Monday 21 January 2013

Eshu, African mythology

Eshu is a trickster known by the yoruba in western Africa. Is a spirit that maraud by the market square, the crossroads, threshold of houses. Is present in changes and transitions between opposites: from birth to death, from childhood to adult life, from friendship to enmity or from desperation to happiness and vice versa (phase transition).

He is pleased observing and showing the forces and weakness of human being, but never takes decisions for them.


High Lyapunov exponent

Is said that, by knowing the friendship of two men that lived side by side, decided to put them on trial. This two men cultivated fields separated by a track. Eshu walked this track wearing a hat red in one side and white in the other, and put his pipe on his back. Soon after, the two friends speaked to a third friend about the mysterious man. They start arguing about the colour of the hat. White! Red! The argue against becomed stronger when shifted about the direction walked: Left! Right! They accused each other of lie. Soon begin fighting. Eshu laugh and show them the hat, red by one side and white by the other (integration of opposites).