West Africa's Women of God

Download or read book West Africa's Women of God written by Robert M. Baum and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2015-11-09 with total page 316 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: West Africa's Women of God examines the history of direct revelation from Emitai, the Supreme Being, which has been central to the Diola religion from before European colonization to the present day. Robert M. Baum charts the evolution of this movement from its origins as an exclusively male tradition to one that is largely female. He traces the response of Diola to the distinct challenges presented by conquest, colonial rule, and the post-colonial era. Looking specifically at the work of the most famous Diola woman prophet, Alinesitoué, Baum addresses the history of prophecy in West Africa and its impact on colonialism, the development of local religious traditions, and the role of women in religious communities.