Voodoo and African Traditional Religion

Book excerpt: In these times of intense turmoil, people of African descent are facing serious threats and challenges to their well-being. The ability of the Black community to call on the spirits and ways of its ancestors is crucial to its continued strength. Nearly 20 years have passed since the first printing of this landmark book by renowned scholar and practitioner Lilith Dorsey, and there is still a great need for more accurate and respectful information about African Traditional Religions that have been misrepresented, misunderstood, maligned, and mocked by popular media and the public. This revised and expanded edition provides a helpful introduction to African diaspora religions, a guide beyond the basic tenets to the vibrant, living spirit world of these peoples, and a much-needed key to protocol and proper etiquette, while clearing up common myths about Haitian Vodou, New Orleans Voodoo, Santería (Lucumí), and other practices that stem from misconceptions about possession and sacrifice. New material includes guidance for activists to empower their work for social change with the fierceness, tenacity, and wisdom of their ancestors, as well as never-before-published recipes handed down through the generations, personal spells and charms including root magick for protection and protest, and devotional rituals you can perform yourself. This book stands as a survey of meaning and veracity in a set of religious worlds where secrets are often best kept secret, and teachings are almost always oral and ethereal.