REL 328: RELIGIONS OF THE AFRICAN DIASPORA
OUTSIDE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENTS: FALL 2011
Atlantic Slavery: The Middle Passage
PLEASE CHOOSE ONLY ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
Option A:
Watch the PBS documentary
"Africans in America, Volume I: The Terrible Transformation" (on
reserve at the Circulation desk of the library) and write a four-page review
essay discussing how the film integrates and/or illustrates the course
materials. Your essay should NOT be a summary of the film. Rather, you should
think about how the film adds to, deepens or challenges your understanding of
slavery and American history. Be as specific as possible and use concrete
examples to illustrate your points. In your essay, you should specifically
address the following questions:
1. What made the enslavement of
Africans in the 17th century different from previous forms of slavery? Discuss
how the definition of who could be legally enslaved changed over time with the
enactment of individual laws. How did these various laws transform the nature
of slavery?
2. How were the lives of indentured servants
and slaves different? How was this correlated to race?
3. What did you learn from the film?
What surprised or moved you?
(75 points)
DUE: SEPTEMBER 14
Option B:
Spend some time looking at the paintings
in "The Middle Passage: White Ships/Black Cargo" by Tom Feelings (on
2 hour reserve at the Circulation desk of the library). On a sheet of paper,
please record your immediate responses to the paintings: emotional and
otherwise, without censoring yourself or trying to organize your thoughts. How do the paintings make you feel?
List these feelings in the order in which they occur to you, whatever they may
be. Try not to think too much with your rational mind, but to experience the
paintings on their own terms.
After you have recorded your immediate
responses, begin to engage your intellectual self by answering the following
questions in a four-page essay:
1. What do the paintings convey about
the experience of the Middle Passage?
2. Based on what we have read for our
class, do you find these paintings accurate in their details? Why or why not?
Give specific examples to support your answer.
3. Do the paintings convey something
different from the scholarly treatments of the slave trade that we have been
reading? Or do they communicate a similar set of information? Give specific
examples.
4. Can these paintings be considered an
"historically accurate" account of slavery in the same way that
scholars consider other documents, such as a ship's log or the records of a
slave trader, to be historical? Why or why not?
5. Why do you think it was important
to Feelings to create these paintings, so long after the events that they
depict? Some have argued that slavery is long gone and neither Feelings nor his
grandparents or great-grandparents experienced slavery, so why revisit old
history?
Include the list of your immediate
responses with your essay.
(75 points)
DUE: SEPTEMBER 14
Option C:
Watch the film "Sankofa" (on
reserves at the library's circulation desk) and write a four-page essay
discussing how the film integrates and/or illustrates the course materials.
"Sankofa" is an Akan word that means one must return to the past in
order to move forward.
Pay particular attention to what the
film has to say about the issues of the past, slavery, rebellion, relations
between masters and slaves, relations among slaves, as well as the loss of
family, traditions, and ancestors that slavery represented, and the importance
of religion as both a justification for slavery and a way to endure (or rebel
against) it. Make specific links to what we have been reading or discussing in
class. Your essay should NOT be a plot summary of the film--rather, I am
looking for a thoughtful reflection that makes connections between the film and
the course materials. There are many ways to go about this. One way would be to
write about how the film as a whole treats the experience of slavery. How is
the Middle Passage and the experience of slavery represented in the film? What
is the role of religion (both Christianity and traditional African
spirituality) in the film? How does the film portray African rituals,
traditions of African storytelling and an African sense of supernatural or
spiritual powers? Another way would be to focus on the main characters and
their experiences. How did the system of slavery itself create divisions among
the enslaved? What is the main character's journey in the course of the film?
What is the significance of the filmÕs title and why is it important to
"return to the past in order to move forward"?
(75 points)
DUE: SEPTEMBER 14
Option D;
This assignment has two parts. Please
complete them in order.
Part I. White slave owners often
claimed that slavery was a benevolent institution in that it: a) enabled
Africans to become Christians and therefore eligible for eternal life; and b)
served to care for blacks who otherwise were incapable of surviving due to
their "primitive" cultural level (this is sometimes called
"benevolent patriarchy"). For example, Thomas Jefferson, one of the
authors of the Declaration of Independence ("we hold these truths to be
self-evident that all men are created equal...") counseled a fellow
Virginia planter not to free his slaves because they would not be able to care
for themselves.
Nevertheless, the problem of runaway
slaves was an acute one throughout the slave period, despite restrictive laws
prohibiting slaves from being taught to read and write, assembling in groups,
or having their own religious services outside of white supervision.
Why do you think that slaves tried to
run away, often from the only home that they had ever known? On a sheet of
paper, list some of the reasons that you think might have prompted slaves to
flee.
After you have done this, you are
ready for the second half of this assignment.
Part II. Go to the website: http://www.vcdh.virginia.edu/gos/index.html
Read "About the Project" (a
small link in the lower right hand corner of the home page). Spend at least one
hour (or more) getting to know the site and browsing the advertisements. Note
that you can perform a number of searches in order to find out specific details
about runaway slaves. The full-text search option will allow you to combine
search words. You should examine no less than 20 advertisements, noting any
similarities among them.
Using the resources of the site,
please answer the following questions. Be as specific as possible and include
concrete examples to support your answers:
1. Based on your research, what were
the main reasons that slaves ran away? Use concrete data to support your
conclusions (i.e. percentages, etc.)
2. How old were most runaways? What
was the percentage of male runaways versus female?
3. Did runaways tend to have special
skills, such as a trade or literacy? What percentage of runaways had special
skills?
4. What circumstances or conditions
might favor a runaway? How might a slave be successful in running away? Discuss
specific examples that you found.
Please type up your answers in the
form of a four-page essay. The final paragraph of your essay should address the
following issues: What conclusions do you draw about run away slaves? Do these
conclusions support the white rationale for slavery? Do they support the list you
made in Part I?
(50-100 points)
DUE: SEPTEMBER 14
Haiti and Vodou: Overview
Option A:
Watch the film "Voodoo and the
Church in Haiti" (on reserves at the library circulation desk) and write a
4-page review discussing how the film integrates and/or illustrates the course
materials. Be as specific as possible and use concrete examples to illustrate
your points. Your essay should NOT be a summary of the film. Rather, you should
think about how the film adds to, deepens or challenges your understanding of Haitian
history and religion.
(75 points)
DUE: SEPTEMBER 19
Vodou Cosmology: The Lwa
Option A:
Using at least two of the resources
listed below, write a 4-page essay about some aspect of Haitian vodou that
interests you. For example, your essay might consider the African roots of
vodou; the history of vodou in Haiti; the popular misconceptions of vodou; the
artistic tradition of vodou; the importance of the lwa; etc.
NOTE: this is a research
project and you must demonstrate that you have done sufficient research beyond
the course materials in your essay. Do not consult other sources without my
permission.
Resources:
1. any of the suggested readings for
the unit on Haiti
2. Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou
(on reserve at the circulation desk of the library)
3. Joseph Murphy, Working the
Spirit (on reserve at the circulation desk of the library)
4. Vodou websites on tools tab of
Oncourse
5. VodouArt_FlashSpirit (under
Additional Readings tab)
6. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/alabaster/A1019666
7. http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/vodou/index.html
(100-150 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 12
Divine Horsemen
Option A:
Have you ever had a profound spiritual
experience, a moment when you felt that you came in direct contact with the
superhuman realm, however you define it? Write a 4-page essay describing your
experience, addressing the following questions explicitly:
1) What were the circumstances of the
experience? What did it feel like? What was going on in your life at the time?
2) Compare and contrast that
experience with Maya Deren's experience of "white darkness." Do you
find these experiences to be similar in certain ways or totally different, and
why?
3) What is the role of religion in
making sense of these experiences, your own and that of Deren?
(50 points)
DUE: SEPTEMBER 28
In Search of the Zombie
Option A:
Hollywood has produced dozens of
popular "zombie" films, most available on Netflix or your local
library. This assignment asks you to watch one or more zombie movies and
analyze them in a 4-page paper, using what you have learned in this class.
Your analysis should NOT be a plot
summary--rather, I am looking for a thoughtful critique of the conventions of
zombie movies and what these reveal about American culture and
prejudices. In your essay, address
the following questions:
1)
Why do you think that the idea
of the zombie is so appealing to Americans?
2)
How is the American conception
of the zombie different from the Haitian?
Be as specific as possible in discussing the differences and any
similarities you observe.
3)
What cultural fears or issues
do you think that the zombie represents for Haitians on the one hand and
Americans on the other?
Here is a link to one list of zombie
movies (note that it is a dated list, nothing appears after 1990):
http://www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/43a/127.html
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 10
Zombi as a Cultural Phenomenon
PLEASE CHOOSE ONLY ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
OPTIONS:
Option A:
This assignment asks you to watch Wes
Craven's film version of Wade Davis' book, also entitled "The Serpent and
the Rainbow." (Note: the library does not have a copy of this film, but it
should be available at your local library or on Netflix).
Using what you have learned about
Haiti, vodou and zombies, as well as Davis' book, write a 4-page critical
analysis of the film. Your paper
should NOT be a plot summary; rather I am interested in a thoughtful critique
of the film that explicitly draws upon what we have been reading and discussing
in class. Pay close attention to how vodou, Haiti and zombies are portrayed in
the film. In what specific ways is the film different from DavisÕ book?
Why do you think there are such differences between the book and the movie?
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 10
Option B:
This assignment asks you to read the
following four (brief) criticisms of Wade Davis' book:
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/bookreviews/davisrev.htm
http://www.webster.edu/~corbetre/haiti/bookreviews/davis2.htm
http://www.iupui.edu/~womrel/Daviscritique.pdf
http://www.iupui.edu/~womrel/Daviscritique2.pdf
Choose ONE of the following options:
1. You are charged with defending Wade
Davis from his critics. In a 4-page refutation, outline Mr. Davis' responses to
at least three of what you take to be the most salient criticisms. To the best
of your ability, you should adopt Davis' perspective in your refutation,
whether you personally agree with it or not.
2. In a 4-page paper, summarize the
main points of Davis' critics. How have these criticisms changed your own
understanding of the book and/or of the phenomenon of zombies?
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 10
Option C:
This assignment asks you to read Zora
Neale HurstonÕs description of her experiences with zombies in Haiti in the
1930s and a short story by Neil Gaiman and to answer the following questions. The
readings are located in the Additional Assigned Readings tab of Oncourse
(Hurston, ÒZombiesÓ and Gaiman, ÒBitter GroundsÓ).
1) Based on the Hurston reading what
is the Haitian understanding of the Zombie? What are the main characteristics
of Haitian Zombies? What kinds of activities are associated with Zombies?
2) If we consider the zombie as both a
legendary figure (like the Vampire, Sasquatch, or fairies, ogres, etc.) and
also as a metaphoric symbol of a particular peopleÕs history
and fears, what do you think that the Zombie might symbolically express for
Haitians--for example, what might the idea of a soulless laborer who toils endlessly
for the benefit of another mean in the context of Haitian history?
3) How is the Zombie of American
movies different from the Haitian idea of the Zombie?
4) Notice the opening line of Neil
GaimanÕs story ÒBitter Grounds.Ó In the course of the story, Gaiman plays with
the Haitian figure of the Zombie to explore the metaphoric meaning of Òthe
living deadÓ in a contemporary, American context. What do you think that the
zombi figure represents in this story—that is, what might this
particularly American version of the zombi symbolize on a metaphoric level?
What do you make of the storyÕs ending? Why is the main character unable to
taste anything? What do you think is the significance of the bitter coffee that
recurs throughout the story?
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 10
Santeria Cosmology: The Orishas
Option A:
Read at least ONE (or more) of the
following articles that give profiles of different Afro-diasporan
Orishas/Orixas (all are located under the Additional Readings tab):
a) AfroCubanOrisha.pdf
b) Orishas_profiles_Santeria.pdf
c) Thompson_Flash of the Spirit-1.pdf
(the profiles begin on page 11)
d) Omari_Yemanja.pdf
e) Tunkara_Yemoja.pdf
f) Wafer_Tempo_Taste of blood.pdf
Based on your reading, prepare a short
(5-7 minute) class presentation about one of these deities, describing to the
class the characteristics and ritual attributes of the oricha/orix‡ and how he
or she is venerated. If you choose to do this option, please let me know well in advance so that I can put aside
some time for your presentation.
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 24
Santeria Rituals
PLEASE CHOOSE ONLY ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
Option A:
This assignment asks you to read ONE
of the following year-long diaries written by Santeria initiates or iyawos
during the course of their initiations:
a) http://www.angelfire.com/my/IyawoExperience/
Or:
b) http://yearinwhite.wordpress.com/about/
(in this version you have to click on
each month to see the diary entries).
After reading all of the diary entries
from one of the sites listed above, please write a 4-page essay in which you
reflect on the information about Santeria contained in the diary, making
explicit connections with the course materials wherever possible. Although you
are free to write about whatever connections that you see, you might think
about the following themes:
a) the orishas: what is the
significance of the different orishas for this initiate? How do the various
orishas help him to understand his own personality and events in his life? How
does he experience or relate to the orishas? Give specific examples from the
diaries to support your points.
b) the structure of the religious
community or ile: note the role of
fictive kinship in determining the names and positions of members of the
initiateÕs ile. What relationships does this initiate have with other members
of his community? Do these change over time? Give specific examples from the
diaries to support your points.
c) the rituals: what other rituals
does this initiate go through? What taboos accompany these rituals? Give
specific examples from the diaries to support your points.
d) prejudice: What kinds of prejudice
and misunderstanding does he encounter as he moves through through the world as
a newly made iyawo? Give specific examples from the diaries to support your
points.
e) personal experience: what
challenges does this iyawo face and what lessons does he learn as the months go
by? Why do you think that he wants to become initiated? How does it change him?
Give specific examples from the diaries to support your points.
Alternatively, you can present your
findings to the class instead of writing a 4-page essay. If you choose to do a
class presentation, please let me know at
least a week beforehand so I can set aside some time in class.
(100 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 26
Option B:
Read Brown, ÒThrones of the OrichasÓ
(under the Additional Readings tab) and write a 4-page essay answering the
following questions:
Note: the religion of Santeria is
often called La Regla de Lucumi or
simply Lucumi (Lucumi was the word
for the Yoruba peoples used in Cuba).
1) What is the purpose of these
thrones? On what specific occasions are thrones built and why?
2) The author argues that the thrones,
implements, and traditions associated with Santeria in Cuba are unique, New
World creations that synthesize elements from different traditions. Using a
specific example, discuss the African and European influences of your chosen example.
3) One aspect that all Afro-diasporan
religions have in common is the centrality of the body. What is the
significance of the body in Santeria? How is it prepared and adorned to
manifest a particular oricha?
4) Where religions of the book explain
their theologies—their conceptions of the universe and sacred
powers—in textual form, Afro-diasporan religions express their theologies
in ritual and material objects. Based on this reading, what are some of the
theological ideas expressed in Santeria? Discuss a specific example.
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 26
Divination
Option A:
Read the suggested reading for this
unit (*Mason, ÒImagining PowerÓ) and write a 4-page essay answering the
following questions:
1) Why does the author think that the
term ÒsyncretismÓ is not adequate for understanding Santeria?
2) According to the author, how are
ache and ritual connected in the Santeria worldview? For example, how is ache
channeled, directed, manifested or intensified through ritual practices?
Discuss a concrete example to support your answer.
3) What are ebos and how do they
relate to divination, on the one hand, and ashe, on the other?
(75 points)
DUE: OCTOBER 31
Candomble: Overview
PLEASE CHOOSE ONLY ONE OF THE
FOLLOWING OPTIONS:
Option A:
Watch the film "Bahia, Africa in
the Americas" (on reserves at the library circulation desk) and write a
4-page essay discussing how the film integrates and/or illustrates the course
materials. Be as specific as possible and use concrete examples to illustrate
your points. Your essay should NOT be a summary of the film. Rather, you should
think about how the film adds to, deepens or challenges your understanding of
BrazilÕs African heritage.
(75 points)
DUE: NOVEMBER 2
Option B:
Watch David ByrneÕs film "Ile
Aiye" (on reserves at the library circulation desk) and write a 4-page
essay discussing how the film integrates and/or illustrates the course
materials. Be as specific as possible and use concrete examples to illustrate
your points. Your essay should NOT be a summary of the film. Rather, you should
think about how the film adds to, deepens or challenges your understanding of
BrazilÕs African heritage. Note how the film begins. Why do you think Byrne
chose to begin his film on Candomble in this way?
(75 points)
DUE: NOVEMBER 2
Seating the Spirits: Candomble Altars and Rituals
Option A:
Pick one of the Afro-diasporan spirit
entities that we have read or learned about in class (for example: Shango,
Ogou/Ogum, Yemaya/Yemanja, Exu/Legba, Erzulie, Gede, Damballah, etc) and create
an altar for that deity. Consult the following resources for information,
inspiration, and examples of altars:
a) Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou
(on reserves at the library)
b) CosentinoÕs article ÒOn Looking at
a Vodou AltarÓ (included with the Additional Readings)
c) Brown, ÒThrones of the OrishasÓ (included with the Additional Readings)
d) any of the readings listed under
the outside homework option for Santeria Cosmology: The Orishas.
In order to complete your altar, you
will need to know the likes and dislikes of the spirit entity that you have
chosen, which may require some additional research beyond these sources. There
are many books and articles about the most prominent of the Afro-diasporan
spirit entities, and several of the course readings discuss African-derived
spirit entities. Consult the Orisha Weblist (located in the Resources area) for
a list of approved web resources that will give you more information about
Santeria and Candomble, including attributes of the orishas that may be useful
to you in the process of creating your altar. Please do not use sources other
than these without clearing them with me first.
Your altar should include as many of
the requisite items for your spirit entity as possible, and for this purpose,
you may want to visit a local botanica (there are several on west Washington
Street in Indy). After you have finished creating your altar, write a
four-page, (typed, double-spaced) essay discussing what you learned about the
particular spirit entity that you selected. What are the characteristics and
preferences of this spirit? How do devotees interact with this spirit? (for
example, what kinds of problems do they bring to this particular spirit?) Why
did you select this spirit? Based on your experience, why do you think altars
might be important for devotees?
Include photos of your altar with your
essay (if you do not include photod, you will not receive the full points) and
be prepared to present your pictures and discuss your altar with the class (in
the form of a powerpoint or other visual presentation).
(75-150 points)
DUE: NOVEMBER 7
Sacrifice: Feeding the Spirits
Option A:
Read the article by Voeks entitled
ÒAfrican MedicineÓ (located under the Additional Readings tab) and write a
4-page essay about healing practices in Candomble. Alternatively, you can
present your findings to the class instead of writing a 4-page essay. If you
choose to do a class presentation, please let me know at least a week beforehand so I can set aside some time in class.
(75 points)
DUE: NOVEMBER 14
Umbanda
Option A:
Read the article listed as suggested
reading for this unit (*Guillermoprieto, ÒRio, 1991Ó) and write a 4-page essay
about Umbanda, addressing the following questions:
1) why is Umbanda so appealing to many
Brazilians?
2) what is the role of Exu and why is
this figure such a controversial one?
3) what is the relationship between
Umbanda and the new fundamentalist evangelical sects? Compare and contrast
these religions in terms of how each attempts to address the realities and sufferings
of their practitioners
4) how is GuillermoprietoÕs account of
Afro-Brazilian religions different from or similar to HaleÕs (in Hearing the
MermaidÕs Song)?
(50-75 points)
DUE: NOVEMBER 16
Spirits of the Streets
Option A:
Watch the short National Geographic
video on Umbanda in Northeastern Brazil (see link below) and write a 4-page
review essay using what youÕve learned about Umbanda from the books Hearing
the MermaidÕs Song and Holy Harlots as well as class discussions. As
a student of Afro-diasporan religions, how would you assess this video? Your
review essay should offer a constructive critique of the video that draws upon
the knowledge you have gained in this class.
(50-75 points)
DUE: DECEMBER 5