Contemporary Fulbe identity is rooted in a history of nomadic pastoralism; migration; slave trading; and religious jihads; even though the Fulbe today are sedentary farmers and merchants. Much of The Fulbe of Northern Cameroon is concerned; then; with defining what it means to be "Fulbe" in a plural society composed of people of diverse physical types; with tensions between Islamic and non-Islamic elements and between former rulers and former slaves. In this book; central Fulbe beliefs and practices are illuminated through consideration of key moments in the life cycle: marriage; circumcision; and birth. Supernatural sources of illness are also considered for their effects on the social fabric of families and villages. One conclusion of the book is to challenge the idea of culture as an integrated whole; to see it rather as composed of a diversity of coexisting practices and beliefs.
#2095019 in Books 2015-01-21Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.40 x 1.00 x 6.20l; .0 #File Name: 0813160790272 pages
Review
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A Must Read for any Serious Historian of the Civil War-era!By Anthony P. CurtisIn a masterfully crafted narrative; Patrick Lewis weaves together; at first glance; two diametrically opposed forces—slavery and Union. Using the life of Kentuckian Benjamin F. Buckner; a conservative proslavery unionist; Lewis irrefutably argues that a majority of loyal; white Kentuckians were both proslavery and pro-Union. Lewis gives the reader great insight into the complexities of Civil War-era Kentucky; placing race and slavery at the heart of the narrative. The author explores the institution of slavery in Kentucky (particularly in the central bluegrass region) making the most compelling argument yet against the “border state myth of mild slavery.†His contribution further shows how Kentucky complicates the national narrative for future Civil War scholars; and how Kentuckians—both Union and Confederate—reunited after the war to further perpetuate a system of racial discrimination on the heels of slavery’s crumbling foundation. This is an engaging; readable book for all levels—and a must read for any serious historian of the Civil War.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy Joe R.Excellent.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Five StarsBy MCHAn important part of an equally important movement to re-understand the Civil War by shifting attention to its borderlands.
