African religion is ancestor worship; it revolves around the dead, now thought to be alive and well in heaven (the Samanadzie) and propitiated by the living on earth. For the Akan, the ancestors' stool is the emblem of the ancestors (Nananom Nsamanfo). Led by their kings and queen mothers as living ancestors, the Akan periodically propitiate the ancestors' stools housing their ancestors. In return, the ancestors and deities influence the affairs of...

This book by Miguel De La Torre offers a fascinating guide to the history, beliefs, rituals, and culture of Santería, a religious tradition that, despite persecution, suppression, and its own secretive nature, has close to a million adherents in the United States alone. Santería is a religion with Afro-Cuban roots, rising out of the cultural clash between the Yoruba people of West Africa and the Spanish Catholics who brought them to the Americas...

The writings of Joseph Epes Brown are, considered amongst the most important studies on the North American Indian undertaken in the twentieth century. His works have been, translated into numerous languages and are helping to re-ignite interest in the American Indian religious tradition. The Spiritual Legacy of the American Indian: Commemorative Edition, not only presents his works on the fundamental and universal characteristics of the American Indian...

El Popol Vuh tiene un indudable interés literario, por su rica imaginería y por ser una obra que contempla la cultura maya preexistente. El Popol Vuh que hoy conocemos fue escrito tras la Conquista en lengua quiché con grafía castellana por indígenas cristianizados. Algunos estudiosos indican que uno de los posibles autores del Popol Vuh es Diego Reinoso. Y se cree que se redactó entre 1554 y 1558, en la antigua capital de los quichés, Gumarkaaj...

The words of Thomas Yellowtail, a revered Sun Dance chief of the Crow Indian tribe, are brought to life by the internationally known, American Indian actor, Gordon Tootoosis. The book is, illustrated with over 100 previously unpublished color and sepia photographs from as early as 1903 and traditional American Indian motifs. Also included, are interviews with prominent Indian leaders, advice to American Indian youth, and special features on traditional...

El Chilam Balam de Chumayel (o el libro del adivino de las cosas ocultas) es una colección de libros escritos en lengua maya, por personajes anónimos, durante los siglos XVI y XVII, en la península de Yucatán. Los libros del Chilam Balam relatan hechos y circunstancias históricas de la civilización maya antes de la conquista española. Durante la época colonial, los misioneros católicos españoles destruyeron la mayor parte de los escritos...

Ojise: Messenger of the Yoruba Tradition is a journal of the day-to-day activities and rituals that Karade encountered in his quest for priesthood in the Yoruba religion. Embedded in this journal are the very emotions, ideas and changes in his psyche-and the healing of soul - that occurred on this journey. Karade explains the significance of the spiritual pilgrimage for people of all faiths.

This commemorative edition contains for the first time Seton's drawings of American Indian motifs, a selection of photographs illustrating his life, information about his role as founder of the Boys Scouts of America.

In this book Tresphor Mutale critically examines contemporary African Christianity through the leadership from prophets, men of God, pastors, seers and more. The book looks at the rationality of apparently irrational religious expressions and experiences in the name of religion. It analyses the irrationalities using the spectacles of African Traditional Religions (ATR), especially with respect to the importance of rituals. From the vantage point of...

The present book is an outcome of the in-depth study of the backward communities and backward classes in India through the primary and secondary sources. The authors of the book have, made an attempt to go through the genesis of the emergence of backward classes in India, and also, have discussed various backward communities in general in India. Special attempt has been, made to look into the backward classes in Assam. The government policy related...