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Zusatztext Johnson rightly observes that the contemporary meaning and experience of Candomble must come to terms with the widening of the religion from a regional base into a national (and international) status. Significant numbers of non-Afro Brazilian participants are joining and leading terreiro communities and influencing the interpretation and experience of the religion in important ways. Once secret signs and symbols are rapidly moving into the general culture discourse of the Brazilian public sphere, Johnson's book successfully urges us toward this acknowledgement. Klappentext In this wide-ranging book Paul Christopher Johnson explores the changing! hidden face of the Afro-Brazilian indigenous religion of Candomble. Despite its importance in Brazilian society! Candomble has received far less attention than its sister religions Vodou and Santeria. Johnson seeks tofill this void by offering a comprehensive look at the development! beliefs! and practices of Candomble and exploring its transformation from a secret society of slaves--hidden! persecuted! and marginalized--to a public religion that is very much a part of Brazilian culture. Johnson traces thishistorical shift and locates the turning point in the creation of Brazilian national identity and a public sphere in the first half of the twentieth century.His major focus is on the ritual practice of secrecy in Candomble. Like Vodou and Santeria and the African Yoruba religion from which they are descended! Candomble features a hierarchic series of initiations! with increasing access to secret knowledge at each level. As Johnson shows! the nature anduses of secrecy evolved with the religion. First! secrecy was essential to a society that had to remain hidden from authorities. Later! when Candomble became known and actively persecuted! its secrecy became a form of resistance as well as an exotic hidden power desired by elites. Finally! asCandomble became a public religion and a vital part of Brazilian culture! the debate increasingly turned away from the secrets themselves and toward their possessors. It is speech about secrets! and not the content of those secrets! that is now most important in building status! legitimacy andpower in Candomble.Offering many first hand accounts ofthe rites and rituals of contemporary Candomble! this book provides insight into this influential but little-studied group! while at the same time making a valuable contribution to our understanding of the relationship between religion and society. Zusammenfassung Explores the changing, hidden face of the Afro-Brazilian indigenous religion of Candomble. This book offers a look at the development, beliefs, and practices of Candomble, and explores its transformation from a secret society of slaves - hidden, persecuted, and marginalized - to a public religion that is very much part of Brazilian culture....
