Know the history, who is Elegua and offerings

Today we bring you through this interesting article all about the deity  Choose, belonging to Yoruba mythology being one of the primordial Orisha. Here we will explain who it is, rites, offerings, jobs and much more. Do not stop reading it, it is very interesting!

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Who is Elegua?

Within Yoruba mythology Elegua symbolizes protection in the first instance since it allows opening the paths of those initiated in this religion since they must receive and consecrate offerings to it, it is also known by the term Ligua, Legua or Liwaa.

Practically this Yoruba deity called Elegua is the one in charge of opening or closing the paths of life of the practitioners of this cult and according to his benevolence abundance, prosperity, luck and even happiness will come, he is also responsible for granting misfortunes and that influences the other egguns.

This term means ancestral spirits of santeros who have already left the underworld and are known as disembodied, they usually appear when some devotees of this religion die and when they materialize they are known by the word Eggun and are under the power of their king named Oduduwá who is another orisha divinity.

Although it seems strange or unusual, the Catholic religion and the Yoruba have similarities in that in both religions the Santo Niño de Atocha is observed, which represents Jesus in childhood and even with San Antonio de Padua.

This Catholic saint is venerated and respected in many countries such as Spain, Honduras, Mexico, Colombia, the Philippines and Venezuela.

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Its main image is located in the capital of Madrid in the Royal Basilica of Our Lady of Atocha, but even if it is a similarity, they should not be confused since Elegua is an orisha of Yoruba or Santeria mythology that comes from Africa.

Since colonial times, this mythology came to the American continent, Elegua being a deity who, in addition to being invoked, is offered offerings and rites such as native dances from his African roots. It is this deity who directs the joys and sorrows of the devotees of this mythology.

It is Elegua who decides the riches of each of his devotees in this culture considered as a prince who loves to do mischief is the direct descendant of Olodumare who would become the Almighty Creator God of life on the face of the Earth.

So Elegua is an intermediary between the earthly world and the world of his father Olodumare, so he allows the offerings to reach his father, who is the creator of the entire Earth and thanks to this messenger prince, balance is maintained in mythology. yoruba

Legends regarding its origin

Regarding the name of the deity Elegua in Yoruba mythology, it was born on the African continent and thanks to colonization this religion was passed on to the nations of America.

Specifically in Santeria, Cuba and Venezuela being countries where respect and offerings are kept for him, since in other countries such as Colombia and Brazil this deity is known by the name of Candomblé.

According to ancient narratives, this Yoruba mythological deity named Elegua is one of the seven gods of this religion that is known by the term Yoruba Pantheon, this deity is a prince and his father was Okuboro who was the king of Añagui.

It is also commented in other stories that Elegua is the son of Obatalá the Creator of the Earth and of Yembo his first wife, he was the brother of Changó, Ozum, Oggun and Orunmila all are orisha deities.

One day in the wanderings of Prince Eleguá, he finds an object on the ground that caught his attention because it emitted a bright light through its three eyes. This was a dry coconut. The prince took it in his hands and simultaneously heard that this fruit spoke to him so he muttered a few words to him.

These phrases that the nut emitted to Elegua was the prevailing need to take care of him from worms and moths that could cause him harm and feeding on his meat through this request offers health and prosperity to the infant prince in return.

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Due to this, the deity Elegua promised the dried fruit that he would take care of him and took him to the palace where he lived, when he arrived at the castle and told the story they made fun of him in addition to removing the coconut and playing with the dried fruit on one side. for the other without the little one being able to take it in his hands to protect him.

They even hid the dried fruit behind a door at the request of a counselor and the king accepted the strategy so that the young Elegua would forget about the coconut, but something surprising happened because the young prince fell ill with a strange disease that consumed him during the process. of three days.

So the court mourned the physical loss of Prince Elegua and understood that this disease was caused by not paying attention to the coconut that had a good genius within it that had been outraged by the members of the court.

From that moment on, the coconut begins to be venerated, asking for its forgiveness, but its three eyes did not shine again. In view of what happened, the advisers suggest the king place eyes, mouth and ears so that he can see, hear and speak.

So the genius returns since his eyes were two snails, two shells as ears to be able to listen to the prayers of the devotees and a mouth to be able to speak and transmit his designs to the followers of this Yoruba mythology.

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Through this action, Elegua is an orisha that is placed in the house of the practitioners of this religion in the form of a stone, placing it behind the door, protecting the house and keeping the keys that allow happiness to come closer and the negative in the life of beings to move away. humans although he loves mischief.

This deity of Yoruba mythology Elegua came from African roots and in Cuba they adopted Catholic beliefs to continue with Yoruba mythology.

Where Elegua was represented through the stones and was the messenger of the god Olofin who is in turn the third manifestation of Olodumare, the main and only god in this culture.

Elegua is represented with the number three of each month, his favorite day being Mondays and the colors that symbolize him are red and black in each religious act that is carried out.

The first orisha to attend is Elegua as well as being the last to leave since he is in charge of opening or closing the roads because he is in charge of births and deaths.

Therefore, at the beginning of the rites in Yoruba mythology, it is Elegua whom the devotees call in the first instance, as well as being the last to leave, since he is the bearer of the keys to the destiny of birth and death.

This deity is in charge of directing that things go well or badly for the devotees, for which they give him a large number of offerings. According to this culture, Elegua offers twenty-one paths and other more audacious ones comment that there are one hundred and one.

Each path is different from the others, so in this article you will learn in detail about this deity and its importance in Yoruba mythology.

Therefore, at the beginning of the rites in Yoruba mythology, it is Elegua whom the devotees call in the first instance, as well as being the last to leave, since he is the bearer of the keys to the destiny of birth and death.

This deity is in charge of directing that things go well or badly for the devotees, for which they give him a large number of offerings. According to this culture, Elegua offers twenty-one paths.

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Other more audacious ones comment that they are one hundred and one and each path is different from the others, so in this article you will learn in detail about this deity.

Works carried out with Elegua

They are the actions that are carried out in the rituals with the intention of obtaining an achievement such as cleaning the business, of a home to eliminate bad energies that may affect optimal performance. Most of these actions that are carried out belong to the magical field, dividing into white or black.

So it is common to hold seances in addition to invoking other deities besides Elegua to help channel the energy into the earth, but you can run the risk of being possessed by a demonic entity if you use black magic spells.

It is even observed in these rituals in honor of Elegua the sacrifice of animals to thereby cause harm to other people, for this reason it is given to the deity so that it is nourished and agrees to intercede in what the devotee is requesting and hence the multifaceted nature that they can be the works that can be requested to Elegua.

It is observed that many believers of Yoruba mythology invoke Elegua to get love, others do it with the intention of being able to use an explicit person even to clean the home and businesses. Others request protection from this deity to get rid of an enemy and attract prosperity and fortune.

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It is also used to eliminate witchcraft and even request what you want for that is Elegua and according to each job a series of elements or ingredients must be used with respect to obtaining good luck you require a white cloth, three garlic in addition to mint and parsley.

With the fabric a bag is made, there you must introduce the garlic and the mint and the parsley and you must pass it through seven batteries that contain holy water inside and while the bag is moistened you must say the following prayer:

"...Deliver me from enemies, in addition to all those who want to harm me, and give me health and luck..."

For this, a rite is carried out where a white candle must be lit and Elegua is greeted. In addition, aguardiente must be blown three times in the direction of the lit candle, it can be smeared with corojo and a little honey and can be cleaned with tobacco smoke blowing towards the representation of Elegua,

According to each job, the request will be different from Elegua, but similar ingredients can be used, such as honey, candles of different sizes and colors, paper and a pen to make the request.

The candles used for Elegua are placed in representation of a cross, they are smeared with honey and you must write the name of the person who is requesting these candles, they will be lit for a period of fifteen minutes, then they will be extinguished.

They are lit every day for fifteen minutes until the candle burns out. So everything depends on the intention that is requested to Elegua in addition to a prayer.

Religious representations in Yoruba mythology

As you may have already observed, the deities of Yoruba mythology belong to African soil and were brought to American soil by black slaves and they had to use Catholic symbols so as not to lose their rituals and continue offering offerings without the colonizing masters noticing to whom. they were paying honours.

Yoruba mythology belongs to the accident of Africa and its deities are known by the term of orisha who dominated nature, its greatest representative is known by the name of Oldumare who is the creator of everything that exists.

For what they used the Catholic religion to carry out their Yoruba cults and rites, bearing in mind sixteen religious images such as Agayú represented by San Cristóbal, Babalú Aye in the image of San Lázaro, Elegua in the symbology of San Antonio de Padua, Ibeji in San Damián. . Inhle continues in the representation of San Rafael, Obatalá in the Virgen de las Mercedes, Ogún in the figure of San Pedro, Olokun represented in the image of Nuestra Señora de Regla, Orula in the symbology of San Francisco.

Osayin represented San José, Ochosí in the image of San Norberto, Ochún in the symbology of the Virgen de la Caridad de Cobre, Oya in the image of the Virgen de la Candelaria, Changó infers Santa Bárbara and Yemayá again in the image of Our Lady of Rule.

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Obviously in Yoruba mythology some deities are more prominent than others according to their devotees, an example of this is Ochún who is one of the youngest orishas and symbolizes fertility, love and beauty without missing Changó who is asked for justice, dance and fire is part of their offerings.

Each of these deities has specific gifts and they are requested in the cults or rituals that are performed in Santeria to obtain favors from these saints in Yoruba mythology.

choose is good or bad

This comment arises since Elegua is in charge of the twenty-one paths that people can take according to the designs of this deity in Yoruba mythology and according to the Babalawo there are one hundred and one paths that he is in charge of supervising.

For what Elegua is considered as a symbol of everything good or positive since it is in charge of opening the paths for the devotees of this culture, it is essential to know that this deity does not punish but must be obeyed because wisdom is one of their gifts.

With regard to the santeria that is practiced in Cuba, Elegua tends to be compared to Eshu, who is the possessor of good and bad things, so it cannot be determined if he is good or bad.

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Since in the negative it is in charge of punishing devotees who are not complying with the requirements demanded by Yoruba mythology, so the penances are quite strong and the forgiveness granted by this deity is difficult for many of the followers of this religion.

Despite this, Elegua is a protector that allows devotees not to stray from the path assigned to them, so it is a deity that ensures prosperity and peace of mind since it allows them to live in balance in the world through nature.

Perception of this deity as a demon

As for Yoruba mythology, some contradictions can be evidenced regarding the figure of Elegua, since for many people this deity is placed behind the door by the believers of this ritual.

It refers to a demonic figure that is alluded to in the Holy Scriptures as infants were sacrificed on rocks by men without consideration and then placed behind the doors of their homes.

Therefore, it is considered that this offering is an alliance with the devil and they were not only used with Elegua but with other Yoruba deities such as Ochosí, Oggun and Osun.

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Well, in the ritual a living being must be given as an offering, among them a chicken, a goat or a rooster to welcome him home and with Elegua the aforementioned representations enter.

Even in addition to the offering of the rooster, two doves were required so that these deities did not remain kneeling in front of the door and in this case Elegua in his demon form attracts misfortune, illness, scarcity, separations between families and poverty.

So that this does not happen, a series of offerings must be made to Elegua such as brandy, candies, honey, candles, blood of the animals that are sacrificed and if in any case the person who receives him dies, he carries these deities in his soul and dissipate in the underworld.

It is said that to break this agreement made with Elegua, one must receive God and repent of the sins committed according to the belief of each religion, so in this article you can learn essential details regarding the Yoruba culture and you can select the most suitable for you.

Attentions for Elegua

As you already know in Yoruba mythology, Elegua is an orisha and must be attended with offerings and rites to obtain the favors that this deity can grant us, hence the importance in terms of ceremonial acts.

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The food, in addition to the objects related to this deity and the animals that are offered as a sacrifice, being Elegua one of the first saints that believers receive from the hands of their godfathers and godmothers, special consideration must be given to this deity.

In order not to have inconveniences in the lives of believers on a daily basis, attention should be paid to this entity before leaving the home to carry out any work, for which the blessing of Elegua is requested with the hands on the floor.

With the intention of obtaining health, peace, prosperity and protection against any evil that may arise, even to avoid death, this deity is also asked to take care of loved ones.

Due to this Elegua is served with food where oil is not used and no orishá will be able to eat before our protagonist deity. At least once a year sacrifices must be made or when a special favor is required, such as pigeons, chickens or goats.

Among the foods that are offered to Elegua are smoked fish, grains, fruits, honey, yams, sweets, corn, balls of gofio and smoked juti, they can be eaten and offered to the guests at the ceremony after our deity has eaten. .

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With the offerings, the Elegua is served, which are placed in various spaces of the house, especially behind the doors, as well as prayers that are pronounced by the Oshas and project spiritual energy to this mischievous saint who likes toys.

So you must light a white candle to Elegua in addition to blowing aguardiente very close to the flame, you must even clean the candle with the tobacco smoke that is blown to this deity and apply corojo combined with honey to continue cleaning it with the smoke. of tobacco plus a lighted candle.

It is essential to remember that these offerings must be given to Elegua without fail because it takes into account the debts you make to it and this leads to not following the right path for your prosperity.

Therefore, on Monday and Wednesday you must make these offerings and every twenty-one days make them again, given that there are twenty-one paths that can be selected.

Prayers for this deity

These prayers that are expressed to Elegua have great power to obtain actions in love, health, prosperity and are very profitable according to the need that the believer requires.

These prayers that are made to Elegua can open the paths or opportunities to attract all that is good. Thanks to this deity that he owns the paths and the destiny of the devotees of this culture.

Well, it is Elegua who is in charge of directing destiny with the purpose of being able to obtain happiness among them, the following prayers dedicated to this Yoruba deity are observed.

Prayer to attract love

A feeling that many followers of this religion seek with the intention of meeting that pure ideal with which they can share their lives thanks to the prayers issued to Elegua, the most frequent being the following:

“…Always in the name of the Creator Father, and with his permission, I invoke you Majestic Elegua, because o your great nobility and influential presence, intercede and help me, to achieve all the success in what love refers to…”

«…Grant me your divine intervention, giving me the peace that I need today with the prosperity that you can give me, and allow me to be able to get out of any kind of difficulty that comes my way, especially preventing my happiness from being hindered …»

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«… Powerful Elegua, at this moment I come to you with humility and I beg you, to come to me in order to drive away from my life and from everything that surrounds me the negative aspects, the curses, the evil darkness and everything. what can haunt me…”

«… just like bad influences and bad thoughts. I implore you powerful Elegua, in this holy moment, to be the protector of my home, of my whole family, of my work, of each one of my loved ones and of everything that surrounds me…”

"... Well, you are the privileged messenger of good fortune, allow the money that is reserved for me, from all the Orishas, ​​Magnificent Elegua, to enter my life..."

«... I beg you that with your majestic presence, free me from all evil and danger, that you allow the great door of love to open for me and that with it I can walk this new path, which you have to illuminate for me..."

“…You will be my guide in each of the steps I take, always taking me by your hand, along the path that I have to cross guided by your sacred light, and with the doors that you have opened for me to be able to achieve the necessary success…”

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“… with great health and prosperity. Oh Majestic Elegua, with my prayer I humbly ask you to protect all my family and loved ones…”

“… Away from them the evil and protecting them with the immensity, of all his sacred love. Allow me to benefit from your infinite goodness and blessings…”

“…just like everything I stand for. I wish that you are always by my side and that you accompany me every day of my life, that you illuminate my path and if I have to face adversity…”

“…Give me the wisdom and strength necessary for it, with which I can fully achieve victory. I thank you for everything you give me eternally and I promise that I will honor your name all my life…”

«… Fill my heart with infinite happiness, bringing a true love to my side; and do not allow anyone to damage this relationship ever…”

"... What does this blessed one feel in the name of God, especially for you and for all the saints, with my gratitude and devotion, majestic Elegua for listening to me..."

«... attend to my prayers and grant me each one of them, that they be a reality under the grace of God..."

Prayer with the intention of dominating others

You should know that Elegua is one of the warrior orishas and for which one of his main strategies is to be able to dominate others at the time of a confrontation, which is why in Yoruba mythology this deity is implored with the intention of being able to dominate enemies or a love that has become embarrassing.

Therefore, this type of prayer is accompanied by certain rituals that must be fulfilled in order to obtain the arrival of that person in a submissive manner and delivered to the person who requests it.

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Therefore, the offerings are of great importance for Elegua, for this you must have tobacco and a candle at hand that are necessary to dominate others and must be lit in the middle of the sentence that we are going to show you in this article:

“…Oh Elegua vigorous God, Laroyé Elegua, I ask God's permission to invoke you, Bold warrior, who can do everything in love. I call upon the spirit of the Dominion through you…”

«… so that with it my beloved is always calm. That he feels desperate when I don't see him, I ask God Elegua, to dominate his senses with your help..."

"...Always be in his thoughts, and also for me he always loses his reason and judgment, Elegua Oh warrior, I ask for your help to dominate the will of (Name of the person to dominate)..."

It is at this exact moment that the tobacco and the special candle must be conjured to achieve mastery and the prayer for this deity of Yoruba mythology must continue.

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“…Santa Elegua, I ask you to tie him to me, make me the owner of his thoughts, will and judgment of (Name of the person you want to dominate), that his whole body, actions and mind are only activated for me…”

"... do not allow him peace or quiet until his path crosses mine, that it be only for me (Name of the person you want to dominate)..."

“… and that I be the person you want to look for, or see, kiss as well as hug, I ask you to appear before me begging me to be docile and meek. My warrior Elegua, my great orisha, allows him to feel madly attracted to me… »

"... that he is overcome with love and desire for me, his eyes should not look at any other person, his lips do not kiss anyone else..."

“… your caresses must be only for me, because (Name of the person) is only for me, Oh my holy Elegua. I ask you to fervently bring him before me, that he come to me totally dominated, with his body, will and thoughts only in me…”

“…may it not have any other owner other than (Name of the person making the prayer) may it always be so, and may it be this way forever, Laroyé Elegua, my warrior and vigorous God, amen…”

Prayer called the seven knots

It is another of the prayers that Elegua is invoked with the intention of being able to dominate a person. This prayer is a tie in symbolic form where a ribbon or a cord is used. For this, it is required to pronounce the prayer at the same time that the prayer is carried out. request desired by the believer or devotee of the Yoruba religion.

As you may have noticed, this sentence has the purpose of being able to obtain the other person through the action of expressing each of the sentences while the knot is made.

knot one, This first knot is made in the middle of the ribbon or rope that has been decided to select to make the prayers, the first being the following:

“…This first knot is made to tie and surround with it (here the name of the person you want to dominate must be pronounced)…”

"... so that in this way he is locked up in this cabalistic circle, from this moment subject to my wishes, will and affection..."

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knot two, now you must make this knot on the right side of the first knot that you have already made and after that you must say the following sentence:

"... With this second knot, you will be tied (you must pronounce the name of the person you want to keep under your control) to my life with all the force in the world..."

"... which is capable of binding even iron, you will not be able to act without my wishes, and your will will be governed by my spirit..."

knot threeAs regards this third knot, you must do it on the left side of the first knot, while saying the following prayer to continue with the ritual:

"... This third knot, makes your love tie to me, and remains firmly tied to mine, they can never be separated, broken or removed, as long as I decide and that with my strength it is weakened..."

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knot four, this other knot you must make on the right side and while you do it you must utter the following sentence:

“…Your thoughts will always be subject to mine, and you will not be able to take your mind off my image, who will always be lovingly by your side wherever you go…”

«... always fulfilling my wishes as I am now demanding it, and I demand it by the force of all the spell, plus my faith in Saint Anthony blessed, who is my lawyer, in what I ask with all sincerity, justice and without bad intentions. …”

knot five, this other knot must be done on the left side while you pronounce the following sentence:

"...This fifth knot will imprison you, tying your soul to mine, without being able to try to maintain any sentimental relationship with another person, you will always be consecrated to my love, for me it will be all your love and happiness..."

knot six, You must do this on the right side and while you are in charge of doing it, you must pronounce the following prayer:

"...All your thoughts, the ideas you have, what you do, wish or say, will be only for me, from this moment, forcing you by this means to be part only of me and of all my integrity..."

knot seven, being the last knot that you will make and we leave it at your disposal according to your selection, be it right and left, as well as pronounce the following sentence:

“… I affirm that your love is mine, and it is closed with this knot, in a circle in which I enclose you, this ribbon being the symbol of our union, with it I surround your heart, it binds your soul, your whole person and being …»

"...so that it is linked to me, being through these seven knots of masters, the way in which we will remain united, linked in life, where no one can break them, nor will they break our love or happiness..."

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Prayer for a better job

It is one of the premises that most interests people and in Yoruba mythology it does not escape this situation, which is why Elegua is requested through prayers and recipes that must be carried out with the intention that this deity allows believers to obtain the job they long for

Before pronouncing this prayer for employment, it is required that you make a recipe where you are going to use three balls based on corn flour, smoked fish and jutia, they will be placed on a pot or plate made of clay, a written piece of paper is placed there with the job you want.

Three balls of corn are placed on top, in addition to placing some herbs called road openers and a hen's foot, having all this prepared, you will be able to express the following sentence:

“… Elegua, you who are the owner and master of the roads, the doors and all the opportunities; that you are also the one who possesses the destiny of my life, create my path always protecting me day or night, with health…”

«...prosperity and giving me happiness, so that my soul, my home is illuminated and so that all the paths of well-being open when you indicate it..."

«... allow opportunities to come to me, and with them I can have promising activities, with which to achieve the well-being of my family...»

«... May my work be safe without envy getting in the way, nor allowing offenses in my ways, that with my ability and the help of my skill, I can transform the facts of my life into realities...»

“…always defend my work, and all my soul to always remain active, wherever I am or wherever I go…”

«... with your blessings so as not to be hurt by anyone, with great humility and fervor, implore before you and from my heart all your favors for me...»

In order for this prayer that you are raising to Elegua to have an optimal purpose for you, you must perform it for three days in a row, for this you will start on Monday using a white candle which you will light.

In addition to offering the image of this deity some sweet or delicacy after the three days have elapsed, you must leave that offering in a forest and within a short time you will obtain the answer you long for.

The children of this Yoruba deity

Elegua selects his own children and one of the best known is Omo Elegua having the following qualities such as being very sociable, talkative, with a great spirit, very detailed, playful, capricious as well as being responsible when going to work or collaborating in some activity.

They are manifestations that represent the children of Elegua and in many circumstances these skills are observed in artists due to their restlessness and by not obtaining job stability, they are also constantly making new friends.

So it can be seen that the children of Elegua are parents who tend to pamper their children in addition to being very flexible in their education, but we must be aware that they are not capable of adapting to routines because they are looking for the answer. spiritual.

Due to this, the children of Elegua are very skilled as well as intelligent, but they are not constant in the initiatives that they must follow, they show themselves as cold and they love enjoyment for fun, which can bring them legal inconveniences.

Although they are people who love to fulfill their duties in regard to their work activities, even in the political sphere and in commercial companies.

Eleggua Laroye

It is another of the representations of Elegua and one of his qualities is that he loves to dance and of course he loves money in Yoruba mythology he is usually identified with Eshu.

Who is very generous but sometimes can be very ruthless is also tremendous and childish is the messenger of the orishas and is compared to the Holy Child of Atocha.

The believers of this deity place him at the entrance of their homes to warn about the needs and dangers that the family may face. He is accompanied by other deities named Oggun and Oshori and this deity is the first to enter and say goodbye to the family. rituals.

This Elegua brings some elements that are its own, such as a water guirito, a cane made of guava wood and its pot is full of trinkets and money, as well as having three machetes to protect the believers' homes.

So the followers who are the children of this deity called Elegua are obliged to give alms to children who are on the street or homeless.

There is also Elegua or the little Alawana

It is one of the smallest representations of this Yoruba deity, it is frequently accompanied by Oggun but this time he is considered the master of the chains and usually lives in the darkest places such as the savannah, caves and mountains. where traffic is difficult.

According to Yoruba mythology, he is the ruler of the Egguns and symbolizes despair and bad luck, but he has the possibility of being able to get rid of any spell that they did to him, as we discussed in this article.

He carries a stick made of guava wood which is shaped like a doodle and with this instrument he can release any object as the devotees of this image usually place it on the ground on what they say is a crab shell as well as chains.

A doll made of cedar wood and the aforementioned crab to make offerings to Elegua as well as succulent food that is placed on it for three consecutive days.

Requests are made whether they are for love, health, money, prosperity, housing or protection. At the end of this period of time, the offerings must be placed in a field where there is abundant mud as well as weeds.

With the aim of opening paths

The offerings and rituals that are made in honor of Elegua is with the intention that this Yoruba deity allows to open the paths through the acclamations that the Orisha performs to keep him in good taste because in this way the believers will achieve their desires for this great protector. who tends to be capricious and temperamental.

With the intention of making the offerings to Elegua, you must acquire the following components and avoid missing them so that you keep this deity happy and achieve the opening of the paths that you request, such as corojo oil.

Three whole sardines, two white candles, a bottle of liquor known as aguardiente, jutia powder, smoked fish, roasted corn, rich honey and not forgetting the tobacco.

When you obtain these materials, you must prepare the offerings to Elegua with the corojo oil, you must toast the sardines, you must place this deity on the floor and hit the ground three times with your hand while you make the request you want and for three consecutive days you must offer brandy, candles and tobacco.

At the end of this period of time, the three sardines are removed and a piece of paper must be placed where you wrote the requests, as well as a piece of smoked fish, as well as the jutia powder and the roasted corn, everything will be wrapped in a single package.

This package must be placed at a crossroads where four corners are observed, after which you will see a transformation in the life of the person who has requested Elegua's favors.

The throne of this deity

According to this Yoruba culture, it is said that Elegua has the right to use two thrones since he made Obatalá's word respected due to this the believers who are the children of this deity.

They must make Elegua two thrones while performing religious ceremonies in his honor and this gives him the quality of being one of the most expensive deities in this mythology.

The first throne is made in Igbodu which is the room that has been left especially for the Yoruba deities and the second throne must be made outside the dwelling of the believers closer to the street.

For the elaboration of these aforementioned thrones of Elegua, cardboard boxes or other elements are required that will be covered with a red cloth and black can be added, which are the favorite colors of this deity.

songs in his honor

In the rituals that are carried out in the name of Elegua in Yoruba mythology, allegorical songs are often sung according to the offerings that are made and the requests that the believer wishes to make to this deity.

In this article we will detail a song and then its translation so that you understand what these songs for the bearer of the keys of destiny consist of:

“…Eshu la topa nlówó a bù ké nké Alaroyé jóko ode bá Orisha maa bo, Alaroyé jóko ode. Gbadó mo júba omo ode kó ni ikose igbagbó, agó mo júba fé lébá Eshu lóná isoso abe or dára kó lori ejó, baba se mi isoso abe…”

«… Ifá ni ti bá ó dára há lori ejó, baba se mi Isoso abe. Ifá ni ti a bá débi isé nsé láase e, nitoripe Ifá máa wa…”

The translation of this song is as follows:

"... Eshu always sure the imprint of the one who has money, for him to take a part and separate it as a gratification If you are the owner of contradictions, he sits you on the outside..."

«... The Orisha who always arrives or hides is greeted The one who is the owner of contradictions sits on the outside I pay homage with faith, so that the son has no obstacles, permission with faith, I pay homage ...»

«… and you feel comfortable next to Eshu, which is the way. He has an adornment razor that sticks to his body, father, do not challenge me with your adornment razor. Ifá says that an excellent job is being done. He will not reproach himself because Ifá makes it manifest… ”

The paths that this deity represents

According to Yoruba mythology Elegua is in charge of twenty-one paths and these symbolize responsibilities that the devotees of this culture must follow to the letter in the environment where they live.

Well, they symbolize forces that protect them to obtain what they request from their deity in terms of health, money, love and protection against misfortunes.

Among the ways that are frequently mentioned, the first of them is that Elegua is that he is in charge of ruling the destiny of his children or believers, for which he is in charge of dominating and is the owner and lord of everything that the devotees want to do and It is known as Elegua Allah Lu Banshé.

He is also a naughty boy who loves to play games and therefore can change the destinies of believers. This second path is known as Elegua Alaroye Akokelebiyú.

He is the diviner of the earth for which he is the guardian and protector of Babalawo who is identified with the term Elegua Awó Bara. He is still an old or elderly person and is given the name of Elegua Elufé.

It is said that he is a wanderer who dresses in rags and is an Eshu from the outdoors known as Eshu Lode, who is also in charge of opening the path of the mountains and is in charge of working with Ozain through herbs with the term Eshu Igide.

He opens the paths towards the dead and is in charge of calculating the life time of the believers with the term Eshu Kamimalowá. He can even adopt the figure of a young man who is responsible for monitoring the faults of Osha's children and identifies with the phrase Eshu Aselu.

Being a great dancer, he is also in charge of music and drums and identifies himself with the name of Eshu Ijelú without forgetting that Elegua is the owner of what is done and is known by the phrase Eshu Alalúbanse.

He is in charge of uniting people with the friendship of Eshu Diki and is a messenger of the blessings of his father Oloddumáre who is identified with the phrase Eshu Dare. He is even in charge of working in the crops and fields using the sickle and machetes, for which the phrase Eshu Bara Dage is often used.

Elegua is an assistant to Ifa, which is why the term Eshu Afrodi is attributed to him. This deity represents the house with the phrase Eshu Abanunkue as well as an adult who is in charge of punishing believers with fire under the term Eshu Abalonke.

And it is Elegua himself who is in charge of receiving the sacrifices under the phrase Eshu Aberu for what can be dangerous and bad and is identified with the phrase Eshu Aganika. He although he is also in charge of attacking the enemies of the believers for what is known by the phrase Eshu Agongo Ogo.

There is also talk of a path that is known as the mother of the Elegua and is identified with the phrase Eshu Anaquil, it can even be the Anima Sola, which is why the term Eshu Ananaki is attributed to it. She may be the magic sorcerer of the woods or jungles and his name is Eshu Aroni.

Elegua is considered a naughty boy but he fulfills his function of being a sublime custodian and he is identified as Eshu Beleke although he can be a rowdy boy and can cause accidents in addition to being a friend of Osain and smoking hookah is known as Eshu Echenike.

Elegua is also a wise man with his knowledge and is known as Eshu Ekileyo as well as being a guide to Olófi and the phrase Eshu Grillelu is attributed to him. Well, his name means two concepts life and death and refers to Eshu Ekuboro.

It is this deity who listens to everything and is also very talkative known as Eshu Loborni. He loves dance and money, which is why he is known by the word Eshu Laroye.

He is even the oldest Elegua of all and the term Elegua Elefe is attributed to him. He is in charge of helping believers with difficult problems and is attributed the name of Elegua Manzaquillo, in addition to being the protector of everything through his knives and snails, he is known by the name of Elegua Bode.

He is also in charge of controlling the sacrifices, that is why they give him the name of Elegua Elegbara. He has the ability to transform and is attributed the term Elegua Odara and can direct the hours of both day and night giving him the name of Elegua Agogo.

Being a messenger of the words under the term of Elegua Opin. The same is responsible for directing sex and love for what is given the name of Elegua Alaketu. He can with his power transform the diversity of plants into medicines for his believers and they attribute the name of Elegua Isheri.

In addition, this deity represents justice and is in charge of collecting the debts that they make to their believers for what is known as Elegua Gogo. He is also in charge of taking care of the family and the community is identified with the term Elegua Wara.

Regarding your necklaces

As far as Yoruba mythology is concerned, Elegua's necklaces are the sacrament of baptism, which shows that he is already a devotee within this culture and it is in the rites where they are placed, different colors can be observed according to the deity with which he is placed. identify the same are made by hand.

These necklaces are the union between the deities of Yoruba mythology with the believers of the religion, so it is observed that in honor of Elegua the necklaces are red and black which are placed interspersed as a series giving a very striking.

With regard to the black beads, they can be changed for black jets because their mission is to protect these new believers who are in a process of spiritual initiation in this Yoruba culture.

The necklaces are known by the word Elekes but with regard to the African continent they are given the term Iñales. You must be aware that these necklaces are not a fashion but a connection between Elegua and her children demonstrating fidelity to the followers in Yoruba mythology.

stone deity

At the moment in which a believer begins in the Yoruba culture, he receives from his godparents a first deity and this is Elegua who is transformed into stone and is known by the term Otan.

To receive it, the question is asked if you are going to receive Otan by Osha or they tell you that it is Elegua to accompany you on the paths of life of the person who receives it.

As for the deities Elegua and Eshu, both have a spiritual presence in Yoruba mythology, but their meaning is different, but when receiving them, they must be given the necessary attention that we previously mentioned in this article to keep Elegua happy.

The size of the Nato or stone that the believer receives is not important, but the faith with which he accepts it, in addition to maintaining the appropriate attention to his deity.

If you have doubts, you should consult your sponsors who are willing to assist you and help you with your obligations since they have the pertinent wisdom to attend to NATO.

What does Elegua of two faces mean?

On some occasions it will be evident that the stone of Elegua symbolizes two faces, which represents the duality between two deities Eshu and Elegua, although these two entities are antagonists and are found in the same rock, being the symbol of good and evil.

Although other scholars believe that this stone represents protection, which can be negative or positive, according to Yoruba mythology, it is heaven and earth or the beginning and end of the choice of the paths that can be opened or closed according to the intention of the protection.

Elegua Afra

This terminology that is given to Elegua when he accompanies Babalu Ayé and is the one in charge of visiting health centers to help believers with their diseases, especially those that are contagious.

His residence is in a porous stone called pumice, instead of offering brandy to this deity, palm wine or red wine is given to him and it is attributed to him whistling in the corners and desolate streets.

His representative necklace has black and white beads. In addition, the tools that this deity has are a traveler's cane and a mortar, since in that instrument he prepares medicines.

It is said that he helped Babalú Ayé when he got sick, he was in charge of getting him his company dogs as well as some crutches and clemency on the part of Olofin.

Elegua Baralayiki

This deity is considered to be a good eater and very happy because he is fascinated by sweets and food. His protection is requested to avoid damage and tricks.

He is also accompanied by Oggun. He allows you to meet people and not get carried away by appearances, he is considered the Holy Child of Things that are not expected and allows you not to have dislikes.

An arrow protrudes from the forehead of this deity and is filled with metal powder or sea sand and its colors are represented by red, black and light green.

The snails used

In Yoruba mythology, the use of snails is required, usually eighteen are required, although for Elegua twenty-one are used and they are known by the word Dialoggun, being one of the actions that has the greatest interest in this culture since they are the main weapons they use. the santeros in their activities.

With them they can divine omens of the future and the past of the believers to give the pertinent indications according to the need that the consultants have to solve problems in their lives.

To do this they require the help of the ebbo who complement the santeria works through the offerings they make to the relevant deities.

It is essential that you know that you must learn to read the snails, for this they use symbols or events according to what the spiritual entity wants to express through Patakies that are similar to Christian parables.

Twenty-one snails are used for Elegua, which correspond to a sale made with his brothers by the other deities, where each one got eighteen and since there were three left over, they were given to Elegua because at the time it was the money they worked with and is known as Ay's word.

the spirit of coconut

According to the oral narratives known as Patakies, it is said that Elegua made his consecration through a coconut, although many speculate that it is a profit made by swindlers.

But many believers follow him with great faith, which is why they symbolize a coconut that has had snails placed on it to simulate the eyes, mouth and ears, for which this decorated coconut is used as protection and is sold to many believers who believe in its power. supernatural.

 Costumes used in rituals

These clothes that are used in the rituals in honor of Elegua are characteristic of his favorite colors red and black, although as he is a small deity he is frequently dressed in a black frock coat and a red hat, although the details of the clothing are gives the believer where the ceremony is performed.

Well, even red and black stripes, both horizontal and vertical, are used as well as snails to adorn Elegua's hat. They use creativity and care in the costumes to be used with the intention of keeping this deity happy according to what is being requested in that ceremony.

Candle that is consecrated to this deity

The candle that is used in the offerings that are made to Elegua is known as Abre camino and is implemented together with the prayers and works that have to be carried out, they are carried out by artisans because they give it the shape of the image to be represented and can be purchased in establishments dedicated to this culture.

Since Elegua is the deity with the greatest power in Yoruba mythology, he is consecrated to him to request protection and open the paths that believers require, this must be done on Mondays of each week and the candle is lit for a period of fifteen minutes.

Simultaneously requests are made which can be mooring, dispossession, attraction, among other matters in order to achieve the benevolence of this deity.

Days that are auspicious for this deity

In Yoruba mythology, Elegua is venerated on June XNUMX of each year, where he is offered a number of offerings such as fruits, sweets, and even toys, as he is a very pampered saint.

You can even find piñatas in this ceremony, but it should not be neglected on the other days of the year, so every Monday is consecrated for Elegua and the respective offerings are made so that he feels happy and favors the requests of the devotees.

appreciable phrases

So that Elegua is the first protection that believers have in Yoruba mythology, there are phrases that are of great esteem and are used to please this deity of great importance in Yoruba culture.

Well, he is in charge of opening the paths and you can know the appreciation of these essential phrases that are used in ceremonies or rituals in honor of this deity:

“…Let the doors close, let people walk away, Here I am, to open the paths to success, leave you good people and make sure debts are paid, remember that no one leaves without paying the bills…” Choose.

Eleggua answers:

"...A wish does not change life, a decision changes everything, he who does not risk or win or lose faith moves mountains, he who sows today reaps its fruits tomorrow, do not hesitate to do it, courage is measured by your actions..."

Legends regarding Chango

Chango is another of the deities of Yoruba mythology which represents thunder, lightning, justice, virility, dance and fire because in ancient times he was a great warrior king with some sorcery skills.

But by mistake he destroyed his home where his wife and children were and for that he became an orisha deity. This deity is the younger brother of Elegua, both were very close and as warriors they face enemies and according to the Patakies they are always united.

Over time Chango became a very strong deity but for this reason he has not stopped offering offerings to Elegua because being his older brother he hid him when Obatalá gave the order to kill all the little children and then hid him from Orula.

Differences between Elegua and Eshu

Eshu is in charge of governing the manifestations of the bad so that the good is present, it is represented by the Catholic image of Saint Francis of Assisi, you must remember that both deities are orisha warriors but Elegua is accompanied by Obatalá on earth.

The representation of Eshu is a kind of cement kneaded in a human form and his eyes, mouths and ears are represented by snails but his consecration belongs to the Babalawo and women do not have permission to make it. While Elegua is a diviner orisha who is in charge of opening and closing the roads.

Elegua's relationship with Yemayá

Yemayá is in Yoruba mythology the mother of the Orisha and represents fertility. This deity lives in the rivers and seas. She has leadership skills and is related to Elegua.

Well, he is the one who opens the paths and with the help of Yemayá, who has a blue mantle that symbolizes the waters of planet Earth, maintains the balance of forces.

Elegua and the warriors

When beginning within Yoruba mythology, four orishas are received from the hands of the godparents who are warriors and are known as the warriors of Elegua that allow them to consecrate the path they must follow until they can consecrate themselves in this culture of Santeria.

The warriors that accompany Elegua are known as Odde and are identified with a parrot feather as can be seen in the representative figure of this deity.

Representation of Elegua to the size of a pocket

This size of symbology of the deity called Elegua is very common, which allows the cult to be worn on bracelets, necklaces or in a pocket widely used by younger believers with the intention of obtaining all the spiritual energy and feeling protected from any evil.

Many think that it is a commercial version, although the faith of the believer is what has allowed this new version to take the saint to the place where his followers are and in Cuba it is very common to observe it since they have the approval of the godparents who are those in charge of delivering the image.

Curious facts about Elegua

In the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, a bill of the denomination of one hundred bolivars came into circulation that contained an image of Elegua for the year 2018 of the month of January. This was alarming in the country since many sectors are not contextualized with Yoruba mythology.

Although the country has a number of followers of the Yoruba culture, they are not all, so the answer given by the Central Bank of Venezuela at the time is that the image of Elegua was a decorative symbol.

Which was not very convincing today those banknotes due to currency reconversion are out of circulation. You can even see believers who have had Elegua tattoos on some part of his body, which is considered in Cuba as a lack of respect.

Although many argue that it is a way to worship this deity. Because it is a culture that has been kept in a certain way in the dark, it is beginning to be manifested thanks to the actions of the new believers.

If you have found it interesting, this article on "Know the history, who is Elegua and offerings" I invite you to visit the following links:


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