Eleggua is an Orisha. First of the warriors next to Ogún *(Orisha of Iron), Oshosi *(Orisha of The Hunt) and *Osun (The Watcher). Eleggua is the first proteción, is the first that any aleyo or nascent one in the religion must consecrate. He represents the sight that follows a way. He is a ferocious warrior, when united with Ogún and Oshosi, nothing stops him. He is symbolized by rocks in the nature. He came to the Earth accompanying Obatala *(Orisha of The White Cloth), and he is the messenger of Olofin *(God on Earth, equivalent to Jesus in Christianity). He lives in most cases behind the door. He is the owner of the paths and the destiny. He is who closes or opens the astral ways for the happiness of the men. He is always taked into account to make anything. He is the doorman of the plains and the forrests.
Eleggua is a God or Orisha that is crowned, goes to mat the day of itá of Orisha and speaks by diloggún. The main sign of the Olosha is determined by its conversation and the sign of the angel of the guard. Also he is who interprets the main of the letters of the oracular system of diloggún and plays a fundamental roll in the oracle subsystems of Biangue or Aditoto. He is given by Babaloshas and Iyaloshas. He has been the unique one that has gone and returned of the world of Ará Onú. He gained sufficient privileges from Olofin, Obatala and Orunmila (Orunla) *(Orisha of Knowledge and wisdom) to be first in being taken care of. His hand of shells is the greater, since it consists of 21, these are also the number of its ways. The oracle of the cocconuts (obi) belongs to him par excellence next to Obatala.
His number is 3, his colors are red and black. Monday and the 3rd day of every month are his days. He is syncretized with the Young Saint of Atocha (January 1st).
He is greeted Laroyé Eleggua!
Eleggua's Family:
Son of Okuboro and Añagui, kings of the region of Egbá. His original name comes from the Yoruba Èsú (Eshu) Elègbará (messenger and prince of those who live in Egbá). Others says that he was son of Obatalá and Yembó, brother of Shango, Oggun, Osun, and Orunla.
*Note: For the most part, Eleggua as well as Orunla were present to witness creation. So Eleggua knows what has happened, what is happening, and what will happen. Eleggua though he looks like a very young man, is as old as time itself.
Eleggua and Diloggun:
He speaks in all the odus as he owns them, but fundamentally he speaks in Oddi, Okana Sode and Ojuani Shobe.
Tools of Elegguá:
He dwells in any of these: one otá (stone), stone of shell, stone of reef, otá with load, snail cobo with load, a dry coconut or with mass with load. He is placed in a pot. His attributes are bells, a stick (cane) of guayaba, a mouse trap, coins, toys, small balls, whistles, matracas, hat of guano or straw, a maraca painted with his colors. His elekes (necklaces) are made of alternate black and red beads.
Eleggua tools of power:
The stick.
Suits of Eleggua:
Elegguá dresses in frock coat, small trousers and a red hat. The colors of these must combine in red and black. Some times, instead of being combined red and black stripes are used. All the suit, specially the cap, ornaments with small balls and shells.
Offerings to Eleggua:
Goats, roosters or chickens, chicks, jutías *(African bush rat), black or red mice are immolated to him. His taboo is the doves, because they debilitate him, except in some paths where he admits it. His ewes are abrecaminos, knows lesson, croto, carob tree, camphor, almacigo, watercress, basil, Chilean red pepper, red pepper guaoguao, poplar, atiponlá, almond, leg of hen, ceiba, curujey, chichicate, rattan guaro, jobo, peonía, peregún, wonder, pricks goad, scrapes language, siempreviva, rompesaragüey, verdolaga, prank, white, pendejera bramble, pinion earthenware pitcher, etc.
Dances of Eleggua:
When Eleggua comes down, he will run and will stand after the door. Then he will jump and contortion, he will make boyish faces and play like a child. Some of their movements can be very erotic. He will joke with the audience and will be able to disappear of the view to appear at the less awaited moment. A characteristic step is to stand in a foot and to circle quickly. A pothook will always be given to him, will use it to make mimics of opening a way through a dense vegetation. The other dancers will imitate their movements, individually or in groups.
Crowning Eleggua. Kari-Osha *(a ceremony where one is crowned a priest of a specific Orisha, their guardian):
In order to crown this Orisha, before one must have received the Orisha warriors. Then during the coronation, the Orishas and Orishas to receive are the following.
Elegguá, Ogún, Oshosi, Obatalá, Oke, Yemayá, Ibeyis, Shangó, Ogué, Oshún and Oyá.
Paths of Eleggua:
Eleggua Abaile.
Eleggua Afrá.
Eleggua Agbanukué [Agbanuké].
Eleggua Akéru.
Eleggua Agongo Ogo.
Eleggua Akesan.
Eleggua Wing Him Ilú.
Eleggua Wing Lu Banshé.
Eleggua Alaroye Akokelebiyú.
Eleggua Añanki.
Eleggua Awó Bara.
Eleggua Elufé.
Eleggua Barakikeñerí.
Eleggua Bara Wing Asuayo [Lasuayo].
Eleggua Aggó Meyó.
Eleggua Biawooná.
Eleggua Eborikeke.
Eleggua Agüere Kikeño [Kinkeñe].
Eleggua Agatigaga.
*In the African Traditional Religion of Ifa (Yoruba), there are 256 paths of Eleggua (Eshu-Elegba). In the Afro Cuban branch, there are 101 paths of Eleggua.
Characteristics of the Omo (children of) Eleggua:
Intelligent and capable, but little scrupulous. HIGHLY SEXUAL. They are talkative and they can sell until the impossible thing if they're allowed to speak. They like outsides and tend to change of couple frequently. They incline to the corruption, the mischief, the swindle and the intrigue, which ensures the success in their lifes.
Legend or Pataki of Eleggua:
Obí (the Cocconut) was pure, humble and simple, for that reason Olofin made white his skin, his heart and entrails and placed it at the top of a palm. Elegua, the messenger of the Gods, was to the service of Obí and soon he realized that Obi has changed.
One day Obí decided to make a great celebration and commanded Eleggua to invite all his friends. Eleggua knew them very well, knew that many of them were the most important people of the world, but the poor men, the sick and the deformed ones, were also his friends and decided to give him a lesson by inviting not only the rich ones.
The night of the celebration arrived and Obí, proud and arrogant, got dressed to receive its guests. Surprised and displeased he saw arrive at his celebration all the poor and sick. Indignant he asked to them:
- Who invited you?
- Eleggua invited us in your name - they answered to him.
Obí insulted them for being so bold to come to his house dressed in rags.
- You must leave here immediately - he shouted to them.
All left with sorrow and shame and Eleggua went with them.
A day, Olofin commanded Eleggua with a message for Obi.
- I refuse to serve Obi - Eleguá said. He has changed much, no longer he is friend of all the men. He is full of arrogance and he does not want to know about those who suffer on earth.
Olofin, to verify if this were certain, got dressed as a pauper and went to Obi's house.
- I need food and refuge - he requested him, faking a voice
- How you dare to show up in my pressence so ragged! - he yelled him.
Olofin without disguising the voice exclaimed:
- Obi, Obi.
Surprised and shamed, Obi knelt down before Olofin.
- Please, forgive me.
Olofin answered him:
- You were righteous and for that reason I made your heart white and I gave you a body worth of your heart. Now you are full of arrogance and pride. In order to punish your pride you will remain with the white entrails, but you will fall and roll by the earth until you are dirty. In addition you will have to serve to the Orishas and all the men. And for that day on Obi became servant of the Orisha and one of the more popular oracle.
I remember him. He tripped me up with a cane and I flipped and sat down in the chair [which led me to seeing the Orishas] at a table. It's funny you posted it because I have heard three knocks the first night [three days before my 23rd birthday], then knocked seven times- both times at the back door- on the second night at my maternal grandma's house. I then heard his voice say, "I'm watching her" and freaked out. After some connecting of the dots, I later found out that Eleggua is watching my mom, who is his child [after she herself was being pushed and overworked at her other job]. I did contact an Omo Eleggua [after going through being at a mega-church built on top of dead slaves] and he was furious. Back then, I hadn't known who Eleggua was, but now that I know who he is, I have him following me everywhere and others. In fact, a Church-thumping married evangelist asked me to come see him by myself [once on Facebook, the other time over the phone]. When I told him that Eleggua is in and out of my house, he tried to "rebuke" him. Eleggua laughed and said cusswords about the big mistake he made. He then told me to tell the mega church-thumper, "I will make him lose his job!" Once I told the guy, he cried, "Jesus!" but Olofi didn't move. He then said, "Stop texting me!" To this day, Eleggua is in and out of my house as we speak.
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