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Rating: 
Summary: Rambling, incisive account of Mutwa's life journey
Review: In this monograph are contained a plethora of poetic nuggets expressing wisdom and power. Though Mr. Mutwa fairly skims over a lot of territory, at critical junctures he dips into the fountainhead of traditional and experiential knowledge which he has become heir to during his long life. There are items of spiritual knowledge that I came into contact with while studying to take initiations from Peruvian shamans of the High Altiplano eight or so years ago, which I found echoed in rather precise detail here. I have never seen them anywhere else. And this book was only published a couple of years ago. Please note that there are less than 100 pages of actual written text (the rest of the book is filled with lots of color photos of his giant sculptural work and various other photos of his environs, himself, his friends and relatives. On the CD (also 5 stars): "Call of the Sacred Drums" 1:48 [inspired, traditional Zulu drumming/singing, medium tempo] "The Incredible Credo Mutwa" 4:11 [speech honoring Mutwa, by Otsile Ntsoan, in English and Zulu: very beautiful & inspiring] "Nduli" 2:11 [traditional Zulu drumming/homophonic choral singing, medium tempo] "Isindawo" 3:43 [traditional Zulu drumming/homophonic choral singing, medium tempo] "My Initiation Story" 38:29 [Mutwa tells part of his story, mentioning the severe purification practices one must undergo, and ritual dancing, 'kundalini' experiences, astral travel, unity consciousness and beyond, development of compassion and experiences of ecstasy, distant sensing. Note that this story is transcribed as part of the text of the book.] "Umtchongola" 3:04 [traditional up-tempo Zulu dance drumming] "Makhosi Asevukile" 2:59 [traditional Zulu homophonic choral singing with drum accompaniment, slow tempo] "Sele" 3:27 [traditional Zulu dance drumming/singing; with a long, very slow recitative sung as an introduction, punctuated with drum rolls; and with a similar postlude] "Blessing by Vusamazulu" 6:31 "African Friends" 3:05 (lighthearted music & lyrics by Keeney, in American folk-pop style, sung by the Wade Sisters)
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