ebé

Ebó, in Yoruba-derived Afro-diasporic religious traditions, refers to ritual offerings made to deities and spirits to establish or restore harmony, seek help, or express gratitude. The term comes from the Yoruba ẹbọ, meaning sacrifice or offering. In practices such as Candomblé and Umbanda, ebó is a structured act of reciprocity between humans and the spiritual world, addressed to orixás (deities) or other spirits.

An ebó is typically prepared at a ritual space like a terreiro or a home altar and conducted by a priest or priestess, often after divination or guidance from the spiritual realm. Offerings can include a combination of food and drink (fruits, cooked dishes, grains, water, ritual beverages), herbs and sacred objects, candles, and ceremonial powders. In some traditions, animal sacrifice may be part of the ebó, performed under ritual rules and with ritual significance. The specific materials and their arrangement are tailored to the particular orixá being honored.

Rituals are commonly categorized by purpose, such as ebó de demanda (for a request), ebó de agradecimento (gratitude), ebó de limpeza (purification), or ebó de proteção. The exact form of the ebó—what is offered, how it is prepared, and how it is presented—varies by community, region, and the specific lineage of practice.

In the Afro-Brazilian and Afro-Caribbean contexts, ebó often reflects local syncretisms with Catholic imagery and saints. Across contexts, ebó remains a central practice that reinforces reciprocity and communal ties between practitioners and the spiritual world.