African Spirits Speak: A White Woman's Journey into the Healing Tradition of the Sangoma

Rating:
Summary: Very peculiar book
Review: As a Woman of Color, I'm not sure what to make of this affluent and educationally priviledged white woman's 'journey' to South Africa and its healing tradition. Self-congratulation at the expense of discerning the structuring of Difference seems to be the keynote here. But I suppose the 'Heart of Darkness' fantasy/nightmare lives on in a contemporary hypocrisy; yet it is not usually so grotesque as it appears here. The tremendous courage and intelligence of other theorists, especially of course African American writers but also a few white writers, who write on Africa and its glorious tradition, remains a great Spiritual resource for me. This book most certainly does not number among the books which I would recommend to the young African Americans that I teach. I would have wished that this white author had examined the incredibly insightful bell hooks and other important writers' books for an *intelligent* perspective on contemporary African discourse.

Rating:
Summary: Remarkable. I couldn't put it down.
Review: I started browsing this book and couldn't put it down until I read every word. What a brave and fascinating adventure story. What a insightful and honest look into the sacred Sangoma tradition. An absolute "must read" for anyone interested in indigenous spirituality and culture. I loved it!

Rating:
Summary: Thank you for writing this book
Review: Thank you so much for writing this book. Thank you for revealing your personal journey so tenderly, so honestly, honoring your western influence and yet opening to the mysteries of the unknown and yet familiar. Thank you for reminding me of the Great Web, the weaver and the thread. Thank you for this book that sits in my lap urging me to continue following my own path of healing.