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