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The Yoruba Trickster God Author(S): John Pemberton Source: African Arts, Vol Regents of the University of California Eshu-Elegba: The Yoruba Trickster God Author(s): John Pemberton Source: African Arts, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Oct., 1975), pp. 20-27+66-70+90-92 Published by: UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/3334976 Accessed: 27-10-2016 14:24 UTC JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact [email protected]. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of the Terms & Conditions of Use, available at http://about.jstor.org/terms Regents of the University of California, UCLA James S. Coleman African Studies Center are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and extend access to African Arts This content downloaded from 141.213.142.215 on Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:24:20 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms Eshu-Elegba: TheYoruba Trickster God saying cited by Fadipe that "every head of mound of cement about two feet high A t the entrance of almost every com- pound in the Yoruba town of Ila- a compound must have an Eshu outside painted with vertical red stripes. A chunk Orangun, a chunk of red laterite rock his compound and the baale who does not of laterite rock is embedded in the top. It (yangi) protrudes from a hollow in the will have to give account to Eshu" (1970: is the palace shrine for Eshu to which of- base of the wall on the right side of the 285-6). Similar but larger rocks, or a ferings are made by the senior Ifa diviner- passageway.' The rock is usually no more molded pillar of red laterite mud, priests (babalawo) once a year at the New than ten to twelve inches in diameter with dedicated to Eshu are found at crossroads Year or Igbefa festival on behalf of the two-thirds of it exposed, and it blends (eshurita) and in the market places (eshuo- Oba (king), the Orangun of Ila. They with the red soil of the streets and the mud ja). In some instances these shrines are spend the night at the palace casting Ifa to walls of the compounds. Occasionally one housed by walls and roof, yet publicly learn what sacrifices are required by the finds the rock moist with palm oil or observable, while in other situations they principal deities so that the Oba and town topped with yam flour or a piece of kola are barely distinguishable from other may prosper in the year to come. On the nut. These are the entrance shrines of the chunks of rock or mud piles. following morning, the day of the festival, Yoruba god Eshu-Elegba and are called In the outer courtyard of the king's the babalawo makes the first sacrifice (a eshuona ("Eshu of the way"). Their palace, not far from the entrance to the large black goat or black chickens) to prevalence seems to confirm the Yoruba reception hall, one passes a molded Eshu at the palace shrine, chanting: "Eshu, we were sent to you by Ifa with this sacrifice which is your own." Prayers for the long life of the Oba and of the chiefs, for women in childbirth, and for the general prosperity of the town, will be offered by the Ifa priests. Then, portions of the sacrifice and other offerings, if Ifa has instructed it, will be placed by the Oba's servants on another Eshu shrine just outside the gate to the palace court- yard and on shrines of Eshu at the entrance gates and crossroads of the town. As they do so they carry the prayer of the Orangun that no evil will befall the in- habitants of the town, that their crops will prosper, that the hunter's shots will not atai reach them, that they will not suffer from snake bite, and that they will live until the end of the year. Thus, although Ogun is the principal orisha (deity) of Ila, it is to Ar Eshu that the first sacrifice of the new year is given.2 Within the compounds of Ila there are numerous shrines for Eshu. Some are large chambers which open upon a main corridor, with raised altars that can be seen through an entrance resembling a proscenium arch. This type is often elaborately decorated with pieces of broken crockery inset in the blackened mud base of the altar (Fig. 1). Other Eshu shrines are more modest but contain emblems appropriate to the deity, such as the igba Eshu, which is a large closed calabash painted with three black con- 2. ESHU DANCE VESTMENT, WORN OVER LEFT SHOULDER. THE FIGURES ARE ALTERNATELY MALE 1. ESHU SHRINE OF THE ELEMOSO (ESHU EJIBE), THE FIRST-RANKING ESHU PRIESTESS. THE CALABASH OF ESHU AND FEMALE. THE MALE FIGURES HOLD SWORDS AND (IGBA ESHU) RESTS UPON THE ALTAR. BLACK-PAINTED ESHU CARVINGS HANG IN FRONT OF THE RED AND WHITE FLY WHISKS, THE FEMALE FIGURES GRASP THEIR CLOTHS. ORISHA POTS (ORUOSHE) ARE ON EITHER SIDE OF THE SHRINE. BREASTS. 20 This content downloaded from 141.213.142.215 on Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:24:20 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms IWO, Tid -SL: A-W- W." Al? IT;? tied cov 6-Lo t* 4AW This content downloaded from 141.213.142.215 on Thu, 27 Oct 2016 14:24:20 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms centric circles (Fig. 3). The calabash of the whole proceeding as the pattern of the The devotee then casts kola to discern the Eshu is seated on a large, open-mouthed Odu of Ifa appears in the dust of the tray, will and pleasure of Eshu (Fig. 5). Will he terracotta pot (ikoko) decorated with a revealing the divine response to the sup- grant protection from illness, witches, figure strikingly like those on the laba pliant's dilemma. At times during the robbers? Will he aid in the market place so bags of the Shango priests (Wescott and divination session, Eshu's dish is placed that trading will be profitable? What does Morton-Williams 1960:29). Cloths of ap- between the tray and the suppliant. When he wish: some palm oil poured before the propriate colors, dance vestments with the divining session is over, the verses of shrine, a piece of kola, a cock? When his long strands of cowrie shells, and dance Ifa having been sung and the sacrifice will is known, the appropriate offering or wands hang on the wall behind the made, a portion of the sacrifice or a gift is sacrifice is made. On occasion other calabash, enhancing the importance of the given to Eshu, whose presence and power members of the compound participate central symbol just as a dossal frames the in the whole transaction must be and share in the offering. Women fearing cross on a Christian altar. acknowledged. barrenness come, petitioning Eshu's help Eshu has his place on the shrines of It would appear, then, that in the in figurehaving a child. And when they give other deities, especially those dedicated to of Eshu we are confronted with an orisha birth, they will return with the sacrifices orisha Shango. In the compound that of the utmost importance for the domestic promised, and often continue to par- houses the principal shrine to Shango in and religious life of the people of Ila- ticipate in the weekly rite. Ila-Orangun, Eshu is represented by a Orangun. How are we to understand this The shrine of the Elemoso, known as mound of hardened red mud inset with figure who is present in so many diverse Eshu ejigbe (Figs. 1, 5, 9), is revealing. At cowrie shells and also by a piece of laterite places: at crossroads, compound center front on the first tier is a wicker rock in a shallow calabash. These are entrances, market places, king's palaces, basket with a mounded clay top and a called Shango's elegbara and are placed shrines at within compounds, and divining hole in the center (Fig. 5). The priestess the right front corner, as viewed bysessions? the The answer must be sought called by it adurogbona ("guardian of the worshipper, of the raised dais. On another first examining each of these places gate").4and On either side of the shrine are Shango shrine Eshu is symbolized situationsby a more fully in association withcalabashes, oruoshe (orisha pots), for of- covered and blackened calabash which the oriki, (praise names) sung at the feringsan- to orisha Oya, goddess of the hunt sits upon a terracotta pot painted nual black festival, and with the myths and wife of Shango, and to orisha Oshun, and white. The emblem is placed on preserved in the verses of Ifa, and also by the goddess of cooling, medicinal waters. Shango's immediate left. analyzing the distinctive iconographic The waters in these pots have the power to It is not only at the various shrines that features of the artifacts of Eshu worship. help a woman conceive. On the wall to the one finds Eshu. His face is the one neces- We shall then be in a position to ask right of the shrine hang a dozen iron sary iconographic detail on the trays of whether the "trickster" designation is fit- cymbal-bracelets called aro. These are the diviner-priests of Ifa (Fig.
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