Pointed out the temptation of historians to set aside religious motivations for mission because 'we live in an era that is not thus motivated'. Rejects social upgrading as a motivation for missionaries
117 p., Literary scholars frequently analyze the allusions to Western Christianity apparent in Toni Morrison's novels, but these studies overlook the ways in which some of her novels are informed by a Caribbean presence. This study argues that Rastafari themes, symbols, and ideologies are recurrent in Toni Morrison's Tar Baby, Beloved, and Song of Solomon. Rastafari is a social movement primarily concerned with restoring the image of Africa to a holy place. A Rastafari analysis of these texts broadens the literary spectrum to suggest that these novels highlight Morrison's attempt to write about the multifaceted element of the black community, which remains deeply connected to its American, African, and Caribbean roots.
African American Research Center, Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Notes:
302 p, Contents: Paradise Island -- Domination and resistance in Jamaican history -- Ethiopianism in Jamaica -- Beliefs, rituals, and symbols -- An ambivalent routinization -- Dissonance and consonance -- After Selassie : the Rastafarians since 1975 -- Where go the Rastafarians?
The article discusses the oral histories of the Arará people in Perico and Agramonte, Cuba, and their roots in African cultural practices. The spiritual Arará religion is discussed. Emphasis is placed on similarities between African and Arará dances, social memory, and communication with the dead. Various Arará deities and religious objects are discussed. Many practitioners of the religion believe such objects came from Africa. Many of the oral stories revolve around the experiences of both African slaves and freed people at the España sugar refinery. It is believed the Arará people are descended from the African Ewe and Fon people, and therefore are strongly influenced by their religious customs.
Examines the relations between the state and the church in the Dominican Republic during three distinct phases. Relations during the First Republic from 1844 to 1861; Spanish annexation 1861-1865; Early period of the Second Republic from 1865 to 1879; Policy implications.;
