Embodying Colonial Memories: Spirit Possession, Power, and the Hauka in West Africa

Embodying Colonial Memoriesis the first in-depth study of the West AfricanHauka, spirits in the body of (human) mediums which mimic and mock Europeans of the colonial epoch. Paul Stoller, who was initiated into a spirit possession troupe, recounts an insider's tale of theHaukawith respect and "brotherly" deference. He combines narrative description, historical analysis, and reflections on the importance of embodiment and mimesis to social theory, with particular reference to the Songhay peoples of the Republic of Niger. Why have theHaukamimicked white men and their colonial behaviors? In this innovative book, Stoller argues that mimicry is about power. To copy something is to master it. Through theHauka, the Songhay try to divert the power of the Europeans. Embodying Colonial Memoriesnot only desribes a spirit possession cult; it considers such significant subjects as the cultural sentience of the body, thedynamics of colonial movements of resistance, and the particularly poignant political discourses of West African postcolonies.