaches the gods.
Eshu and the King's Decision
A king ruled justly for many years but began to grow proud, believing he owed his success to his own wisdom rather than to the Orisha. He stopped making sacrifices. Eshu decided to humble him. First, Eshu whispered conflicting rumors to the king's advisors, setting them against each other. Then he caused the king to misunderstand a crucial message from a neighboring kingdom, nearly starting a war. Finally, when the king consulted a diviner, Eshu ensured the reading showed clearly: the king's troubles stemmed from neglecting the Orisha. The king repented, made generous offerings (especially to Eshu), and his kingdom prospered again. The lesson: no one is so wise or powerful that they can ignore the divine.
Why Eshu Lives at the Crossroads
When the Orisha descended to earth, each claimed a domain. Mountains, rivers, forests, iron, thunder - all were taken. Eshu, instead of claiming a location, claimed the spaces between - the crossroads where all paths meet, the thresholds between inside and outside, the moments of transition between states. At the crossroads, all directions are possible, all choices present. Eshu guards these places of potential, where fate can go any way. This is why offerings to Eshu are left at crossroads, and why important decisions are made there under his witness.
Eshu and the Sixteen Odu
Eshu plays a crucial role in Ifa divination. He learned the secrets of the 256 odu (sacred verses) by listening at Orunmila's door, and now he carries the odu's wisdom between the divine and human worlds. When a babalawo casts the ikin or opele, it is Eshu who determines which odu appears. He may deliver the truth you need to hear - or the truth you'd rather avoid. Some say Eshu invented lying, but in the context of Ifa, he reminds us that truth itself has many forms.
The Crossroads - Eshu's Domain
The crossroads is sacred to Eshu because it represents all the key aspects of his nature:
- Choice: At the crossroads, you must choose a direction - you cannot go all ways at once
- Possibility: All paths are open before you make your choice
- Transition: The crossroads is between places, belonging to none
- Communication: Roads meet, travelers exchange news and goods
- Danger: The intersection is where accidents happen, where travelers are vulnerable
Offerings left at crossroads are for Eshu. Important decisions are made there. Magical works are performed there, at the threshold between worlds.
Worship and Offerings
Traditional Offerings (Ebo)
Primary blood sacrifice
Epo pupa
Strong alcohol
Cigars
Awuje
He loves treats
Money offerings
He is playful
Sacred Locations
Unlike most Orisha who have specific natural features (rivers, mountains), Eshu's shrines are found at transitional spaces:
- Crossroads: Where paths meet - his primary domain
- Doorways/Thresholds: The space between inside and outside
- Market entrances: Where commerce and exchange occur
- Behind the door: In homes, an Eshu shrine often sits behind the front door
- At the edge of the compound: Guarding the boundary
Ritual Protocol
Always honor Eshu first. Before any ceremony, divination, or offering to another Orisha, Eshu receives his portion. This ensures he will carry your message to the intended Orisha rather than disrupting the communication. Neglecting Eshu is the quickest way to ensure ritual failure.
Not the Devil
Important Clarification: When Christian missionaries encountered Eshu, they associated him with the Devil due to his trickster nature, his residence at crossroads (associated with demons in European folklore), and his red and black colors. This identification is fundamentally wrong and offensive to practitioners. Eshu is not evil - he is a necessary cosmic force who maintains balance, delivers messages, and teaches through challenges. Without Eshu, the universe would be static and deterministic. He introduces the possibility of change, choice, and growth. The equation of Eshu with Satan represents a colonial misunderstanding that practitioners actively reject.
Relationships
Divine Role
- Olodumare: Eshu serves as Olodumare's primary messenger, carrying sacrifices to heaven
- All Orisha: Eshu facilitates communication between all Orisha and between Orisha and humans
- Orunmila: Special relationship - Eshu learned the secrets of Ifa and assists in divination
- Ogun: Close allies - often honored together as "warriors" in diaspora traditions
No Enemies
Uniquely among the Orisha, Eshu has no enemies. He cannot - his role as messenger requires him to maintain relationships with all parties. Even when he creates conflict, it is to teach a lesson or restore balance, not from personal enmity. Eshu is neither good nor evil; he is the principle of choice and consequence.
Eshu in the Diaspora
Eshu traveled to the Americas under many names and remains central to all diaspora traditions. His role as gatekeeper and messenger made him essential - without him, the other Orisha could not be contacted in the new world.
Santeria / Lucumi (Cuba)
Called Elegua or Eleggua. One of the "Warriors" - first Orisha received by initiates along with Ogun, Ochosi, and Osun. His cement head with cowrie shells is kept behind the door. 21 paths recognized. Syncretized with the Holy Child of Atocha, Saint Anthony, or Saint Martin de Porres. Offerings of candy, toys, rum, and cigars.
Candomble (Brazil)
Called Exu (pronounced "Eshu"). Strongly misidentified with the devil by colonial church, but practitioners know he is the messenger. Exu Bara, Exu Lonan, and many other forms. Associated with crossroads, communication, and sexuality. Red and black colors. Offerings at midnight at crossroads.
Haitian Vodou
Known as Papa Legba or Legba. Absolutely essential - "Legba, open the gate" begins every ceremony. Without Legba's permission, no lwa can be contacted. Often depicted as an old man with a cane (unlike the youthful Cuban Elegua). He stands at the cosmic crossroads between the human and spirit worlds.
Trinidad Orisha
Called Eshu. Honored first at every ceremony. Guardian of the doors and crossroads. His presence is essential for communication with all other Orisha. Offerings placed at crossroads and thresholds. Red and black remain his colors.
Eshu's Lessons
Eshu teaches through disruption. When things go wrong, when plans fail, when miscommunication occurs, Eshu may be at work - not from malice, but to teach:
- Humility: You are not in control of everything
- Perspective: There are always multiple viewpoints
- Respect: The divine must be honored properly
- Adaptation: Plans must be flexible; the universe changes
- Choice: Every decision has consequences
- Communication: Speak clearly; misunderstandings are dangerous
Those who honor Eshu properly find that his "tricks" become opportunities. Those who neglect him find obstacles at every turn.
Related Across the Mythos
Eshu embodies the Trickster archetype - the divine disruptor who teaches through chaos, breaks rules to reveal truth, and guards the boundaries between worlds.
See parallels: Hermes, Loki, Coyote, AnansiCarries communications between heaven and earth.
See parallels: Hermes, Mercury, Thoth, Iris