Secrets, Gossip, and Gods The Transformation

The Afro-Brazilian indigenous religion of Candomble has received far lessattention than its sister religions Vodou and Santeria. Johnson seeks to fillthis void by offering a comrehensive look at the development, beliefs, andpractices of Candomble, exploring its transformation from a secret society ofslaves to a public religion that is very much a part of Brazilianculture.

Paul Christopher Johnson is Associate Professor in the Department of History at the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. He has published many articles on Brazil, the Caribbean, and American popular culture, exploring the relation of religion to social identity, memory, and practice.

Orthographic Note

xi

Introduction

3

(4)

Studying Secrets

7

(4)

Research Site

11

(3)

Methodological Note: Structure and Practice

14

(3)

Strategy of This Book

17

(6)

PART I: Theoretical Boundaries

Secret Sits in the Middle

23

(12)

Concealment into Secrecy

23

(2)

Social Uses and Forms of Secrecy

25

(5)

Secrets in Candomble

30

(5)

What Is Candomble?

35

(24)

Exchange, Consumption, and the Orixas

36

(5)

``Africa'' in Brazil

41

(2)

Gender and Spirit Possession

43

(5)

Terreiro and Axe

48

(3)

Candomble in a Religious Field

51

(4)

Summary

55

(4)

PART II: Historical Layers of Secrecy

Slaves and Secrets

59

(20)

Colonial Secrets

59

(2)

Arriving Slaves

61

(8)

Religious Formation in the Interstices

69

(7)

Repression and the New Secrecy

76

(3)

From Tumor to Trophy: The Nation-State and Candomble

79

(24)

Public Order in the Republic

81

(10)

New State and New Public Order

91

(5)

State Secrets, Religious Secrets

96

(2)

Interpreting the Transformation from 1890 to 1940

98

(1)

Summary

99

(4)

PART III: Secrecy and Ritual Practice

Public Space to Secret Place: Initiation and the Logic of Passage

103

(28)

The Act and the Word

104

(4)

Passage of the Iao

108

(15)

Interpreting the Orders of Ritual Space

123

(6)

Summary

129

(2)

Signifying the Street in Outbound Rites

131

(20)

Ritual One: Communal Offering (Ebb)

132

(5)

Ritual Two: Waters of Oxala

137

(5)

Theoretical Interlude: Whose Meaning?

142

(1)

Ritual Three: Dancing in the Heart of the Metropole

143

(8)

PART IV: How Secrets Become Public

Public Candomble

151

(28)

Theorizing the Public

153

(3)

Describing Public Candomble

156

(10)

From Ritual to Discourse: Transformations of Traditional Candomble

166

(3)

Public Candomble as Protestant Candomble

169

(7)

Summary

176

(3)

Conclusion

179

(10)

Recapitulation

180

(4)

Linking Two Trajectories: Secretism and Space, the Ritualized Body and Place

184

(3)

The Place of Secretism

187

(2)

Notes

189

(12)

Glossary

201

(6)

Bibliography

207

(12)

Index

219

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Secrets, Gossip, and Gods The Transformation of Brazilian Candomblé

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

FREE SHIPPING

Rent More, Save More! Use code: BBRENTAL

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Secrets, Gossip, and Gods The Transformation of Brazilian Candomblé

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

Digital License