This may be a bit too beginner-y for your student:
Creole Religions of the Caribbean: An Introduction from Vodou and Santería
to
Obeah and Espiritismo (Second Edition). By Margarite Fernández Olmos and
Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert. 2011. New York: New York University Press. 324
pages. ISBN: 9780814762288 (hard cover).
Reviewed by Robert Derr, Danville Community College ([log in to unmask]).
[Word count: 774 words]
Since the late fifteenth century and the rise of the Caribbean sugarcane
plantations, Creole religions and creolization have been practices that
carry
a great deal of power and emotion but have often been very difficult to
define
because these practices are often misrepresented and negatively stereotyped
by
society. By ignoring or failing to look past these misrepresentations,
society
is snubbing religions that are still thriving in the United States and other
countries. The main tenets of these religions are to heal and enlighten the
lives of their followers. As Joseph Murphy notes in his foreword to this
text,
"Creole religions are inspired constructions of symbols out of wide
experience
and often deep hardship. The men and women who built the Creole religions
portrayed here were forced by terrible circumstances to create healing
systems" (xiii). This text centers around the belief that the Creole
religions--Vodou, Santería, Obeah, Rastafarianism, and Espiritismo--are
positive, beneficial religions that still have a strong foothold in the
Caribbean as well as the United States.
In their text, Margarite Olmos and Lizabeth Paravisini-Gebert present an
academic purpose for studying and interpreting Creole religions.
The authors assert that their text "is intended as a comprehensive
introduction to the creolized, African-based religions that developed in the
wake of European colonization," in an attempt to dispel the negative
misrepresentations of these religions and offer scholars and students an in-
depth examination of the true nature of these religions (2). The authors
limit
the scope of their research to the historical and current-day impact on the
Caribbean region of the five main spiritual practices listed in the first
paragraph of this review. The text also examines the dispersion, or
Diaspora,
of these religions throughout the United States. The authors build upon and
rework current scholarship on creolization and Diaspora of the Creole
religions covered in this book, showing that creolization and Creole
religions
are somewhat fluid in the sense that they can adapt and change to meet the
needs of the individuals who practice these religions. The authors' purpose
is
simple and straightforward: to give credence to the study of Creole
religions
and also to firmly connect this area of scholarship to the broader fields of
religious studies and cultural studies. The authors have created a primer of
sorts to help both scholars and students understand and appreciate the five
major Creole religions presented and the historical and contemporary
influences these religions have had on society.
The text is broken down into seven main chapters and includes prefaces to
the
first and second editions of the text, a foreword written by Joseph M.
Murphy,
an introduction, a glossary, a notes section, a works cited, and an index.
The
authors' introduction sets the tone for the rest of their work by laying out
their purpose and their beliefs. The introduction also presents an engaging
historical framework for the Creole religions and the creolization process
that is discussed in more depth in the following chapters. Also present in
the
introduction is an explanation and discussion of key terms, such as
creolization, syncretism, and diasporan religions, which are essential to
understanding the discussions presented in later chapters. The first of the
seven main chapters examines the history of the colonization of the
Caribbean
islands by Spain, England, France, and Portugal, and the boom of the large
sugar plantations.
More specifically, this chapter illuminates the effect the large influx of
slaves and the fragmentation of their cultural and linguistic patterns
caused
by their displacement had on their religions. The time period covered in
this
chapter is from the end of the fifteenth century to the start of the
twentieth
century. Chapters
2 through 7 each focus on one of the different major Creole religions or the
dispersion of the religion to other countries. These chapters present a
well-
thought-out, engaging, and thought-provoking discussion of the history of
each
religion, the basic religious principles and rituals of each religion, the
key
religious figures for each religion, and the influence each religion has had
on specific cultures. The inclusion of a glossary makes this text even
easier
to use because it eliminates the need to search elsewhere to define various
terms.
Olmos' and Paravisini-Gebert's text is a truly indispensable book for
scholars, students, and amateur enthusiasts alike. While mainly focusing on
Vodou, Santería, Obeah, Rastafarianism, and Espiritismo, the authors present
an enlightening text that shows how much influence historical events and
cultural stigmas can have on different religions. This text successfully
dispels the misrepresentations and negative stereotypes societies throughout
history have placed on these religions. The authors provide a great deal of
research and analysis that is sure to aid both scholars and enthusiasts.
---------
Read this review on-line at:
http://www.indiana.edu/~jofr/review.php?id=1353
(All JFR Reviews are permanently stored on-line at
http://www.indiana.edu/~jofr/reviews.php)
*********
-----Original Message-----
From: Society for The Academic Study of Magic
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Justin McKeown
Sent: Tuesday, 29 October 2013 5:03 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] Obeah?
Hello all,
I have a student from the Bahamas who is trying to research Obeah, which she
informs me is a religion, originally stemming from Africa, practiced in the
Bahamas but now illegal there. Given my knowledge is mainly in art I
wondered if anyone knew of any good sources I could point her towards or if
there were any experts on the subject that might be open to her interviewing
them?
Best regards,
Justin
Sent from my iPhone
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