The Paths of the Orisha Eleguá and their meaning

Elegua, is the eternal guardian of the roads and destiny, and a messenger between deities and humans. Prosperity, happiness, luck or misfortune are in your hands.

It is the Orisha of the first protection, because it opens the ways to continue in religion. The uninitiated or aleyos must receive or consecrate it as first. And he is also the first of the group of four warriors (Elegguá, Oggún, Ochosi and Osun) watchmen of the mountain and caretakers of homes.

How many roads does Elegguá have?

The paths are facets, avatars, where the deity takes on different qualities and characteristics, through each of them the Orishas provide us with help, advice and solutions for our lives.

Eleguá has 21 paths and each of them is divided into various manifestations of the Orisha. It is even said that it can reach 101 or 121 roads, but that each person can see them in difference to their hierarchy in the Yoruba religion and their experience.

In fact, in some of his paths, Elegguá is considered as Eshú, who governs the manifestations of evil, cheats and deceives the Orishas and men and represents misfortunes for many who do not find their balance in life.

And it is that Elegguá and Eshú are the representation in the Yoruba religion, of that constant link between the positive and the negative, light and darkness, happiness and misfortune.

It is said that when a home is protected it is because Eleguá lives in it and when there are problems, it is because Eshú has entered, since the objective of this relationship is to reach a balance between the good and the bad, in perfect equilibrium with natural energies.

The destinations and roads of Eleguá

Next, we present the names and characteristics of several of the different paths of Eleguá, some of them are not well known so there is little reference and information:

1	Elegua Abaile	The Abaile is recognized as the one who receives the ebboses (cleansings) and directs them to those deities to whom they are directed, if they so decide. If you don't want to, none of the offerings will reach their recipients. That is why it must be adored and cared for.
2	Elegua Afra	Elegua Afrá receives treatment with Babalú Ayé and lives in hospitals. He is very loved because he helps the sick and that is why he is known as "The child of contagious childhood diseases", such as measles and smallpox. He whistles on corners and on lonely roads and does not show his face, since one should not look at him directly.
3	Elegua Agbanukué (Agbanuke)	He is the guardian of the Ilé (house), to whom he gives help and protects from bad intentions of other people outside the home. It is the best ally that the Babalawos have together with Eshú Barakikeño and Alaroye. He is known as the Babalawo gossip since he tells him everything he sees and hears in his Ilé. It is also considered the Eshu of clairvoyance through which Orunmila has that virtue.
4	Elegua Akeru	The messenger of the deities, establishes those messages that have priority and ensures that each Orisha receives them.
5	Elegua Agongo Ogo	He wears the garabato, or guava wood baton, which is used to attack or defend himself and make his way through the bush undergrowth.
6	Elegua Akesan	It comes from the Kingdom of Oyó
7	Elegua Allah Le Ilú	This path indicates the title of honor that Eleguá holds in the cities or towns. There, he is seen as a high-ranking fortune teller who helps those in need solve their problems.
8	Elegua Allah Lu Banshe	It is the Eleguá that is related to destiny and human decisions, owner and lord of everything in life and the one who has the key to good fortune. Possessor of the Ashé de Oloddumare to fix whatever he considers on each path, or to derange it. Thus, he can open the roads and help us, but he can also close them and leave us plunged into a spiral of despair. He must be present at any ebbó and is the first to be attended at the ceremonies.
9	Elegua Alaroye Akokelebiyu	This is the image of Elegguá considered as a very naughty boy, who makes jokes in bad taste and has a bad character. Devotees should be warned of their ways.
10	Elegua Awo Bara	He is Oyo's fortune teller and guardian of the babalawos houses so that no one can steal the secrets of the Yoruba religion and faith.
11	elegua elufé	It is the oldest representation of Elegguá
12	Eshu lode	Considered the Eshu of the streets, he dresses in rags and walks the roads. He always goes in a little house outside Osha's house or on the side of a road. Walk next to Oggun y oshosi through the mountains.
13	eshu igide	He who opens the roads in the mountains. His moorings are the strongest as he learned from osain everything related to herbs and their qualities and applies them to people's life decisions.
14	Eshu Kaminalowa	He is in charge of opening the roads for the dead and is a messenger of Babalu Aye before diseases.
15	Eshu Akarajéu	He was the one who helped Oyá to escape from Shango after a violent argument by the couple. Thus it is said that he made Shango swallow a ray that he was willing to send him. That is what its name means.
16	Eshu aselu	He works as a messenger for the older Orishas. He is considered a kind of young vigilant or guardian very attentive to the faults of the devotees, who must watch over their behavior and fulfill the commandments of Ifá.
17	Eshu Ijelu	He is in charge of drums, music in general and the feelings that are manifested with them. He is fun, cheerful and friendly, partying and joyous.
18	Eshu Alalúbanse	He is the gatekeeper to doors that lead to life's opportunities.
19	Eshu diki	This path helps bring friends together. For this reason, he is seen in social gatherings of all kinds and on his negative side he causes such meetings to end in unpleasant fights and scandals.
20	Eshu dare	Messenger so that it is possible to obtain the blessings sent by Oloddumáre.
21	Eshu Bara Dage	The one who works with all the snakes, uses the machete and the sickle and is Oggún's companion.
22	Eshu Aphrodite	Ifá assistant.
23	Eshu Abanunkue	He is the Elegguá guardian of the house. It lives inside a clay pot.
24	Eshu abalonke	It is very strong and also called the Eshu of death, guide of the souls of the deceased.
25	eshu aberu	Sacrificial receiver.
26	Eshu Aganika	Malevolent and dangerous.
27	Eshu Agomeyo	From the land of Oyó.
28	Eshu Agongo Olo Onya	Live on the roads.
29	Eshu Agongo Ogo	This is the Elegguá that attacks and defends against the enemies of the ilé.
30	Eshu Alaguana	The Elegguá that lives preferably in the savannah or in the mountains, but is said to be everywhere. He is the owner of the chains, the guava squiggle, the Arikú Bambaya and a cedar doll that is prepared for him and eats with him. He is a witch and a fortune teller.
31	Eshu Anaquil	This path represents the mother of all the Elegguá, it is fierce and when it gets angry it is as violent as the storm. He lives in the forest and is a symbol of victory and firmness.
32	Eshu ananaki	The eshu of sadness, depression, deserts and lonely places.
33	Eshu aroni	He is a healer, a magician and lives in the woods.
34	Eshu beleke	This representation is also that of a small child. He is skilled and an excellent guardian, but also a liar. Live in garbage.
35	Eshu Batiyeh	He does not believe in obstacles, he defeats them and ends with all kinds of damage.
36	eshubiri	He is also a child who likes to do evil things. It is said that this little boy causes all kinds of accidents, although he is very protective of his children. It lives within the bushes.
37	Eshu Echenike	He is a friend of Osaín, the owner of nature, and smokes aromatic ewes (herbs).
38	Ekileyo Eshu	He is wise, soothsayer and protector of people. It comes from the Kingdom of Oyó.
39	Eshu grillelu	He is known as the guide of the God Olofin.
40	Eshu Ekuboro	Represents life and death.
41	eshu loboni	It is the messenger of Oshun and he spends the day with her.
42	eshu laroye	It is representative of dance and money. He is spoiled and lives behind the door at the entrance of the houses. This Eshu warns of danger and diseases. He is a teacher, an instructor, the one who directs and heads. He protects the house and advises on business matters. He is also close to Oshún and lives on the riverbank with her. He is known as the guardian of children, even more so of beggars or street children, orphans or homeless. He known as "El Niño Limosnerito."
43	elegua laye	He is righteous and not very talkative. Live in a snail.
44	elegua okada	The Elegguá of the garbage cans, feeds on the scraps of ebboses.
45	elegua sokere	He's the one talking on the mat.
46	Eleggua Aye	Work together with Olokun, the owner of the ocean depths.
47	elegua elefe	One of the oldest elegguases that exist.
48	Elegua Manzaquillo	It is made of cement mass and is syncretized with the Holy Child of the resolution, it is the Sacred Child who helps us to make difficult resolutions on strong problems that are difficult to solve. He is wise and hard-working, and he walks with Oggún, who is the one who makes the decisions about the way of leading life.
49	Eleggua Bode	Accompanies Eggun (spirits).
50	Eleggua Idena	In his cargo he carries ivory, coral, jet, sixteen small black and sixteen white marine stones, the head of a woodpecker, a rooster and a jicotea, 48 snails, gold, silver, sixteen Eshu ewes, and his secret.
51	Elegua Elegbara	Control the ebboses and transmit the message to the deity to solve the problem for which the person made the sacrifice.
52	Eleggua Odara	Certainly closely linked to Orunmila the soothsayer, he is the Eshu of transformations, and can change the destiny and behavior of the initiates.
53	Elegua agogo	He is the one who presides over the changing of the hours of the day and night.
54	Elegua Awala Boma	It is said that he went down to the Ceiba, a sacred tree that shelters spirits.
55	Elegua Gold	It is the divine messenger of the word, verbal communication. His word is the translation of human thought, and the one that allows all men to communicate.
56	Eleggua Opinion	Establish the limits of spaces, which can be from a border to a house. It also takes care of the spaces of the so-called IGBO or forests consecrated to the different orishas.
57	Eleguá Alaketu	Together with Oshún he is linked to sensuality and sexuality and love.
58	elegua isheri	It is in charge of giving the Ashé (energy) to the plants. It is linked to dew so it is represented in the early hours of the day.
59	eleguá gogo	It represents justice, payment and collection of debts contracted between humans and with the orishas.
60	Eleggua Wara	In charge of personal and family relationships.

And although there are more ways of the little orisha Eleguá, many are not known, forming part of the secrets, mysteries and legends of the Yoruba religion.