Ritual: Power, Healing and Community : The African Teachings of the Dagara (Echoes of the Ancestors)

The stories within these books have the poignancy of new discoveries as well as the unworn imagination of the ancestors. The commentary has the sharp edge of modern thought and the intricacy which results from the intellect being woven through the ritual complexities of tribal life. The purpose of constructing thresholds that bring this world together is to find the powers that can heal the rends in tribal as well as modern communities.? —Michael Meade, from the Introduction. Versed in the languages of psychology, comparative literature, as well as ancient mythology, healing, and divination, Malidoma Patrice Some bridges paths between the ancient tribal world of the West African Dagara culture and modern Western society. Ritual is written with wild imagination, careful critical reflection, and intuitive insights that will force the reader to encounter the world anew. Since time out of mind, ritual has been the public expression of private beliefs. It makes use of pageantry and familiarity to confirm the individual's commitment to the group. Grief rituals serve as a prototype for an intensive examination of the uses and dangers of traditional ritual practice. The author not only examines the purpose of various rituals, but describes how they are performed.