Exu and the History of Present Time: a possible crossroads?

Abstract

This text aims to establish a dialogue between Exu, the messenger orixá of Afro- Brazilian religions, and the History of Present Time, a new methodological historiography attitude from the middle of the second half of the twentieth century, from France. For this purpose, is made use of relevant bibliography produced by religious-yard intellectuals, such as Luiz Rufino, Pai Rodnei de Oxóssi, Muniz Sodré and Ronilda Iyakemi Ribeiro, in dialogue with thinkers relevant to the debates on the Theory of History, namely Walter Benjamin, Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie, José D'Assunção Barros and Reinhart Koselleck. The text is divided into three parts. In the first of them, the theoretical and methodological possibilities of Exuneutics for the historiographical operation are discussed, aiming to transform the Christian cross - under which the historical discipline was erected - into the crossroads of Exu. In the sequel, Walter Benjamin and Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie encounter Exu and the struggles against the dangers of a single history gain a powerful ally. In the third and last part, I conclude the text with general reflections on the various discussions presented.