Product Description
This volume explores the way of life of the Boni community, a hunter-gatherer people that straddle the Kenya/Somali border in East Africa. The Boni converted to Islam some fifty years ago and the reasons for this, both internal and external to the community, are identified. The book argues that former indigenous religious activity, far from having died out, is now being renegotiated so as to reflect an evolving Boni self-identity in a multi-ethnic setting as well as allowing the fermentation of resistance in the face of attempts at cultural hegemony advanced by outside forces. Employing a phenomenological approach and a methodology based on participant observation, this volume identifies three contrasting spheres of religious activity - the bush, the village centre, and individual homesteads. ... Read more

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Settler-native conflicts in Northern Ireland, Israel/Palestine, and South Africa serve as excellent comparative cases as three areas linked to Britain where insurgencies occurred during roughly the same period. Important factors considered are settler parties, settler mythology, the role of native fighters, settler terror, the role of liberal parties, and the conduct of the war by security forces. Settlers and natives in each area share similar attitudes, liberal parties operate in similar fashions, and there are common explanations for the formation of splinter liberation groups. However, according to Mitchell, the key difference between the cases lies in the behavior of British security forces in comparison to South African and Israeli forces. ... Read more

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Five tribal artists from various African nations discuss the meaning of their art for themselves and its role in promoting harmony in their communities, in an illustrated book that includes activity pages involving African art. Reprint. ... Read more

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This major reference work provides pertinent information on the art of Africa, Oceania and native North America. Many reference works treat symbolism and iconography in Western art and culture yet, until now, little attention has been paid to these rich artistic traditions in native art. Entries on each geographical area discuss the art of the region and, through cross-references, lead the reader to additional geographical subdivisions and individual cultures. The major art forms for each culture - including worldview, religion, and society - are treated in detail. Broad subjects, such as rites of passage, are treated in the general entries. These entries address universal motifs and themes such as: the centre, the layered universe, the four/six directions and architecture as a symbol of the cosmos. Other major issues included here are: colour, the role of animals in art, colour symbolism and the symbolism of the various parts of the human body. The reference also details the reciprocal impact of colonization on native art and native art on modern Western art. ... Read more

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Western Africa's Lobi are known for their sculpture art of ancestral cult objects as well as figures used in private practices.Featured in this book, part of the Visions of Africa series, is a selection of Lobi masterpieces from such prestigious collections as the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and the British Museum of London. ... Read more

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"With the growth in interest in ethnographic materials, this is an essential publication for large public libraries serving patrons with interests in anthropology and art." Choice To help those with an interest in the indigenous arts of Africa, Oceania, and the Americas to determine which serial publications best suit their research needs, this directory provides information on publisher, editorial focus, content features, a relevancy rating, and more for almost 700 individual serial titles from the fields of art history, anthropology, history, area studies, librarianship, museum studies, and general interest magazines. Valuable appendices list recommended titles and serials in several categories. ... Read more

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The art of Southern Africa has long been overlooked.This lavishly illustrated book unveils the rich artistic traditions of the region through objects such as ornamental adornments, kitchen tools, dance wands, figures for initiation ceremonies, objects for battle and so much more.These exemplary pieces are shown in full color. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Bigger is better if the quality is there
This is a great book.It is interesting as a "coffee table" book for its beautiful photographs of artwork not seen in most other books on African art.It's also great for the stories that accompany each photograph that explain the use of the piece, the meaning of the ceremonies, etc.You will not likely find better examples of the Art of South Africa than are shown in this book. ... Read more

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Chieftaincy in Ghana is an extensive account of the many roles of chiefs in modern society. There are also detailed accounts and analyses of the law practices, rituals, and customs of chieftaincy. Kludze begins his study with a historical account bringing his analyses to the present, and speculates on the future of chieftaincy in its formal and informal roles in the changing social milieu. The author's close personal background and association with chieftaincy allows him to shed light on the mysterious practices and supernatural connections. Kludze offers an authoritative and comprehensive study of chieftaincy in the context of the modern social, political, and legal institutions of Ghana. ... Read more

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Since the first scientific excavations were conducted at Jenn-jeno in 1977, this huge Iron Age occupation mound located in the floodplain of the Inland Niger Delta has produced a classic archaeological sequence spanning 1500 years. Jenn-jeno is widely recognized as one of the most carefully documented cases demonstrating the rise of indigenous urbanism in Africa, and its archaeology has contributed significantly to a major paradigm shift in explanations for the rise of complex societies in sub-Saharan Africa. This monograph presents the results of the excavations conducted in 1980-81 at this site and at two others within the extensive mound complex of which Jenn-jeno is a part. ... Read more

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African Voices, African Lives explores the world ofMohammed, a Swahili peasant living on Mafia Island, Tanzania. Throughhis own words and those of his relatives, the reader sees the worldthrough his eyes, including the invisible world of spirits which playsa significant role in his life.

This information was gathered by anthropologist Pat Caplan over almostthree decades of talking and writing with Mohammed. She acts not onlyas translator and editor, but also as interpreter, bringing in her ownknowledge gathered from field data as well as comparative materialfrom other anthropological work. This study will make an importantcontribution to current debates in anthropology by grappling withissues raised by "personal narratives", authorial authority, and withreflexivity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good book for anthropology students/ if interested in Africa
This book is a very interesting read if you are interested in the culture of East Africa, are studying anthropology or are thinking of travelling in the region. Pat Caplan writes the book in easy to understand languagemaking it accessible to all and the life history of her key subject,Mohammed, who lives on Mafia Island off the Tanzanian mainland isfascinating. Because she has studied and visited the island on severaloccassions she has developed a close relationship with him, and so s isable to really get to grips with life on the island. It was her changingrelationship with him and other members of his family that most interestedme and her book is definately one of the most interesting in depth writingson East Africa. ... Read more

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Tribes of the Great Rift Valley is a celebration of the traditional peoples who occupy the lands of the Great Rift Valley, from the Gulf of Aden off the coast of Eritrea, across the Ethiopian highlands, and down to the great lakes and plains of Kenya, Tanzania, and Malawi. Here are the proud, majestic warriors of the Maasai and Samburu, the Mursi with their jutting lip-plates, the guinea-fowl-painted faces of the Karo, the bull jumpers of the Hamar, and the honey seekers of the forests, the Batwa, among many other tribes. These fascinating peoples of the Rift Valley are remarkably diverse, yet sadly, nearly all of these communities face extinction in the near future due to Western influence.

Elizabeth Gilbert’s glorious black-and-white photography accompanied by her thoughtful, engaging text, offers sweeping views of this magnificent and sometimes harsh landscape and its peoples. Thought-provoking and remarkable, Tribes of the Great Rift Valley is a time capsule, perhaps even the last record, of age-old traditions and a way of life that will almost certainly soon vanish from our planet. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Tribes of the Great Rift Valley
This is a beautiful book, with black and white photographs of some of the disappearing peoples of the Great Rift Valley.While it comes behind incredible works by others in this field, like Mirella Ricciardi's "Vanishing Africa" and several of Carol Beckwith's books, I think the author gave it a very comprehensive try and came out with an interesting book.Some of the photographs were taken at great distances, showing big landscapes, where I would have preferred more in-depth glimpses into the faces of the people of the land.

finally a photojournal of Africa that's respectful of its subject matter
I was in Borders looking for a coffee table book about Africa. Most of the books I looked at seemed more interested in honoring the author's enormous ego than in honoring the Africans who were being photographed.

This book immediately caught my eye. The photograph on the cover is beautiful, but beyond that, I noticed the camera angle was looking up to its subject (as opposed to "down on"). The second thing I noticed was the text. In the other books often the biggest word on the cover was the name of the photojournalist. A picture says a thousand words, and I liked what this picture was saying.

As I paged through the book I grew even more impressed. The photography is absolutely stunning, and the story told through the pictures and their captions is deeply moving, a testament to the author's humbleness and integrity, not to mention *talent.*

If you're looking for a coffee table book on traditional African tribal culture, this is the one to get.

A Journey thru Time
An informative historical document on the life of African Tribes, beautiful photos which illustrate in detail tribal rituals and culture.
Incredible story of a young woman, a pioneer of sorts followed her dream and passion to bring light of this important cultural which is rapidly changing, a delightful and inspiring "can-do" attitude which would fuel any hearts inspirational desire, seek your best! ... Read more

Product Description
Bushman Art is the title of a book that provides a comprehensive introduction to the variety and independent character of the arts of the San communities (also known as bushmen) living in southern Africa. This art is sold in galleries throughout Europe and the US.After only a few years, specific support for promising artists led to the creation of a lively art scene. By now the prints and oil paintings generated under the auspices of the cultural project 'Schmidtsdrift/South Africa', regularly find their way into international galleries and collections.To lessen the plight of the San, who had been driven from their traditional hunting and living areas in Southern Africa, the Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (Protestant Development Service) set up all-embracing programs to provide the San with new economic, social and cultural opportunities.Text in English and German ... Read more

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This introduction to the visual art of one of the most renowned peoples of Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo deals exclusively with sculpture. After providing a brief history of the Chokwe, the different chapters examine the figurines used in the ritual of divination, the statuary connected with the humba possession cults, antique (eighteenth and nineteenth centuries) classical statuary referred to as of the native land, court items, privileges of the warrior aristocracy, and wooden masks linked to the chieftianship and the initiation rites of circumcision. Particular attention is devoted to the precious effigies of Chibinda Ilunga, the civilising hero of the myths of the origins, almost all the exemplars of which were brought to Europe in the nineteenth century, as well as to chairs, whose symbolism and function are revelatory both of the religion and the hierarchical structure of the chieftianship. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

chokwe
Excellent book, well photographed and great reference text.

The series are good, and looking forward to more titles.

Please hurry, as I want to purchase all available titles in the Visions of Africa. ... Read more

Product Description
The features and faces of South Africa’s indigenous cultures are as varied as the continent’s many textures and colors. In Cultures of South Africa: A Celebration author Peter Joyce and photographer Roger de la Harpe celebrate this extraordinary diversity – of tradition, custom, history and geography of the land.

This spectacular, full-color volume explores the paths that South Africans have walked over the centuries and contextualizes the richness of the people and places within the cultural landscape that is the legacy of South Africa. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must for anyone living or visiting there
Cultures of South Africa: A Celebration by Peter Joyce, photos by Roger and Pat de la Harpe is a marvelous book about all the different peoples who live in South Africa. Each chapter tells the history and customs, rituals and traditions of the various tribes who have inhabited the country since before recorded history. It also tells the story of the Dutch and their descendents and other current inhabitants. Each chapter is filled with beautiful photos of the peoples and their colorful traditions, dances, costumes, and ways of life. It is a treasure of a book for any resident of South Africa and a perfect memento for any visitor there. It is a must! ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from New York Times Upfront, published by Thomson Gale on April 16, 2007. The length of the article is 1231 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: DNA hits a nerve: scientists are trying to trace humanity's earliest migrations from Africa by collecting DNA from indigenous people around the world. But they've hit a snag in North America, where many tribes are refusing to participate.
Author: Amy Harmon
Publication: New York Times Upfront (Magazine/Journal)
Date: April 16, 2007
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 139Issue: 13Page: 8(3)

Distributed by Thomson Gale ... Read more

Product Description
This lavishly illustrated book features outstanding works of Luba art from the Democratic Republic of Congo.Major themes include the role of visual and performance arts in Luba traditional politics, the symbolism of the female image, and how Luba history is passed on through art.Part of the Visions in Africa series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Visions of Africa is an excellent concept
I have every African tribal book published by Visions of Africa and I love them all.It's great to be able to pick up one reasonably small book about one tribe and see so many beautiful color photos of artwork accompanied by photos taken in the villages, and descriptions of their life, their artwork, culture, history.African art is such a huge subject, and so diverse, sometimes it's nice to just distill it down to one tribe and take it all in for a while.The tribes in their series, including this one on Luba are some of the most compelling.You won't be disappointed.I also recommend Chokwe, Lega, Pende, Fang, Punu, and Lobi. ... Read more