Liber II · Ancient Magic
Chapter I
African Diasporic Religions
7 min readAbakuá: Cuba's Leopard Society and Its Cross River RootsAbakuá, Cuba's all-male initiatory society: its Ekpe leopard origins in Calabar, the Sikán myth, íreme dancers, anaforuana signs, persecution and modern life.7 min readAfrican Diasporic Religions: Vodou, Santería, Candomblé and MoreA guide to African diasporic religions: Haitian Vodou, Santería, Candomblé, Palo and Umbanda, their West and Central African roots, beliefs and history.7 min readBolsas de Mandinga: Afro-Atlantic Amulets and the InquisitionBolsas de mandinga, protective pouches of the Portuguese Atlantic: their prayers and contents, the 'closed body', Inquisition trials and legacy in Brazil.7 min readMinkisi: Kongo Sacred Medicines, Nkondi and the DiasporaKongo minkisi explained: sacred medicine containers, the nganga, nail-studded nkisi nkondi figures, colonial collecting and their echoes in the Americas.8 min readThe Kongo Cosmogram: Dikenga, the Kalunga Line and the DebateThe Kongo cosmogram (dikenga) explained: the kalunga line, the four moments of the sun, Kongo crosses, its diaspora echoes and the scholarly debate about it.
Forthcoming in this chapter
1- Greek Mystery Religions: Meaning, History and Practice