Legba
/ˈlɛɡ.bɑː/noun
A West African and Afro-Caribbean spiritual figure associated with crossroads, communication, and access between humans and the spirit world.
Did you know?In Haitian Vodou, Papa Legba is traditionally addressed at the beginning of ceremonies because he is believed to open communication with the lwa, or spirits.
Etymological Timeline
17th–18th Century
Fon
Legba
“A powerful spiritual figure associated with thresholds, mediation, and crossroads in Fon religious traditions of present-day Benin.”
18th Century
Yoruba/Fon religious contact
Legba / Èṣù
“European observers and later writers sometimes compared or conflated Legba with Èṣù, though the figures belong to distinct religious traditions.”
18th–19th Century
Haitian Creole
Papa Legba
“The honored “Father Legba,” a gatekeeping spirit in Haitian Vodou who opens the way for communication with other lwa.”
19th Century
French and English
Legba
“The name entered scholarly, colonial, and religious writing describing West African and Afro-Caribbean traditions.”
Modern English
English
Legba
“A proper name used for a crossroads-associated spiritual figure, especially in discussions of Vodun, Vodou, and African diasporic religions.”