Every Quimbandeiro you speak to has a different description of Exu.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the cult of Quimbanda, Exu is legion, so there are a variety of Exu’s ranging from the more malevolent guys such as Exu Capa Preta (Exu Black Cape) who loves aiding in vengeance and sowing the seeds of violence to Exu das Gargalhadas (Exu of the Seven Laughters) who brings joy to every occasion.
If I need to save a person’s life there are a number that can help, if I need to ruin it or even end it, again, there are a number who would jump at the opportunity.
But I am the one who calls. I am the one who makes that decision.
Our first experience of Exu, the basis for our description, would usually be our personal one. We all have a personal Exu and Pomba Gira from birth who reflect a part of our souls; a little disconcerting at times. They show us who we could be, where our strengths are and they have the skills we need to succeed.
They fill in the holes.
There are people out there who revel in the darkness of the cult a little too much; on the sexy, glamorous violence involved with these spirits. Focusing only on the most heinous sides of Exu, taking a huge amount of pleasure in having an ‘arsenal’ of spirits ready to lay terror at their enemies feet when in reality an email would probably do the job and be a lot more efficient.
A close up of Jan Van Eyck, The Last Judgment
These tend to be the kind of people who feel a sense of powerlessness with life generally or a specific trauma they never worked through, that has turned into an oozing malignant sore. This corruption of the soul manifests as a sense of privilege, inability to accept accountability, superiority complex and no real solid character. These also tend to also be the people who shout the loudest. ‘Bow down to me and my mighty army of Exus, the most violent and destructive spirit from the depths of hell. Laroyé!’
Their descriptions are centred on some twisted concept of power, money and violence; always talking about the sinner never the saint.
They are not telling the whole story (and need more therapy, less Quimbanda).
There is a level of balance; Exu is a healer, Quimbanda is a healing cult.
There might not be rainbows and unicorns but when did that transform anything. You face what needs healing and you walk through the healing fire.
Quimbanda is that fire with Exu and Pomba Gira by your side.
Whether what needs healing is something physical, a thought pattern that is holding you back or a situation in your life that needs attention, Exu is there.
There are times in life where, I believe, violence is necessary. The justice system is one we are losing faith in faster than we can keep track of. If a rapist has gone to court and is let off on a technicality, am I just to wait for him to re-offend or do I hand him over to Exu Veludo, Protector of Women?
In the exorcising of spirits from someone’s house I am sometimes met with a spirit that the monstrous Exu Capa Preta comes for himself. The violent sower of discord protects me and the inhabitants of the house from harm.
Neither life nor death is rosy and I need help dealing with both.
My experience of the dark, dangerous spirit of Exu is a spirit with insurmountable intelligence, he sees into you in a way others do not and he will act on what you truly want rather than what you think you want. His very essence is darkness, refinement, domination, sexuality, savagery, both a lover and a fighter, a teacher, divinity and a sage.
He is everything. You choose which faces of Exu you see.
NO COMMENT