Santeria Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion

Ever since its emergence in colonial-era Cuba, Afro-Cuban Santería (or Lucumí) has displayed a complex dynamic of continuity and change in its institutions, rituals, and iconography. In Santería Enthroned, David H. Brown combines art history, cultural anthropology, and ethnohistory to show how Africans and their descendants have developed novel forms of religious practice in the face of relentless oppression. Focusing on the royal throne as a potent metaphor in Santería belief and practice, Brown shows how negotiation among ideologically competing interests have shaped the religion's symbols, rituals, and institutions from the nineteenth century to the present. Rich case studies of change in Cuba and the United States, including a New Jersey temple and South Carolina's Oyotunji Village, reveal patterns of innovation similar to those found among rival Yoruba kingdoms in Nigeria. Throughout, Brown argues for a theoretical perspective on culture as a field of potential strategies and "usable pasts" that actors draw upon to craft new forms and identities—a perspective that will be invaluable to all students of the African Diaspora. American Acemy of Religion Award for Excellence in the Study of Religion (Analytical-Descriptive Category)

Politics & Social Sciences

Brown, David H.

Anthropology

University of Chicago Press

The Light Inside (Routledge Revivals)

The Light Inside: Abakuá Society Arts and Cuban Cultural History (Routledge Revivals)

Social Sciences

Routledge

Originally published in 2003, The Light Inside is a ground-breaking study of an Afro-Cuban secret society, its sacred arts, and their role in modern Cuban cultural history. Enslaved Africans and creoles developed the Abakuá Society, a system of men’s fraternal lodges, in urban Cuba beginnings in 1836. Drawing on years of fieldwork in the country, the book’s novel approach builds on close readings of dazzling Abakuá altars, chalk-drawn signs, and hooded masquerades. It looks at the art history of Abakuá altars, not only tracing changing styles but also how they evolve through cycles of tradition and renovation. The Light Inside reflects the essence of the artists’ creativity and experience: through adornment, altars project the powerful spirituality of Abakuá practice, an aesthetic strategy. The book also traces a biography of Abakuá objects – their shifting forms and meanings – as they participated in successive periods of Cuban cultural history. The book constructs close rhetorical and visual analyses of changing representations of the Abakuá, spanning nineteenth-century arts and letters, modern ethnographic texts, museum displays, paintings, and late twentieth century commercial kitsch. This interdisciplinary work combines art history, African Diaspora, cultural studies and cultural anthropology with Latin American.

Santería Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion (Routledge Revivals)

Ever since its emergence in colonial-era Cuba, Afro-Cuban Santería (or Lucumí) has displayed a complex dynamic of continuity and change in its institutions, rituals, and iconography. Originally published in 2003 Santería Enthroned combines art, history, cultural anthropology, and ethnohistory to show how Africans and their descendants have developed novel forms of religious practice in the face of relentless oppression. Focusing on the royal throne as a potent metaphor in Santería belief and practice it shows how negotiations among ideologically competing interests have shaped the religion’s symbols, rituals, and institutions from the nineteenth century to the present. Rich case studies of change in Cuba and the United States, including a New Jersey temple and South Carolina’s Oyotunji Village, reveal patterns of innovation similar to those found among rival Yoruba kingdoms in Nigeria. Throughout, the book argues for a theoretical perspective on culture as a field of potential strategies and "usuable pasts" that actors draw upon to craft new forms and identities – a perspective that will be invaluable to all students of the African Diaspora.

Ever since its emergence in colonial-era Cuba, Afro-Cuban Santería (or Lucumí) has displayed a complex dynamic of continuity and change in its institutions, rituals, and iconography. Originally published in 2003 Santería Enthroned combines art, history, cultural anthropology, and ethnohistory to show how Africans and their descendants have developed novel forms of religious practice in the face of relentless oppression. Focusing on the royal throne as a potent metaphor in Santería belief and practice it shows how negotiations among ideologically competing interests have shaped the religion’s symbols, rituals, and institutions from the nineteenth century to the present. Rich case studies of change in Cuba and the United States, including a New Jersey temple and South Carolina’s Oyotunji Village, reveal patterns of innovation similar to those found among rival Yoruba kingdoms in Nigeria. Throughout, the book argues for a theoretical perspective on culture as a field of potential strategies and "usuable pasts" that actors draw upon to craft new forms and identities – a perspective that will be invaluable to all students of the African Diaspora.

Put Out My Hand... and Touch the Face... of God

Literature & Fiction

Poetry

Vantage Pr

If I'd known what was coming next, I would have gotten him out of there as soon as possible, in any way I could have. But I didn't know what would happen...I wish I could have. Autumn has been selected. She has passed the tests. But even after the wedding ceremony with this man she's never seen, will she have a happy ending? Or will someone try to take away the miraculous love she has found for the man, who lives in the tower? Will her young life end when it's just started, or will both her and her husband overcome the force trying to tear them apart? Find out in Under His Spell by Megan Tyhurst.

Who Is Alpha? (Sam Mohlar Mystery)

Contemporary

Tate Publishing

Only Death: Tragedy in Williamsburg

This is a historical-fictional novel based on an actual event that occurred in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, in the year 1870. Some names have been changed, and some events have been embellished and expanded upon. Overall, this is what happened leading up to a very tragic climax. It started out as a friendly competition between two former Confederate soldiers for the hand of a lovely young lady. Over time, the competition developed into a feud and progressed to the point where a challenge to a duel was issued. One of the young men was very intelligent and highly educated. The other was a simple farmer. The challenge led to the death of one of these young men. One was the writer's great-grandfather. The writer was told this story over a half century ago by his grandfather. He feels that the story must be told so that others may learn what arrogance, obstinance, and vanity can lead to.

Genre Fiction

Covenant Books

This is a historical-fictional novel based on an actual event that occurred in Williamsburg County, South Carolina, in the year 1870. Some names have been changed, and some events have been embellished and expanded upon. Overall, this is what happened leading up to a very tragic climax. It started out as a friendly competition between two former Confederate soldiers for the hand of a lovely young lady. Over time, the competition developed into a feud and progressed to the point where a challenge to a duel was issued. One of the young men was very intelligent and highly educated. The other was a simple farmer. The challenge led to the death of one of these young men. One was the writer's great-grandfather. The writer was told this story over a half century ago by his grandfather. He feels that the story must be told so that others may learn what arrogance, obstinance, and vanity can lead to.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brown, David H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Brown, David H.

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Brown, David H.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Santeria Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion

Santeria Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion

The Light Inside: Abakuá Society Arts and Cuban Cultural History (Routledge Revivals)

The Light Inside (Routledge Revivals)

Santería Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion (Routledge Revivals)

Santería Enthroned: Art, Ritual, and Innovation in an Afro-Cuban Religion (Routledge Revivals)

Put Out My Hand... and Touch the Face... of God

Who Is Alpha? (Sam Mohlar Mystery)

Only Death: Tragedy in Williamsburg

Only Death: Tragedy in Williamsburg