The New World came into being in the Europeans' encounter with the indigenous religions and cultures of Central and South America. Yet these religions remain little known or are filtered through inadequate categories such as "animism;" "superstition;" or "syncretism." In this volume; an international group of the finest authorities working on the subject provide rich descriptions and provocative interpretations of religious ideas rarely gathered in one place. Since an exhaustive treatment would be impossible (it is estimated that there could be as many as fifteen thousand different South American languages living or extinct); the aim is to illustrate something of the range of religious beliefs and practices through cases that are exemplary. The first part of the book describes the religious views of the Aztec; Maya; and Inca; dating from the time prior to contact with Europeans. The rest of the book treats contemporary cases from the major cultural and geographical areas of Central and South America. Whether the focus is on myth; architecture; ritual celebrations; or shamanic practice; each essay provides a distinctive profile of the culture in question.Contributors include David Carrasco; Edgardo J. Cordeu; Mercedes de la Garza; Alfredo López Austin; Juan Ossia Acuña; Alejandra Siffredi; Lawrence E. Sullivan; Terence Turner; Peter van der Loo; Robin M. Wright; and Reiner Tom Zuidema.
#1218490 in Books 2016-10-25Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 1.20 x 6.13l; .0 #File Name: 0826221122360 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Valuable ContributionBy LadylocsThis is a valuable contribution to the field of African-American urban studies. Coulter tells the forgotten stories of a vibrant black community that develooped around downtown Kansas City in the early twentieth century. He tells the stories of men and women; professionals and laborers; young and old. This work will stand as a benchmark for the study of black communities in the mid-west.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Allen ChapelBy Jo L. BrooksAllen Chapel AME Church in Kansas City; Missouri is prominently mentioned numerous times throughout the book. As a member of Allen Chapel; The Mother Church in Kansas City; Missouri; I was please to know how many aristocrats were past members. Good book for historical purposes.Ms. Jo Lee Brooks
