Veve PAPA LEGBA ATIBON

Year: 2026

Author: James Thegenus

Support: Acrylic on canvas

Dimensions: 41 cm x 41 cm

Description of the work:

Other names for Legba: Legba Bwa, Legba Donpèd, Legba Evyesou, Legba Kalfou, Legba Keke, Legba Zando, Papa Legba. Attributes: guardian of keys, roads, and portals; protector of homes. Traditionally in Haiti as Rada. He is the most important and one of the oldest Lwas. He must always be invoked first, from the beginning of ceremonies, to open the mystical portals of the sanctuary whose keys he holds. All Milokans must include his Vèvè. He is the powerful intermediary between the Lwas. Main Rites: Danwonmen, Kongo, Nago, Zando, and particularly Rada. Originally, Legba is a Nago Lwa, but under his name Atibon, he is invoked by men. During the theomorphosis, Legba Atibon appears as a weak old man who needs his crutches. Indeed, these are part of his Vévé. But it is a false appearance: Legba Atibon is not weak, and his adept in trance has the extraordinary strength of the Lwa.