An Exu chant with translation, as transcribed by the community. As always, it is Exu who opens the circle. Listen in the video above.
Laaróyè Èsù!
Egba rà bó ago mojuba rà
Egba Kose
Egba rà bó ago mojuba rà
E mó dé ko e ko
Lè gbálè èsù loná
Egba rà um be be
Tiriri Lona
Èsù Tiriri
The lyrics and meaning
The spelling is phonetic and the transcription included the translation: Laaróyè Èsù! (Exu, give us understanding about life); Egbá rà bó ago mojuba rà (I have faith and ask permission to praise you in my house); Lè gbálè èsù loná (Your power, Exu, cleans the path); Tiriri Lona (Tiriri, the valorous, on the path). It is a request for permission and for the opening of paths to the messenger.
Who is Exu
Exu is the orixá (orisha) of communication, of paths and of passages, the messenger between the material and the spiritual world. Therefore, he is always the first to be greeted in any ceremony. Greeting: Laroyê Exu! See the complete profile of Exu.
When this chant is sung
In Ketu Candomblé, every festival begins with Exu: before calling the other Orixás, the community greets him and sends him off with a ritual offering (despacho) so that he guards the door and carries forward the axé.
Frequently asked questions
Is Exu the devil?
No. It is a confusion created by syncretism and by prejudice. Exu is the orixá of paths and communication, a force linked to movement and choices, nothing to do with the Christian figure of the devil.
