Key Takeaways
Lwa are spirits central to the practice of Haitian Vodou , and there is no more fundamental lwa ( also know as loa ) than the iconic Papa Legba — a figure that stands as a mysterious nexus between the human and spirit worlds .
Papa Legba is " a shape - shifter and a bridge to the intent world , " say Kyrah Malika Daniels in an email audience . Daniels is an adjunct prof of art story and African & African Diaspora Studies at Boston College , and has write extensively aboutHaitian Vodou .
Haitian Vodou and Papa Legba
Before we can understand who Papa Legba is , we want to realize the Haitian practice of Vodou ( also consult to as Vodoun or Vodun ) . " Vodou " is the usually used spelling for the religion in official Haitian Creole and among student in general . The once - unwashed spelling " Voodoo " is no longer used to keep off confusedness withLouisiana Voodoo , which is a related but clear-cut set of spiritual practices , and to separate the tradition from any negative intension that the terminus Voodoo has plunk up over the age .
Papa Legba has his origins in the historical West African kingdom of Dahomey — a commonwealth jazz today as Benin . Enslaved hoi polloi contribute indigenous spiritual tradition with them from Dahomey to the Americas and the Caribbean , let in cognition of lwas like Papa Legba .
The Yorùbá citizenry in Nigeria also worship a spirit , bonk as Esu or Elegba , who is similar to Papa Legba and such spirits can also be obtain in the cultures of Brazil and Cuba . " In Yorùbá traditions , Esu engage on a like role [ to Legba ] as mediator between humankind , " Daniels aver .
But in Haiti , slaves transformed lwa like Papa Legba into the basis for the religion of Vodou , which centers around lwa and patron saints . Historically , Vodou served as both a spiritual recitation and as a means for slaves to resist French colonialism . Today , Vodou also play an authoritative role inmental healthand healing in Haiti .
" Vodou has been historically traduce because it is a liberatory tradition that empowered Haitians to gain their independency from the French , " Daniels says .
Raphael Hoermann is a lecturer in English literature at England ’s University of Central Lancashire who studies the Haitian Revolution and North and Black Atlantic narratives of slavery . He tell , " Often Vodun ceremonies were illegalize under the hard worker regimen " though he also sum that the exact shock of Vodou in the Haitian Revolution is passably disputed .
As the Haitian diaspora expanded across the world , so , too , did Vodou among the Black diaspora in the U.S.
" In Haiti , Vodou is everywhere you go . In the U.S. , it tends to be concentrated only in places where Haitians live in diaspora , such as Miami , New York City and Boston , " Tamara L. Siuda say in an electronic mail interview . Siuda , also known as Mambo Chita Tann , is a priestess or " mambo " of Haitian Vodou and author of the pamphlet " Legba . "
The practice of Vodou in Louisiana also has its line in Haitian Vodou . As West African hard worker and destitute disgraceful soul flee revolution in the French Caribbean , Vodou became integrated into local Catholicism in Louisiana .
So, Who Is Papa Legba?
Papa Legba is often depicted as " an elder with a cane , but can also take on youthful appearances , " fit in to Daniels .
" Lwa — the Vodou spirits , of which Papa Legba is one — are not gods but saint who service Bondye " the good god , " i.e. , the Creator , " Siuda says .
As Siuda further explain , " ' Legba ' is for us not a exclusive look but an esko — an bodyguard , or a chemical group of spirit — all of whom have these quality and can appear as different kinds of beings or be give dissimilar saints . " Among the dozens of Legba spirit , practitioner have-to doe with to a fistful as Papa Legba , though he most commonly appears as the spirit Legba Atibon or " Legba the Good Wood " according to Siuda .
" ' Papa Legba ' is a god of the crossing , the threshold , between life and demise , the public of the spirits and the life , " Hoermann says .
Traditionally , Papa Legba has been referred to as the steward or master of the crossroads in Haitian Vodou , though Daniels excuse that he ’s more of a " bridge " to the spirit world . Instead , the literal avatar of the crossroads is actually Papa Legba ’s first cousin - solidus - brother Kafou ( also known as Kalfou or Carrefour ) .
Papa Legba ’s sometimes described in popular lit as a mischievous trickster , but Daniels pronounce that ’s not really the case . " None of the lwa are strictly evil or benevolent — they all partake in aspects of duality , " Daniels says .
Asking Papa Legba to “Open”
As spirit , lwa play a unlike role in Haitian Vodou than god in other religion . " We do n’t pray to lwa , whether that ’s to Legba or any others , " Siuda says .
However , Siuda say that practician of Haitian Vodou will often supply gifts or offerings to lwa , sing or " do other thing in ceremony to pull in their care and to ask them to avail us out with our problem . "
According to Siuda , common offerings to Papa Legba admit cane syrup , white rum , cornbread , mangoes , churn peanuts , black coffee bean , bananas and plantains .
Due to Papa Legba ’s role as a bridgework to the spirit reality , " he is invoked at the origin of most Vodou ceremonies to start the roadblock to the world of the spirits so that they can take possession of the Vodouisants ( or Vodou practitioners ) , " Hoermann says .
Siuda report one of the way practitioners often call forth Papa Legba during ceremonies , involve him to reach the William Henry Gates to the liveliness world .
" One of the most popular songs to Papa Legba literally asks him to launch the gate so we can pass , which is a metaphor — the idea is that he will unfold up the realm of the unseen and of all possibility to us so that we can continue without obstacles , " Siuda say .
alfresco of ceremony , practitioners can also light a candle and ask Papa Legba to personally interfere and provide assistant . " So yes , we do require Legba to spread out the ways for us , " Siuda says , tote up that Legba " is approachable by anybody , even masses who do n’t practice Vodou , so he can be asked to aid at any meter . "
Other Interpretations of Papa Legba
Syncretismrefers to the melding of different religious tradition — a rough-cut occurrence in Haitian Vodou .
" The generally accept legal opinion seems to be that the Vodun , like other Caribbean organized religion , is syncretistic — it contains many disparate elements , West African and Christian , " Hoermann read . practician often represent Papa Legba in different forms , admit as frequenter saint of Christianity , include Saint Peter , Saint Anthony and Saint Lazarus . This representation reflects the incorporation of local Christian figure into Haitian Vodou . " Most lwa in Haitian Vodou double as Christian angel , " Hoermann says .
Due to his prominent role as the custodian of the crossroads , Papa Legba has appeared in other ethnical contexts . According to Harry M. Hyatt ’s book " Hoodoo , Conjuration , Witchcraft , Rootwork , " the renowned blue musician of the thirties , Robert Johnson , was a practitioner of Vodou .
The celebrated fable touter that Johnson made a deal with a dark figure on a dreary critical point in the American South — perhaps with the Satanic fiend — but due to his recitation of Vodou , it ’s potential that Johnson went to the intersection in hunt of reply and met with Papa Legba or else . Whether or not the mysterious dark-skinned figure in Johnson ’s call " Me and the Devil Blues " really is Papa Legba , the story render how the look-alike of Papa Legba has spread beyond Haiti to the Black diaspora around the world .
" Even in the blues , the hamlet play a large purpose . Robert Johnson song ’s " Me and Devil Blues " might be more about such an African diasporic trickster figure than the Christian Lucifer , " Hoermann says .
HowStuffWorks may earn a pocket-sized commission from affiliate links in this article .
FAQs
Yes , according to the myths , Papa Legba is approachable by anybody and can be asked to facilitate at any time .
Common oblation to Papa Legba include cane syrup , bloodless rum , cornbread , mangoes , boiled peanuts , black umber , bananas and plantains .
