Review by Choice Review
Anthropologist Castor (Texas A&M) addresses the articulation of sacred power in the African diaspora and adumbrates ways of creating identity and/or belonging within local communities, nations, and transnational groups. The author deftly describes the ritual practices of African-based religions in the African diaspora and highlights the role of international conferences in the formation of religious identity. Additionally, she successfully relates the contemporary Orisa movement in Trinidad to the 1970s Trinidad black power movement. The Orisa religion, Castor contends, unites people in a series of global relations because African American spiritual experiences are "always also globally informed." Chapter 2 explores the entrance of the Orisa religion into the public sphere. Chapters 3 and 4 analyze everyday cultural performances, ranging from annual carnival celebrations to limin' (hanging out). Castor does an outstanding job of portraying the flow of ritual and ritual performance. Chapter 5 provides a detailed examination of a single Trinidad festival (Asewele), which, Castor convincingly argues, illustrates Trinidadians' increasing exposure to ritual knowledge from Africa. Castor underscores the importance of international conferences in the formation of religious identity. This volume contains numerous high-quality back-and-white and color photographs, a glossary, and a useful (and accurate) listing of major Trinidad Orisa and their attributes. Summing Up: Highly recommended. General collections, graduate students, and faculty. --Stephen D. Glazier, Yale University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
