The name of Eshu varies around the world: in
Yorùbáland, Eshu is
Èṣù-Elegba or Laalu-Ogiri Oko;
Exu de Candomblé in
Candomblé;
Echú in
Santería and Latin America;
Legba in
Haitian Vodou;
Leba in
Winti;
Exu de Quimbanda in
Quimbanda;
Obi in
Birongo,
Lucero in
Palo Mayombe; and
Exu in Latin America. Èṣù partially serves as an alternate name for
Elegua, the messenger for all Orishas. There are 256 paths to Elegua—each one of which is an Eshu. It is believed that Èṣù of the Ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion is an Òrìṣà similar to Elegua, but there are only 101 paths to Eshu according to ocha, rather than the 256 paths to Elegua according to
Ifá. Both Ocha and Ifá share some paths, however. Eshu Ayé is said to work closely with all Òrìṣà, including
Olokun, and is thought to walk on the shore of the beach. Èṣù Bi is a stern and forceful
avatar who appears as both an old man and young boy, who walked with Shangó and Oyá (the initial two
Ibeyi), and Eshu Bi protects both of these, as well as all other small children. Eshu Laroye is an avatar believed to be the companion of Oshún and believed to be one of the most important Eshus, and the avatar of Eshu Laroye is thought to be talkative and small. Èṣù is always at the middle of divergent world forces. He controls and regulates the two extremes – the world of happiness, joy, and fulfilment, as well as the arena of destruction, hopelessness, and sorrow. Èṣù always demands from those who have to give to those demanded for it within the premises of sacrifices, rituals, and
propitiation. He maintains the delicate balance of good and bad – just and unjust. He protects towns and villages,
priests and priestesses (
àwọn Ẹlẹ́gùn - tí wọ́n ní ẹ̀rẹ́ ní Ìpàkọ́), and devotees and Awos against evil machinations, always favouring those that performed the necessary and appropriate sacrifices (
ẹbọs) and other forms of rituals; "''ẹni tó bá rúbọ l'Èṣù ń gbè''"!
Èṣù Láàlù is a bosom friend, working partner,
confidant, and close associate of
Ọrunmila, the one who practises and teaches
Ifá, an esoteric language of
Olódùmarè (containing divine messages of life) through a very complex divinatory system, and who also teaches wisdom. == Brazil ==