The great trickster who owns the crossroads is called Ellegua. He enables mankind to communicate with the other orisha. Legba is believed to speak all human languages. He is always the first and last spirit invoked in any ceremony because his permission is needed for any communication between humans and the loa – he opens and closes the gates to the spirit world.

Legba is a much-loved spirit and is honoured outside of the voodoo religion. If you are a non-initiate of Voodoo, you MUST acknowledge Legba and ask for his permission and guidance when addressing other Loa(s), by lighting a yellow candle and placing it at the entrance of the door.

  • He is known in New Orleans as Papa Legba.
  • Also known as: Atibon Legba, Alegba, Legba Sanyan, Legba Zankliyan, Legba Mizè ba
  • Legba, Ellegua, and Exu are similar, but they are not the same spirits.
  • Legba is the loa of all gates and crossroads.
  • Offerings:
  • During his celebration, either a goat or a grey rooster, with yam and other roots vegetables are prepared for him as offerings, put inside the djakout, then hung on trees.
  • Colour: His ceremonial colour is Yellow.
  • Papa Legba usually appears as an old man on a crutch or with a cane, wearing a broad brimmed straw hat and smoking a pipe, or sprinkling water. The dog and rooster are sacred to him.
  • Over time, after African syncretic practices blended with Catholicism in the new world, Legba became associated with several saints, including Saint Peter, Saint Anthony, and Saint Lazarus. Because of his position as ‘gate-keeper’ between the worlds of the living and the mysteries, he is often identified with Saint Peter who holds a comparable position in the Catholic tradition. He is also depicted in Haiti as St. Lazarus, or St. Anthony.
  • Ellegua is said to like candy, toys, and coconut as offerings or anything children would enjoy. In return he helps people overcome various problems.

In Religion:

His origins were in the Dahomey kingdom, but Legba came to North America as a result of the transatlantic slave trade.

In the Haitian religion of Vodou, Legba is seen as the intermediary between mortal men and the loa, or law.

Reminder – The loa are a group of spirits responsible for various aspects of daily life, and they are the children of a supreme creator, Bondye. They are divided into families, such as the Ghede and Ogou, and practitioners develop relationships with them through offerings, petitions, and prayers. Often, Papa Legba is the one who carries these prayers to the loa.

In New Orleans Voodoo, Papa Legba is the intermediary between the spirits and humanity. He is the most important loa because he stands at a spiritual crossroads and grants or denies permission to speak with the spirits of Guinee. In New Orleans, the gates of Guinee are considered to be the portal to the afterworld.

In Yoruba, Ellegua is mostly associated with Papa Legba since both deities share the role of being the god of the crossroads. Yet, Legba also shares similarities to Orunmila, the orisha of prophecy who taught mankind how to use the mighty oracle Ifá.

In Yoruban mythology, Ellegua is an Orisha (spirit) associated with “opening the ways”, or crossroads, as well. Often depicted as a child or a small man, he is a playful and a trickster god. Worshippers often have a cement head with a metal spike in the top and cowrie shells for eyes and mouth as a representation of Ellegua behind their front door. He is believed to protect the entryway and prevent harm from entering the home.

Receiving a consecrated Ellegua head is part of the Santeria initiation known as Los Guerreros (the Warriors). His child aspect is likened to El Niño de Atoche.

 

Mythology:

The infamous legend of the “Black Man at the Crossroads” is one that ignites much curiosity across cultures and throughout time. References to folks making deals with devils and demons are found in the old grimoires, and of course, we cannot ignore the infamous deal with the devil made by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. It is said Johnson went to a crossroads at midnight and summoned Satan who appeared as a large Black Man. Johnson gave his guitar to him, and the “Devil” tuned the guitar, played a few songs and gave the guitar back to him and with it, mastery of the instrument. In exchange for Johnson’s soul, it is said the Devil gave Johnson the skill to play the legendary blues for which he is famous.

Papa Legba is commonly depicted in Voudou iconography as an old black man who wears a straw hat, smokes a corn cob pipe and sports a crooked cane. He can also take the form of a young child who is fascinated with toys, or a strong young man who can guide the way. He is associated with keys, not skulls, and is likened to St. Peter of Catholicism. Just as St. Peter holds the keys to the gates of Heaven, Papa Legba holds the keys to the Spirit World; he is the Gatekeeper to the World of Invisibles. He likes rum and coffee, not cocaine, and does not make deals with anyone for their souls. He is among the first to be called in Voudou ceremonies because it is he who opens the roads through which the other Voudou Spirits (loas) must travel in order to communicate and interact with humans.

Most importantly, there is no devil in Voudou. True, there are spirits with less than stellar attributes in the Voudou pantheon, but there is no Satan with legions of demons under his command whose sole purpose in life is the downfall of humanity. On the contrary, Papa Legba—as is the case with all the loas—is there to assist people with matters of daily living, to help when help is needed, to clear away obstacles in our path, and to provide opportunities for improving our lives.

Veve:legba

A Veve (spelled Vèvè or Vevè) is a religious symbol commonly used in different branches of voodoo throughout the African diaspora such as Voodoo. It acts as a “beacon” for the Loa, and will serve as a loa’s representation during rituals.

Asking for Help

If you have problems moving forward with your life, aka you’re stuck at the crossroads, Legba is the one to reach out to. He does expect a payment, however, in exchange for his assistance. Typical offerings might include candy, such as chocolate and other candy, alcohol particularly dark rum, and pipe tobacco or cigars.

He can be summoned with his veve and proper offerings and a chant; one of the most popular is:

Papa Legba, open the gate for me,
Papa Legba open the gate for me,
Open the gate for me, Papa Legba,
that I may pass,
When I return I will thank the loa.

Reminder:

Most people who work with Legba are those who have been initiated into New Orleans Voodoo, Haitian Vodou, Santeria, or one of the many other traditional religions.

There are very specific ways of contacting Legba, many of which are initiatory traditions with a protocol that must be followed. By working under a houngan or mambo, a devotee participates in ceremonies and rituals to form a relationship with Legba and the loa.

Hoodoo and others develop these connections via personal devotion with dedicated altars and appropriate offerings to the spirits.

Make Your Own: Legba Oil (St. Anthony)

Use Legba oil to create opportunities and clear away obstacles.

To make this oil, you will need:

  • Pinch of coffee grounds
  • 3 drops of Avocado oil
  • 3 drops of Coconut oil
  • Palm kernel oil
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Dropper of rum

Blend in an almond carrier oil and use it to clear obstacles from your life.

References:

  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papa_Legba
  • http://www.hougansydney.com/voodoo-spirits/legba
  • Leah Gordon (1985), The Book of Vodou
  • Alvarado, Denise M. “Papa Legba and Other Spirits of the Crossroads.” Exemplore, 6 June 2019, https://exemplore.com/magic/papalegba.