The Padê for Exu: Feeding the Road

In Quimbanda, Umbanda, and Candomblé, the padê is one of the most important works you will ever do. Beware of anyone who claims to be a Quimbandeiro but doesn’t know how to make or use padê! It feeds the road and honours Exu, the spirit who walks it with you. It is a pact, a greeting, and a payment in one. Without the padê, there is no true exchange. You cannot ask Exu to act on your behalf without first giving him what he needs to open the way.

The word padê comes from the Kimbundu language, meaning “to greet” or “to make offering.” In practice, it is a ritual feeding, a direct act that calls Exu to you, gives him strength, and keeps your road clear. This is not an elaborate public ceremony. It can be done quietly at home or at the crossroads. What matters is respect, constancy, and sincerity.

A simple padê is made by mixing manioc flour with palm oil, either cold or heated. It must be fluffy when finished. The mixture is placed on a terracotta plate, often lined with a castor oil plant leaf. Variations exist for different purposes. A padê can be made with manioc flour and sugar, manioc flour and honey, manioc flour and gin, or other combinations. It can be decorated with three pennies, whole chillies, rose petals, or a cigar. More elaborate versions may be topped with a steak, grapes, or other foods suited to the work at hand. The choice of ingredients depends on the relationship with Exu, the nature of the request, and the tradition of the house.

Before placing anything down, call Exu. Light a red or black candle and stand before the space you have chosen. If you don't have black, use white. Exu cares more about the food, then the colour of the candle at dinner. Greet him as you would a respected friend. Speak his name if you know it, or call “Laroyê Exu” three times, inviting him to come. In some houses, the candle is lit with a particular chant or phrase that belongs to that lineage. In ours, we sing “oi naina, keme pa unji…etc” as the flame catches, this is a sound that carries the intention straight to the spirit world. These words are not random. They are the threads that tie the worker to the spirit, spoken or sung as part of the greeting and the work.

As you work, speak to Exu as if he is already present. Tell him why you are feeding him. You may wish to thank him for past work, to clear the road, to prepare for a task, or simply to maintain the pact between you. The padê is for respect and relationship first. Requests come later. When it is complete, leave it for Exu to take. Indoors, it may stay overnight before being taken to the crossroads or flowing water. Outdoors, it can remain where it is, to be taken by time, animals, and the elements

The padê should be done regularly. Many people in Brazil make it weekly, on Mondays or Fridays, which are days linked to Exu. Others do it monthly or before and after major works. What matters is that it becomes a routine. Working with Exu is not about empty gestures. The padê is the living core of the relationship. When you keep Exu strong, he keeps your road open.