Book Description
Once an obscure group of outcasts from the ghettoes of West Kingston, Jamaica, the Rastafarians have transformed themselves into a vibrant movement, firmly grounded in Jamaican society and beyond.In Rastafari, Ennis Barrington Edmonds provides a compelling portrait of the Rastafarian phenomenon and chronicles how this group, much maligned and persecuted, became a dominant cultural force in the world today. Edmonds charts the evolution of the relationship between Rastafari and the wider Jamaican society, from confrontation and repression to grudging tolerance and eventually to cultural integration.Edmonds focuses in particular on the internal development of Rastafarianism as a social movement, with its network of "houses" (small, informal groups that form around leading Rastas) and "mansions" (larger, more communal associations), to track the process of this strikingly successful integration.He further demonstrates how Rastafarian artistic creativity, especially in fashioning the music and message of reggae, was a significant factor in the transition of Rastas from the status of outcasts to the position of cultural bearers. ... Read more

Book Description
The Rastafarian religion in Jamaica came to prominence in the late 1960's and early 1970's and was given international exposure through the music of one of its main exponents Bob Marley. Music, and Reggae music in particular, was the centerpiece of Rasta creativity but Rastafarianism gave rise to a whole new cultural movement of which visual art was one of the many components. `Official' recognition of Rasta art may be traced to the year 1980 when the National Gallery installed a new section dedicated to "intuitive" artists, that is, untrained artists who were previously described as primitive or naïve. The works of Rastafarians were prominent among these intuitives including those of Albert Artwell, Ras Dizzy, Ras Daniel Hartman and Leonard Daley to name a few.

But beyond that, little, if any, recognition has been given to Rastafarian art as a particular genre within Jamaica, and the only known attempt to document and survey the art and handicraft of Rastafarians was in the form of an exhibition catalogue prepared for an exhibition in Germany in 1980 and updated 11 years later for a second exhibition for the Haus der Kulturen der Welt in Berlin Germany.

Now, almost 25 years after that first catalogue was produced, comes its first English translation. The works presented in this volume are meant to introduce a selection of Rastafarian artists from Jamaica. The collection is accompanied by photographs that depict everyday life among Jamaican Rastas and scenes from the environment in which the artists live.In addition there are interviews with a number of the artists, a chronology of events in the development of the Rastafarian movement and Rastafarian art, and an index of the artists and their works. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

COMPLICATED BUT VERY THOROUGH
THIS BOOK IS A VERY DETAILED LOOK INTO THE LIFE OF RASTAFRIANISM. AT TIMES IT SEEMS TO DRAG ALOT ALMOST TOO MUCH WHICH TAKES MY ATTENTON AWAY FROM WHAT IM READING. YOU HAVE TO BE VERY PATIENT WITH THIS BOOK IN ORDER TO READ IT. IT ALOST SEEMS MORE OF LIKE A TEXT BOOK ON RASTAFARI. I WOULD SUGGEST THE BOOK RASTA HEART BY ROBERT ROSKIND OVER THIS ONE BECAUSE IT IS MORE READER FRIENDLY AND YOU DONT WANNA PUT THE BOOK DOWN. BUT OVERALL THIS BOOK HAS ALOT OF LUCRATIIVE INFORMATION THAT CAN CAPTIVATE THE WELL READ MIND JUST DONT TAKE TOO MUCH INFO IN BECAUSE YOU MIGHT GET A HEADACHE.
ONE LOVE
JAH BLESS

origins and framework....but apparent lack of understanding.
Chevannaes provides a very in-depth look at the societal situations that gave rise to Rastafari. While discussing those situations, however, it seems to me that his mind did not come to the same conclusion as the Rastafarians. To write on Rastafari without understanding the mindstate leaves the reader with much to be desired.

To his credit though, Chavannaes never really attempts such an interpretation. He is a social antropologist, and writes this book in an occupationally fitting academic manner.

To better understand Rastafari as a mentality...listen to Bob Marley. To better understand Rastafari as you would an American history course....read this book. Both forms of learning are legitimate, and i think my overall disappointment in this book came from me expecting the former while receiving the latter. It's a good history book....but thats just not what i was looking for.

Read this and understand...
Back in college, I decided that I was going to major in Ethnomusicology, concentrating specifically on Caribbean Rhythm and Culture.While trodding this enlightening path (I grew up in a small, white-bread town on the Connecticut shoreline), I came across this piece of literature.Naturally, I originally checked it out for a research project concerning Rastafari.A few years (and nearly a dozen check-outs) later I have decided that it is time for me to purchase this book.I have read it cover to cover multiple times and never fail to pick up something completely new and exciting in each chapter.It needs to have a home in my permanent collection.The strength of thought and culture displayed within this book, coupled with the sounds of groups like The Abyssinians, Steel Pulse, Gondwana (the one from Chile not Austrailia), and the honorable Bob Marley and the Wailers, have done a great deal to change my life.I HIGHLY reccomend this book for pleasure / research / a deeper look into the world of Rastafari.I have read multiple books either written or edited by Barry Chevannes and this may be the best.It strikes a memorable chord in that it balances readability with a wealth of information.Also, every chapter is nearly a new book in that this volume covers a breadth of Rastafarian topics, from music to I-story to culture to politricks.I hope I enjoys this as much as I do.

Interesting and informative!
I first got interested in Rastafarianism by way of William Gibson, who had several characters who were Dreadlocks. My ignorance of what that was all about was, well, somewhat shocking for me at the time. So, I started poking around. Quite a few years ago, I found Rastafari: Roots and Ideology by Barry Chevannes. It followed me around, unread, in a box for several years. Well, I finally read it this past week. What a shame I waited so long!
This was a very good book about the history and origins of a relatively new religion. Among other things, it was fascinating to track the birth of a new faith from its very start through the modern day. As a sociological look at a small, but growing, religious or spiritual movement, this is a great book. It is, however, a rather schollarly look at this movement and, as such, is somewhat dry at times. Still, it presents not only a well-rounded look at the religion, but also the socio-economic forces that shaped it. One of the main "pillars of faith", for instance, is the concept of "repatriation" to Ethiopia. This would never have come about if not for the practice of black slavery in the New World.
I'll not attempt to describe the intricacies of Rastafarianism in a short message, but, if you're interested in knowing more, this book is a great place to start.

Excellent, Targeted Study-- not a beginner's book
Chevannes is a well-known contemporary scholar of Rastafari culture. In this book, he presents several different papers and studies he has done, in the form of chapters. What must be noted is that this is not a general book for people who are just getting interested in Rastafari--but rather an advanced text for people already familiar with the basics of this religio-cultural movement---like its myths, symbols, rituals, and so on.

Having said that, the book covers the history and development of Rastafari, from its roots in Myal religion and West African traditions to its development from Revivalism, another religious movement preceding Rastafari. Chevannes also covers Marcus Garvey, early Ethiopianism, and idealizations of "Africa" that inform Rasta ideology. Religious usage of Ganjaand Dreadlocks is also covered, providing a helpful correct to racist right-wing myths about the Rasta.

An especially important chapter called "Word, Sound and Power" details the use of Rasta language. In-depth coverage ofconcepts such as "Babylon," "I-and-I," as well as the tendency of Rasta's to literalize word parts around the meaning of words is helpful.

This chapter will also help explain why Rastas shy away from vocalizing oppresion language in there own usage---while making it explicit in the language of those from Babylon.. Thus, "oppressor" becomes "downpressor"--conjuring up pictures of active political suppression. Certainly few understand better than the Rasta the power of language to control and direct thought and action.

In addition to this volume, check out the work of Leonard Barrett, and the book "Chanting Down Babylon:The Rastafari Reader" for more, informative, insightful information about this minority religio-cultural movement. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Engagingly written
Hamid's welcome study provides a comparison of ganja use and its distribution in San Fernando, Trinidad, and Brooklyn, New York. Chapters based on ethnography are engagingly written. Hamid does an excellent job of conveying Trinidadian street life in the 1970s.His treatment of Rastafarianism as a belief system, however, is dissapointing, and he makes few attempts to incorporate recent (post-1980s)research on Rastafarianism into his analysis.Recommended.Stephen D. Glazier, Adjunct Professor of Anthropology and Geography, University of Nebraska-Lincoln ... Read more

Book Description

Secrets of Voodoo traces the development of this complex religion (in Haiti and the Americas) from its sources in the brilliant civilizations of ancient Africa. This book presents a straightforward account of the gods or loas and their function, the symbols and signs, rituals, the ceremonial calendar of Voodoo, and the procedures for performing magical rites are given.

"Voodoo," derived from words meaning "introspection" and "mystery," is a system of belief about the formation of the world and human destiny with clear correspondences in other world religions. Rigaud makes these connections and discloses the esoteric meaning underlying Voodoo's outward manifestations, which are often misinterpreted. Translated from the French by Robert B. Cross. Drawings and photographs by Odette Mennesson-Rigaud.

Milo Rigaud was born in Port au Prince, Haiti, in 1903, where he spent the greater part of his life studying the Voodoo tradition. In Haiti he studied law, and in France ethnology, psychology, and theology. The involvement of Voodoo in the political struggle of Haitian blacks for independence was one of his main concerns.

Customer Reviews (12)

Secrets of Voodoo
I haven't finished reading it yet. The service of the seller was very good, prompt delivery.

Classic Exposition of Esoteric Voudon from the 1950s
To my mind only Milo Rigaud has so far written a truly profound, comprehensive and authentically esoteric exposition of Voudon in this classic study, originally published in French in 1953. Rigaud's grasp of the intricate inner symbolism and arcane mysteries of Voudon as a pathway of cosmic initiatory Magic goes deeper than all the others who have written on this subject, only he has really done the subject justice. His masterly study is especially useful because Rigaud is qualified to highlight the Hermetic and Cabalistic affinities within Servi Lwa as only a true initiate could and thus reveals the sublime mystical heights of Afro-Haitian esotericism in its dazzling complexity and detail. The erudition which he brings to bear in his description of the traditional symbolism, geometric secrets of the veves, langage chants and ritual songs is of the highest order and one must also admire the dense and beautiful texture of his prose as he articulates the inner aspects of this subject. The chapter on 'Performing Voodoo Magic' is a concentrated grimoire in itself and the Mysteries of Magic are superbly expounded. Voodoo has been written about by many authors and has even become faddish in latter years- Milo Rigaud's fantastic, scholarly and beguiling book is unsurpassed and stands as a true exposition of Voudon by a gentleman who clearly possessed a genuine understanding of the innermost Mysteries of Servi Lwa in their loftiest philosophical abstractions and their applied magical modesalike. Simply put this is the very best book available on Voodoo and a classic text of the Primordial Tradition of Esotericism.

The new "blue book"
Anybody who is a Pagan who knows about Raymond Buckland's Blue Book. Well, Milo Rigauld has his own blue book and it is a MUST for people interested in Voudoun minus the tv/movie hype!
Milo Rigauld cites the Holy Trinity of Voudoun, has many black and white photographs and thoroughly discusses the basics of Haitian Voudoun. You won't go wrong in reading this treasure.

AMber

Id say 4 to 4 1/2 stars
This book is nice and Im glad I bought it. The veves are nicely illustrated and the content is pretty informative. The only reason I am not giving this book 5 stars is because theres some small content on cabala which has nothing to do with voodoo. There are some other authors out there that want to mish mash everything together but its just not so. I would still reccomend MAMA LOLA over this book but this one is better than alot of the others out there. Just remember, avoid anything with the llewyllyn markings and it should be fine.

Useful & Informative
While most books on voodoo major on 'curses' 'voodoo dolls' spells and other Hollywood-prescribed stereotypes, this book is a very informative and helpful study of roots practices and one of only a handful I would really recommend on voodoo - the others being Voodoo Visions, Divine Horsemen (Maya Deren), Vodou Shaman (Ross Heaven) and Mama Lola (Karen Brown). In this book we have an intelligent yet very readable overview of a normally secretive tradition and one that the world needs to hear more about. Really worth buying. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

One of the better early rasta texts
Leonard Howell is genrally acknowledged as the true father of what we now call Rastafarianism (Erroneously attributed to Marcus Garvey. contrary to popular belief, Robert Hill's Marcus Garvey papers note that Garvey himself despised Selassie and thought even less of the early rastas, but that's another story).

Most of the early rasta texts make for tedious reading for the non-faithful, with their overtly flowery rhetoric and tiresome pseudoscholarly and semibiblical rants to make them appear to be divinely inspired. This is a bit different. Edited down from the weighty and laborious "Royal Scroll of Black Supremacy," Howell breaks down the basic concepts of the need of Blacks to create their own culture and religion in distilled form and slogans to appeal to the masses.

While the actual contents may not be to everyone's liking or agreement, it is a quick and interesting read and essential to understanding the roots of the kind of thing Bob Marley and others were singing about.

K.A.Q.O.K.O.K.
So far InI have been blessed by this hola document. It is difficult to overstand it at first but if I-them read slowley and out loud, seeking the guidance of Jah, it slowley begins to reveal depths. It is a personal exploration of the InI and Far-I.
H.I.M. takes on a different more mystical and liverating reality and truth. Read if prayerfully and may Jah love guide and bless.

Required RastafarI Reading
This early 1930s text is the first known which can be described as being directly RastafarI. However, the continuing line of texts leading up to this one is very long. Nevertheless, such a "foundation paper" of a eligion has to be rated with full stars. Non-RastafarI may not know what to do with it and/or even misinterpret it and give a different rating accordingly.

Only 19 text pages long, this book includes (additional) 15 pictures and additional 29 introduction text pages. The latter includes a well-selected passage of H.I.M. Haile Selassie-I; a prayer; information on Marcus Garvey and Leonard Percial Howell. A lot of references to other early Rasta and pre-Rasta texts; early responses to The Promised Key; some rudimentary information on RastafarI and the context in which this text had been written.

The Promised Key itself covers the coronation of Haile Selassie-I, "King of Kings"; biting remarks towards the then contemporary Vatican; Empress Menen; Ethiopia's Kingdom; spiritual notes on e.g. healing, fasting, way of government and some behavioral advice.

Note to non-RastafarI: The remarks towards the pope have to be seen in the context of the times. Colonialism was still in full swing, slavery still remembered. The historical Vatican had participated in and in a way even initiated both. The contemporary popes were Pius XI and Pius XII, who fell short of expected reactions towards fascism, in fact even blessing the bombs Mussolini dropped on Ethiopians during the occupation. One of their successors, Pope John Paul II, apologised for them. In this light, The Promised Key emancipated from white supremacy thinking and religious downpression (oppression). RastafarI is completely, radically pacifist and uses the tongue as the sword instead, not really getting concerned with political correctnes (which didn't exist in the 1930s anyway).

Howell aka G.G. Maragh made rejecting statements towards a mixing of black and white. This will have to be seen not literally, but metaphorically: In this context white representing the belief system of separation, black representing the knowledge of unity.

Note to RastafarI: The Promised Key makes rejecting remarks towards Moses, Abraham and descendants as being white. This was in the context of countering the white divisionist interpretation of the Western Bible version and back then lived Western Christianity of white supremacy. By doing that, Howell favoured a focus on Ethiopia and Haile Selassie-I instead. More recent knowledge suggests that Moses, Abraham and his descendents were indeed black skinned, connected to the ancient black Egyptians in way of belonging to the larger "ethnic" group of the Akan, back then populating vast areas in North Africa and southern Asia. (With the descendents of Abraham turning much lighter in skin color by prolonged Diasporan mixing processes.) With that in mind (and other knowledge not mentioned here) the respective passage in The Promised Key may today be interpreted accordingly in a not quite that literal way.

One of the original documents of Rastafarianism
This short pamphlet contains the entire text of 'The Promised Key', a proto-Rastafarian document from the mid-1930s. This document is primarily of historical interest.

The text itself is a much edited-down redaction of another, earlier, proto-Rastafarian text, 'The Royal Parchment Scroll of Black Supremacy.' Along with the latter and 'The Holy Piby', this is one of the three root texts of Rastafarianism.

Also included is an essay by a Rastafarian scholar which explains the historical context of this rare document (which is twice as long as the actual text of 'The Promised Key').

This pamphlet is a must-have if you are studying the roots of Rastafarianism or Jamaican religious history in an academic context. It will not be of interest to general readers or those looking for information on contemporary Rastafarian philosophy; there are many other books which are much more relevant. ... Read more

Book Description
This book fills a long-standing need in the literature: Voodoo, Santeria, and Macumba as practiced today in cities throughout the Western world. It is not another history or sociological study, but a candid personal account by two who came to "the religion" from the outside. It includes descriptions of the phenomena triggered by Voodoo practice, divination techniques, spells and a method of self-initiation. lllustrated. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Nice Book
I enjoyed the story of the authors personal journeys into voodoo. If you are already involved this book is probably way too basic for you but I'd say it's a great starter book.

Not completely convinced
Interesting ideas but the author spends too much time on details. The style is inconsistent and the ideas are not well developped. It's indeed a book for beginners but no secrets will be revealed here. The author spent three or four chapters criticizing over and over again christianity......who cares? Why not focusing on the main topic ?

In general, I have the impression the book was quickly made with the main intention to promote "pacts with the devil" (written by the same authors).
If you intend to do reseaches on voodoo, books like "the sacred arts of haitian vodou" by donald j. cosentino can be a good start to realize how art is important in this magical system and may be "secrets of voodoo" by Milo Rigaud.

This book is GARBAGE
This book sucked because its like an autobiography of some idiot who knew nothing about what he was doing...his book is mostly life-stories...and stupid ones at that...some teeter the line of racism, he emphasizes attempting to hex some evil "fat black woman" and he demonizes some other young brothers later on in the book, i see most of the reviewers overlooked the fact that this guy was kind of out of line with his emphasis on "race".
And besides that, his 2 or 3 spells and such are old and tired...and there is no "self-initiation" for the type of Voodoo he's talking about...

i am sorry but this book was a waste of time and money, i came away from this little book knowing not one single solitary grain of anything worth knowing. If you looking to learn about Voodoo or Vodun this book will not help.

His title is also misleading because "Voodoo" ussually refers to Hoodoo and "Vodun" ussually refers to the religion but this author isnt talking about either one....he's just running his mouth on and on and on as if his life-experiences are even worth tellin.

This book is a great example to why people of a foriegn back-ground to African based religions should not write books about it as if they could really know but so much.....this was a terrible book that this sorry author made about a system he obviously knows nothing about.

Very good Book on Voodoo
This book, while mostly about two people's journey into Voodoo, also gives a good overview of spirits and Loa used. It gives no bones about how pathetic the new religions are compared to elder counterparts.

WORST BOOK EVER!!!!!
VOODOO? SANTERIA? MAGIC?IF THIS IS WHAT YOUR LOOKING FOR YOU WILL NOT FIND IT IN THIS BOOK!!WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!I SHOULD OF CHUCKED IT IN THE FIREPLACE AFTER I READ THE PART ..."I SACRIFICED A RAT.."?!?!?!I AM SURE ALL THAT WORSHIP THE ORISHA WILL APPRECIATE THAT ONE! HA! THIS BOOK (AND I USE THAT TERM LIGHTLY)IS HORRIBLE.IT IS BASICALLY A PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF THIS GUYS JOURNEY (DUDE, GIMME SOME OF WHATEVER YOUR SMOKING!)WHICH AT TIMES IS SO PHONY, IT'S LAUGHABLE. IF CALLING THE ORISHAS, OR LOA OR MAGIC IN GENERAL IS AS EASY AS SAYING - HEY ELLEGUA, HERE'S SOME RAT BLOOD, GIMME SOME CASH AND THEN YOU FIND A WALLET, EXACTLY BY THE WAY, LIKE THE ONE YOU HAD LOST, WELL THEN-WHAT THE HELL ARE THE 99.9% OF US DOING WRONG?IF AMAZON HAD A NO STAR-THEN THIS BOOK WOULD GET IT! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

an enjoyable and informative read
I checked this out for recreational reading (I like interesting non fiction) and it was one of the best written non fiction books I've read.The voice is easy to read, engaging and doesn't distract from the content with an overly dry academic tone.I have no particular investment in the subject so I can't say if this is the best book on the subject but for someone without much background knowledge on this religion its a good introduction.It very effectively explains not only practices and beliefs, but the way of thinking that fundementally describes the basis of the religion.I this the author was a particularly good source for this knowledge because though both of his parents are priests of the religion, he is an anthropolgist (if I'm remembering correctly, it's something like that) giving him the insider acess rarely afforded to non members and the objective analytical perspective members of any religion rarely have for their own belief system.

recommended for those interested in anthropology, non western culture, perspective and religion

bias
This is a nicely written book, although I do not know if it's factual or not,due to the author's stance today.I think something of credibility is lost by stating at the start that you no longer believe in this faith yourself, as the author has.I'd like to find a book on this subject that is written by an author who still embraces the faith.

The Spirituality & Science of Santeria
This book is really informative as it gives you a glimpse of the spiritual side. However what makes this gem stand out is that it explains Santeria from a scientific, scholarly viewpoint as well. It provides the spiritual symbolism and delves deep into it's origins and provides a great observation on the religion. It will be a great introduction ushering you into the great ways of the Orishas, and backing it with sound theroies that validate the Santeria as an equal religon to the major religons of the world.

IT IS PERFECT
I have been looking every where for information on Santeria and this book was the best that I found so far. It doesn't just cover the basics like other books do, it goes in depth about the history of this religion and why it is so secrete in the U.S. It also tells the reader much more about each Orisha, like thier favorite food, color, power, ect. than any where that I have found. This book by far is teaching me a whole lot more than any thing else. I highly recomend this book for those who are getting to know Santeria, it is perfect.

History of the beliefs, rituals and culture of Santeria
Santeria is a growing religion in America with Caribbean origins, and Miguel De La Torre offers an informed and informative history of the beliefs, rituals and culture of Santeria in Santeria: The Beliefs And Rituals Of A Growing Religion In America. Santeria's Afro-Cuban roots are traced to cultural clashes, with its evolving spiritual roots receiving close explanation by an author who was reared in Santeria and clearly provides a basic understanding of its myths, rituals, and its modern role in both Latin and American communities today.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

No More Missionaries!
In the beginning I considered three stars and that the primary target readership would be non-RastafarI, to get merely informed, with however many shortcomings of this 1999 book. In that light, the book would have been rated more highly for RastafarI, as I-and-I would have seen through some non-overstandings of the book and actually gotten informed to a higher degree. As the book contragresses it becomes clear that the primary targets are Rastas I-n-Iselves after all - to get proselytized into churches. The book turns into a worse piece of anti-Rasta propaganda by the chapter and personally, I care for it as much as the lowest rating. However, having endured The Isis Papers: The Keys to the Colors recently, I should reserve that category for the indeed even much worse books with absolutely no shred of value whatsoever.

"Dread Jesus" does start somewhat promising for a non-authentic book, e.g. Rastas having corrected the first one to three chapters. Exactly: not the rest and that for a reason. The author avoids some of the usual mistakes and makes clear that Rastas may be of all skin colors, do not engage in dogmas and doctrines, but are everprogressing via reasonings and interviews some from outside Jamaica. Occasionally he's only descriptive, correcting some wrong assumptions afterwards.

There are some factual errors. Many influences converged to the Rasta use of the term "Jah". It is NOT a mistaken abbreviation for "Jahwe", even though the relationship is obvious. Many Rastas are currently not aware of it either: The ancient African, Judaism-preceding terminology refers to Jah, the female version of Jahwe. For details read The Africans Who Wrote the Bible. The latter is also one of the many books providing REAL knowledge that I-Yasus/Jesus was Black, as "Dread Jesus" provides only pseudo-knowledge to discredit the claim of knowledge. I may add, the skin color is irrelevant other than in correcting colonial propaganda. Important is the overstanding that Iverybody is Black. Many suffer from collective amnesia and that's making them White. No wonder "Dread Jesus" still speculates wether "Adam and Eve" where Black. The CONCEPT is White, the first humans of course were Black, if those are really referred to.

And now for the anti-Rasta propaganda hurled at Rastas. RastafarI would be derived from anything: Hinduism, Masonic Orders, German Rosicrucianism, Mormons, you name it, even a freaking UFO-sect link is averred. It is true that various branches of religion find their way to RastafarI and/or are partly compatible. Yet mostly not in the way and to the degree as described. Interesting is what the author omits: basically any African roots. He also forgets to mention that all of the supposed and real religious sources provided originate in Ancient Egyptian religion, which in turn is derived from Ethiopia.

The unsuspecting reader will get their prejudices confirmed. Any Rasta sightings would be drug induced nonsense (even providing a Bible quote supposedly against ganja, omitting the one in favor), Rasta theology equalling heretic paganism and that Rastas can't even speak and think cohesively. The author contrasts his formal thesaurus-ridden writings with the EXACT reproduction of his taped interviews with Rastas. For those who don't know: No interview with stars or politicians you read in a magazine are the literal words. (In contrast: Speeches are usually read fluently.) Many half-sentences etc. are transformed into a readable condition. Not here! In addition, the author fails to explain Patois and doesn't even mention Iyaric (few examples of you are reading in this review). The latter makes the grammar APPEAR to be a mess, e.g. when exchanging grammatical "they" with political "them". Fascinating to follow the continuum of the quotes' presented coherency according to how much the author agrees. Which he does most with the converts to a church. These are then paternalizingly described as the most astute or articulate Rastas. The others have to get "gently explained" to or given a "wise program of kind, caring, sympathetic instruction".

Dear William David Spencer, it isn't a matter wether you have integrated fancy words like "effervescing" in your active vocabulary, but wether your words mirror your mind. He is aware of that and uses selected standard Iyaric vocabulary like "overstand" and "downpress". Yet, he writes that two major streams "have come down" from RastafarI, which has moved "out of Christianity" etc. Almost funny is the very title of his book. Referring to I-Yasus with dreadlocks, he's actually headlining a catchy "Fear Jesus!". Or to be more precise: If you DREAD something which is going to happen or which may happen, you feel very unhappy and worried about it because you know or think that it will be very unpleasant. That's what the British-Jamaican slave buyers thought when catching a glimpse of the torture ships' cargo getting unloaded, resulting in the terms "dreadlocks". This author is still in dread today, dreading RastafarI philosophy, dreading "Jesus". Otherwise he wouldn't blind the Gnostic teachings of Christianity he is grossly misrepresenting. He would attempt to overstand I-Yasus' teachings better, the way many Rastas do. He wouldn't neglect the other standard Iyaric spelling of "RastafarI" with a capital I and Haile Selassie-I hyphenated to be pronounced not like a Roman numeral. For there's spirituality in the wording, like in "I-and-I".

A spirituality, the author is combating with all his might. His book largely is concerned with the questions to Rastas: Is Haile Selassie-I Jesus? Is H.I.M. God? Is Jesus God? Can God be a human? Reducing the concepts to worst possible, anti-mystic overstandings. Not sighting the universal mystic knowledge that EVERYTHING is Jah/God. That includes Haile Selassie-I, I-Yasus, William David Spencer, I ("me"), the I ("you" the reader), and the chair the I is sitting on. The questions of above are to be answered in accordance to the awareness of the respective humans referred to and those asked and to the function/destiny the former are meant to fullfill. With that in mind it becomes perfectly clear why Haile Selassie-I made it to be known - like I-Yasus did - that salvation is not to be expected to come from any one separated savior/God, but via a part of the savior/God making I-n-I overstand that the I-n-I (they, the saviors) are I-n-I ("us") as well. Therefore the salvation lies in "ourselves", once all the artificial separations have been eliminated in the mind's constructs. The author neglects to mention the sign of Divinity's descent into the world Haile Selassie-I is usually displaying with his hands on photographs and curiously doesn't wonder about the SELF-GIVEN nature of the name "Might of the Holy Trinity", even though talking about it in general a lot. And whoever claimed, Haile Selassie-I sent the Ethiopian Tewahedo Church to Jamaica to teach RastafarI? Ever thought about a vice versa teaching? H.I.M. "mysteriously" reformed every level of society in Ethiopia, why should he leave out the Church? I am almost sure, the author is happy to hear that today the very necessary purpose of Haile Selassie-I's supposed fall from power and execution has been sighted. There isn't the saying "Jah works in mysterious ways" for nothing. If it wouldn't seem mysterious at the time it happens, it wouldn't have been necessary to happen. It is supposed to be overstood later. Which has become possible for I-n-I limited humans some 30 years later.

Ironically, the author provides a lot of quotes from Haile Selassie-I, I-Yasus and RastafarI, but doesn't overstand them, otherwise he wouldn't attempt to use them as counter arguments. It isn't RastafarI who are ignorant to Haile Selassie-I as he claims, but he himself.

For a universal mystic overstanding read The Mystical Journey from Jesus to Christ and From Science to God: A Physicist's Journey into the Mystery of Consciousness. Then you will learn that it doesn't matter, which branch of religion opens the door to Jah/God/the universe/etc., be it Gnostic or Sufi teachings, Vedanta philosophy of Hinduism, Maat, science,...or RastafarI. My upwise for the author is: Do not waste your mind with the colonial missionary stunt. Would you overstand the mysticism of your branch of religion, you wouldn't blind yourself to the egoistic (= unholy) idea of having to forcefeed your branch's myths and rituals into others' throats. For it becomes obvious that the author is also afraid that if the churches won't proselytize RastafarI, Muslims would win the race. It is insulting to get degraded to subjects to get fought over for assimilation. The author wants to proselytize RastafarI under the umbrella of the Council of Nicaea. What he's omitting is that this council also was the measure against any Gnostic variations (i.e. against the universal knowledge of Oneness), in fact, against anything else than the absolute dogmas of the ultra-hierarchical church. Following that council, severe persecutions of any individually varying overstanding were blank chequed for centuries. The superficial concessions made to Rastas here are to be seen in the shadow of the integration of any branch of religion into Church Christianity in order to control everything and to neutralize any potential philosophical threat. At least, the (other) church pastor author of From Garvey to Marley: Rastafari Theology (History of African-American Religions) respected RastafarI and didn't attempt to proselytize. "Dread Jesus" is even referencing The Ethiopian Tewahedo Church: An Integrally African Church and Rastafari: For the Healing of the Nation in a continuously misleading way.

One last word: I am not impressed with any reggae star whatsoever "converting" into any church.I simply couldn't care less.

Anti-Rasta christian propoganda
I thought this would be a study in the overstanding of Selassie as Christ returned in His Kingly character. (The Messiah was prohesied as both a sacrificial lamb and and a righteous king, Iasu was the sacrificial lamb and Selassie the conquering lion).

Instead I was subjected to an underhanded subversion of Rasta theology. The book appears at first to be sympathetic to Rastafari but seeks in a round-about way to discredit InI. Check "Rastafarian Mysticism: An Introduction to the Mysteries of Nyahbinghi" for a more Rasta presentaion of Rasta theology.

DUBROOM.com Review
This is the book that I have been waiting for, for a very a long time, so I can't really express my hapiness with it's existance.
It is a must read for every Jesus Dread and others interested in the relationship between Rastafari and Christianity.

The writer explores "Rastafarian Christology", by analysing many reggae songs, interviewing many known and lesser known Rastafarians, and studying the history of Rastafari.

He finds out, that there are two main streams witin Rastafari, one is inspired by Hindu and esotherical teachings, while the other group is heading towards Christianity more and more, even to such an extend that brother William describes the possibility of a "Selassian Church", as a denomination next to Lutheran and the like.

Well documented and thoroughly investigated, this book is blessed to be a good source for forming your own opinnion.

I would reccommend it especially for those Christians that always were told, that all Rastafarians believe in Selassie as God, as it explains the various interpretations about Yesus Kristos that exist within the movement.

Dread Jesus also contains a testimoney from sistren Judy Mowatt, former member of Bob Marley & the Wailer's backing trio "the I-Threes". You can read how she described the process in her life that made her come to the conclusion that Selassie is not Yesus Kristos, and some struggles and blessings that she has experienced during these times.

This is one of the first Christian publications on Rastafari that does not contain the biast prejudice that you find so rampant in the Christian World. It's not yet another cheap description of a movement supposedly existing of weird herb smokers with long uncombed hair.

Haile Selassie's Christianity is described and studied. His relationship with the evangelical world, where well known Christian Evangelist Billy Graham invited His Majesty to open a congress in Berlin in 1966, an invitation accepted by Haile Selassie.

You can read portions of the speech that HIM held in front of 1000's of evangelical Christians, a speech not often quoted.

Good for reading, good for studying, good for meditation, good for having as resource, I want to big up this book for it can be a blessing for all Jesus Dreads worldwide.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The story of slave spirit possession in Togolese voodoo
Judy Rosenthal explains the Ewes' (pronounced Ev'he) cultural mobility as simultaneously a spiritual expression of African individuality and personhood. She argues that we must begin "with the knowledge that Eweculture travels and is traveling... Ewe personhood is a travelnarrative."The Ewe people lifestyle, material production andfamilial reproduction are all contingent on regular mobility but irregularmovement; from town to town, village to village, and from colonial anathema(a.k.a. Ghana & Togo) to post-colonial anathema. Spiritual productionis no exception to this; not only do Ewes move around Ewe-land fromgorovodu ceremony to Afa divination ritual, but the spirits they celebrateare those of the mobile: of northern slaves and of rural migrants.Moreover, her compelling analysis of Ewe slave-spirit possession guides thereader to the very un-Western possibility that, upon this culturalcontinuity in the form of celebrating slave ancestors, is dependent Ewe"individuation and individuality". Drawing on de Surgy , sheclaims Ewe individuation is more personal and unique than Westernindividualism, "yet never whole or completely separated from otherpersons, spirits and times"- pulling constantly on the spirits andcommunity memories of those whose lives were framed by mobility andmigration.This book has significantly influenced my own research andmethodology and is Highly Recommended to academics and novices/fetichists.Benjamin Nicholas LAWRANCE Stanford University ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

An Interesting Book, Good Primer on Vodou
Reginald Crosley's book has an interesting thesis, which is that the world of the Vodou loas (or Voudon, as he names them) is actually a real world, a parallel universe, which is the same universe as the world of "dark matter" explored by particle physicists.

Crosley's technique for advancing this argument is to explain first the findings of particle physics and the strange behavior of subatomic particles, their fuzzy relationship to time and space, and the existence of dark matter, and then to explain the world of Vodou.He then assumes the two worlds are the same world, while offering no evidence that this is the case.It is a clever act of sophistry.

But nevertheless the book is intriguing, offering a good explanation of the findings of particle physicists, as well as an excellent history of the creation of the religion of Haiti and the "gods" of its pantheon.He gives an excellent, and somewhat disturbing account of "adorcism", the crisis of possession that people attending Vodou ceremonies experience at the hands of the various Voudons, and a good overview of the relationship between the various sects of Vodou, both "good" and "bad".If you are looking for a good overview of the Vodou religion, this book contains it.

The book is always interesting, and is a neat hypothesis, even if his case is not compelling.I enjoyed the book immensely.

What a waste of paper
As a Vodou Houngan I read this book with expectations of it being the usual banter with only a marginal amount of information.What I found was something else entirely.A book that has false information in it and manages to have an author against Vodou.Calling it "hysterical nonsense" I believe was the term used.The author stated this near the end of the book.Please!...Unless you know A LOT about Vodou don't read this book.The Tao of Physics or Divine Horsemen are MUCH better alternatives.

A fine survey of quantum physics & Afro-Haitian mysticism.
Reginald Crosley's Vodou Quantum Leap draws some important connectionsbetween alternate realities and mysticism. It's unusual to find adiscussion of Afro-Haitian spirituality, modern science and East/Westspirituality written by a doctor: this provides a fine survey of quantumphysics, mysticism and spiritual worlds. ... Read more

Book Description
Tells how the spiritual descendents of African medicine men and sorcerers "lay tricks" and explains the hold these practices have had on their believers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Semi-complete Summary of American Voodoo and Hoodoo
Mr. Haskins does a great job of summarizing in brief the basic history of Vodou and it's journey from West African tribal society to the New World through the transportation of slaves.He also gives some contemporary accounts of voodoo and hoodoo as practiced in the USA and how it compares (more likely contrasts) with it's West African roots.It is incomplete in that he does not go into any great detail concerning the religious aspects of Vodou still practiced in the USA and concerns the bulk of the book with modern Hoodoo practices and conjures.Yet it is an informative and enjoyable read overall and I recommend it as long as the reader combines the information contained herein with more gleaned from other sources in order to better round out their understanding of this complex and vibrant tradition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

So-So
A simple overview of Voudou for the curious. There is one notable exception. Within the first few pages, Ms. Turlington (or Mr. as Shannon is both a man and woman's name) shows a picture of a practitioner at home with his three tiered altar all decorated up and reading his Bible. Then on the next page, the author mentions that anyone can set up a Voodoo Altar (which is true) however it is best to have an initiated Houngan or Manbo set it up for you or at the least have one of them bless it for you. That is very worthwhile advice!

I also noticed that the author is either an author or co-author of at least a dozen books on various subjects. Most of which are computer related. Makes me wonder if s/he is just another hack writer eke-ing out a living......???

do you voodoo
this book is brill. it goes into the religion and the does and donts itwas the best book i read on voodoo. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

the best introduction to Vodou I've read
This is a great little book, crammed with beautiful illustrations and bookended with documents and advice for further reading on this fascinating subject.It begins with a concise history of Haiti and the evolution of Vodou on the island, taking in the shifting attitudes of the Church and the secular authorities towards it, and goes on to give an informative, readable account of the cosmology, belief-system and practises of the religion itself.It is wonderfully bereft of any patronising tendencies, and up-to-date in its sources.It's a book about Vodou, and not (tho it quotes some Vodou invocations) for (aspirant) practitioners of the religion, but is an excellent - and affordably priced - introduction. ... Read more

Book Description
Rasta and Resistance is a study of the Rastafarian movement in all it's manifestations, from its evolution in the hills of Jamaica to its present manisfestations in the streets of Birmingham and Shashamane Settlement in Ethiopia.It traces the cultural, political and spiritual sources of this movement of resistance, hightlighting the quest for change among an oppressed people.This book serves to break the intellectual traditions which placed the stamp of millenarianism on Rasta. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Rastafari as a Marxist/Political Movement
This book is as much about Marxist theory as it is about Rastafarianism, which isn't necessarily a bad thing unless you're not as interested in the former as in the latter.Rodney's objective is to couch the origins of theRastafarian movement in that of proletariat class struggle.However, heprovides little evidence to demonstrate a definitive link between the two. Rodney convincingly shows that Rasta developed as a means for thedescendants of African slaves to positively identify with Africa and herpeople, as opposed to the white king of England.Insofar as this movementdeveloped among blacks who constituted the mass of Jamaica's populace andwho were working-farming poor - than Rasta may be considered a proletarianmovement.However, Rodney provides no evidence that the early Rastaleaders consciously understood their struggle as a "class struggle" as thatphrase is understood in the Marxist lexicon. The evidence suggests onlythat they sought to empower the mass of "sufferers" by seeking topositively identify with Africa and the African King - Haile Selassie I. The discussion of Rastafarianism in a political, social, economic andcultural context is so pervasive as to make one forget that practitionersconsider Rastafari a religion.Indeed, Rodney provides no information onthe central tenants, philosophy or rites of Rastafari as a religion. Rodney seeks to dismiss those Rasta who believe in the divinity of Selassieas misguided victims of Coptic propaganda.This conclusion reinforcesRodney's objective to posit Rastafari as a viable political movement forchange and Rodney provides enough evidence to make this conclusioncredible.Moreover, showing the political aspects of Rastafari allowsthose who may not necessarily believe in the divinity of Selassie to becomeinvolved in the movement. Despite the Marxist overtones and lack ofreligious information, the book still deserves a good rating.Independentof the Marxist analysis the book provides great factual and historicalinformation about the resistance of Africans and their descendents againstslavery, colonialism and neocolonialism in the Caribbean and crediblydepicts Rasta as a form of resistance.Indeed, if you aren't seeking abetter understanding of Rastafari as a religion than this book is wellworth the money.In this vein of resistance Marcus Garvey is prominentlyfeatured.The book contains an excellent chapter on the role of reggaemusic in spreading the Rasta's culture of resistance and ends with athought-provoking discussion of repatriation, ultimately concluding thatAfricans and their descendants must struggle to change their conditionswherever they find themselves.

The Century's Most Provocative Historiographer!!!
I had the privilege of "awakening" under the masterful stewardship of Dr. Horace Campbell.He is no longer teaching in Tanzania, but spent many years cultivating and producing great thinkers in Zimbabwe,where I met him.Since then, he has continued his tenureship statesidereturning to Syracuse University in 1996.Exposing yourself to an essay,article or book by Dr. Campbell will provide interesting and compellingrealizations of African and Caribbean political histories.

A Very Good Book On The Black History Of The Carribean
History teaches a lot about the Black struggles here in the United States, but you hardly find any books about slavery and Black struggles in the Carribean and South America. Rasta and Resistance talks about thebeginnings of the slave trade, slavery in Brazil, the Haitian Revolutionand Toussaint L'Ouverture, Walter Rodney, Rastafarianism, ska and reggaemusic, and Black struggles in Great Britain. A great book for those wantingto learn more about the lost chapters of slavery and Black struggles. ... Read more