Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti

Look, let's be brief. If you already know a lot about West African religion or its New World variants, and if you want a detailed analysis in a non-standard anthropological form, then this could be a five star book for you. Her passion, her scholarship deserve five stars for sure. The best thing about the book is its insistence that Voudoun or Vodun is a rich, vital religion with ancient roots, so far from the caricature often imposed on "Voodoo" by Western popular culture. On the other hand, if you want to know more about Haitian society, if you are looking for an anthropological work that will give you some operating knowledge in Haiti or about Haiti, this volume is going to prove far too rich for your blood. Try some of the other works on Haiti first.


Explores the theology & philosopy of Haitian Voodoun   September 28, 1999
19 out of 20 found this review helpful

Maya Deren's "Divine Horsemen" is a poetically rendered exploration of the philosophy and practices of Haitian Voodoun. Written in the early '50's (with the support of Joseph Campbell), this book is not a "how to" practical guide. Rather it a metaphysical, religious, philosophical & anthropological study of Voodoun. As an artist, Deren brings a uniquely lyrical voice to her narrative and paints a multi-textured, infinitely complex portrait of a spiritual tradition with roots stretching back to the very dawn of humanity. In reading this book I was awed by an awareness of the sophisication and perception of the so-called "primitive" people of West Africa (from which Voodoun derives). They were only "primitive" in terms of the development of technology, certainly not in the development of the spirit. Reading this has created a profound shift in my view of the history of civilization as taught to me in school. This book is essential reading not only for anyone interested in Voodoun, but also for any student of comparative religion, mythology or spirituality.


A Bridge Between Art and Ethnography   March 2, 1999
Moira J. Sullivan (San Francisco and Stockholm)
15 out of 16 found this review helpful

This is an excellent history of the African origins of Voudoun ( creole 'spelling' used by Deren) and its transplantation to the New World. When the subject of spirit possession comes up, Deren questions why the most impressive phenomenon of Voudoun is not seen as a direct pragmatic expression of the principles of the religion . There is a chapter on this called 'The White Darkness' which Deren cautions should not be seen as a 'personal' experience but service to the 'loa' or Voudoun deity. Nevertheless this has been misinterpreted as Deren's 'deed', which has laid ground for several unfounded myths about the filmmaker. Her participatorial observations ran against the grain of traditional orthodox male anthropologists of the time and she realized that she would be attacked for encroaching on their turf. That is why DH should be seen as an important feminist ethnography. Deren described the relationship between magic, science and religion which was at the apex of modernism. This research interrupted her film career as she was hard at work with this before she made her first film in 1943. She later returned to this as recipient of a Guggenheim fellowship for creative work in motion pictures in 1947 . Over 20,000 feet of film were shot by Deren in Haiti and remained unedited as she later came to see that it was impossible to alter the forms of the rituals of Voudoun. For that reason it is claimed that she never made a film and that her involvement in Voudoun destroyed her work as an artist which are fallacies. This book is a must to understand the complexity of this outstanding artist and ethnographer


Deren offers artist's perspective on vodou.   January 9, 1999
vladeck@fas.harvard.edu (Cambridge, MA)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I agree with all but one of the statements made by carnero@juno.com: Deren was not an academic at all. Rather, she went to Haiti as a filmmaker, intending to study and film ritual dance. In her preface, she discusses at length her unique vantage point as an artist rather than an anthropologist. This is part of why her book is so wonderful: it is clearly infused with an artist's--and ultimately an adherent's sensibility.


magic and cinema   April 2, 2002
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

The other reviewers do a good job of discussing Deren's history of Haitian Voodoun, however, it should be noted that regardless of the merits of this as an historical text, the book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in her film practice. Perhaps this is obvious, but it is unmentioned by some others.