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The Way of the Elders: West African Spirituality & Tradition

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Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
List Price: $15.95
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Co-authored by a West African native raised in the Mande tradition, this book offers rare and authentic insight into the spirituality of West Africa. From mythology to herbal healing, you'll get an exclusive glimpse into a fascinating culture. Offerings, charms, shamans and their functions, the importance of wildlife, and the four elements of nature are discussed in detail.


DESCRIPTION:

Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 299.696
EAN: 9780738706269
ISBN: 0738706264
Label: Llewellyn Publications
Manufacturer: Llewellyn Publications
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 216
Publication Date: 2004-11-01
Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
Studio: Llewellyn Publications


SIMILAR ITEMS:

• The Spirit of Intimacy: Ancient African Teachings in the Ways of Relationships
• Healing Wisdom of Africa
• Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman (Arkana)
• Ritual: Power, Healing and Community
• Griots and Griottes: Masters of Words and Music (African Expressive Cultures)


CUSTOMER REVIEWS:

Customer Rating:
Summary: Taken out of Context
Comment: please pay no mind to kaioatey's comments. The book is meant to discuss the spiritual aspect of West African (particularly Mande) culture. It is not a book about divination or sorcery. Kaioatey's comments are ignorant for several reasons.
1. Using Benin as an example is ridiculous because Benin is over a thousand miles away from the Mande region, which is the focus of this book.
2. West African religions are not anymore preoccupied with harming neighbors than any other religion. Many other religions justify destruction of neighbors like Yahweh's destruction of Canaan and all the first born sons of Egypt or Mohammed's forceful conversion of the Middle East in the name of Allah or the Hindu doctrine of caste systems--did the same thing to a much greater extent. This is a small part of the religion practiced by a small group within it and should not be considered the focus; just as it would not be appropriate to judge a book discussing the spirituality of Islam or Christianity because it did not talk about the damaging effects these religions had because of their expansionist approach. Just the same, just because some West Africans may misuse the religion as other cultures misuse their religion, it should not be a part of the spiritual canon of what the religion stands for. Not to mention many of the Western ideas of West African religion and use of sorcery are COMPLETELY misuderstood and inaccurate.
Customer Rating:
Summary: good reading
Comment: This is a nice book that covers many basic aspects of life among the Wolof and Fulani (Fulbe), West African peoples living in today's Senegambia, Mali and Burkina Faso. The book covers the basics of beliefs, rituals, family life, spirits etc. in an open-hearted and simple manner. Lots of little details about plants, animals, initiation, relationships with the elders, village life, music in this book.

On the down side, the authors have striven to show only the best aspects of the village life and the book appears somewhat aseptic. West African villages (like villages anywhere in the world) are rife with envy, greed, sorcery and conflict between people, families, clans, villages and tribes. Africans, well-known masters of 'witchcraft', are spending inordinate amounts of material and time resources on protecting and attacking fellow villagers. Or as a buddy of mine from Togo says, "fixin' things." Benin/Dahomey, from which originates most of what is known today as vodou, is just next door. There is no mention of these practices in the book, as if West Africans lived in lovey dovey New Age communes. Nor are there real life stories of actual people in the book, or what in my opinion is the greatest minus of the book, do we read about experiences and personal beliefs of the authors themselves.

Nevertheless, i recommend the book, as it shows how integrated community life is into ancestral patterns and spiritual frameworks in West Africa.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Ashe!
Comment: Its nice to see a good book published by Llewellyn for once. The author has written a simple and beautiful book for anyone interested in traditional African spirituality. The book is very well organized, and provides information on many aspects of of African spirituality as practiced in African, the Carribean, and the Americas. Highly reccomended for someone just starting out on this path.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Jewel
Comment: The Way of the Elders: West African Spirituality and Tradition by the Doumbia's is a little jewel. Written in a very concise way, "The Way of the Elders" contains the wise voice of an African proverb. The no-nonsense, easy to relate to style the couple uses is inviting and does a great deal to put West African Spiritual tradition in perspective amidst other traditions of indigenous people around the world. The topic itself, West African Spirituality and Traditions, is immense and only beginning to be told by various authors. I have a feeling there is a lot more lurking under the surface of this book. I hope in future books the Doumbia's will be able to share and reveal more about the fascinating Bamana, Fulani,and Wolof cultures.
Customer Rating:
Summary: a touching, creative overview
Comment: The Way of the Elders has all the elements of a great book: it tells good stories, imparts cultural information, and inspires personal improvement. It is a primer on West Africa showing how spirituality is interwoven with everyday life; the two are not spoken of separately the way they often are in the western world.

The voices are both personal and scholarly. Whether you want a thorough introduction to the lives, work, artistry, and storytelling of West Africans or you just want to enjoy a lovely read, this is an excellent choice.

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