Papa Legba

Papa Legba (Haitian Creole: Papa Legba; French: Papa Legba; also spelled Papa Loko or Papa Labas) is a loa (spirit) in Haitian Vodou who is metaphorically "the oldest and most senior of the family of the loa" and one of the most honorable and well-respected spirits. He is often the first and last spirit to be addressed in any Vodou ceremony, as he is the guardian of the crossroads and the liminal spaces between the sacred and the profane, the living and the dead, and the seen and the unseen. Papa Legba is considered the intermediary between the loa and humanity, and he is often invoked at the beginning and end of ceremonies, as well as whenever one needs to cross over into the world of spirits. In Haitian Vodou, he is often depicted as an old man with a cane, and he is associated with the number three. His symbol is a cross, and he is often offered rum, cigars, and black roosters as sacrifices. In Haitian Creole, he is sometimes referred to as Atibon Legba or Atibon.