Publication
Penguin Books (1995), Edition: Reprint, Paperback, 320 pages
Call number
Sham / Some
ISBN
0140194967 / 9780140194968
Original publication date
1994
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Physical description
320 p.; 8.4 inches
Description
Born in West Africa in the early 1950s Somé was kidnapped at age four by a French Jesuit missionary to be trained as a priest, for the next 15 years enduring the harsh regimen of a seminary where his native language and tribal traditions were systematically suppressed. At age 20 he escaped, but when he returned to his Dugara people in Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso) they rejected him as an outsider. To reconnect with his native culture, Some underwent a month-long initiation into shamanism during which he reports that he journeyed to the underworld, became a bird, then a porcupine and was buried alive.
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"I still often suffered from being a man of two worlds", 9 November 2015
This review is from: Of Water And Spirit (Paperback)
Malidoma Some was born into a village in Burkina Faso when it was still under French rule. He describes his first four years, focussing particularly on his close relationship
At four, the author was 'stolen' by the local priest, and compelled to live in a Catholic boarding school. Forced to communicate in French, he soon forgot his native tongue. And Catholic dogma replaced tribal rites. But while he was persuaded by the religion, to the extent of wanting to become a priest, he was also repelled at the sexual and physical abuse he witnessed, and at the colonial attitudes towards the African people.
At twenty he ran back to his village; much of the book now tells of (parts of) the month-long initiation ceremony he underwent. And here the reader must decide for himself what to make of the author's otherworldly experiences, as he enters other dimensions, communes with spirits and much more. Was he drugged? hypnotized? Was it Satanism or is there really a way into other universes? The descriptions are very vivid and persuasive, and I never realized initiation rituals included all this.
This review is from: Of Water And Spirit (Paperback)
Malidoma Some was born into a village in Burkina Faso when it was still under French rule. He describes his first four years, focussing particularly on his close relationship
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with his grandfather, an elder and shaman. As he recalls his grandfather's funeral - spirit voices, and the dead man walking - I thought perhaps these were the confused recollections of a small child.At four, the author was 'stolen' by the local priest, and compelled to live in a Catholic boarding school. Forced to communicate in French, he soon forgot his native tongue. And Catholic dogma replaced tribal rites. But while he was persuaded by the religion, to the extent of wanting to become a priest, he was also repelled at the sexual and physical abuse he witnessed, and at the colonial attitudes towards the African people.
At twenty he ran back to his village; much of the book now tells of (parts of) the month-long initiation ceremony he underwent. And here the reader must decide for himself what to make of the author's otherworldly experiences, as he enters other dimensions, communes with spirits and much more. Was he drugged? hypnotized? Was it Satanism or is there really a way into other universes? The descriptions are very vivid and persuasive, and I never realized initiation rituals included all this.
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LibraryThing member streamsong
Malidoma Patrice Some was born into a Dagara village in Burkina Faso in 1956. Hi s grandfather was a well respected elder and shaman. His father followed the Catholic teachings.
Although it is not clear if his father had arranged his ‘kidnapping’, when Malidoma was four he and other youngsters
By this time, he had missed all the boyhood initiations into Dagara manhood and had been thoroughly indoctrinated in the white man’s world. He met with great skepticism when he expressed interest in going through the Dagara initiation rites as the elders believed his intrinsic tribal spirit had already withdrawn and was replaced with a white man’s spirit. They believed it would be dangerous and perhaps impossible for him to complete the thirty day travels in the spirit world. Nevertheless, Some persisted and successfully completed the initiations.
The latter half of the book is a detailed account of his spiritual journeys during the initiation. Visiting other realms during spiritual journeys has never been a favorite topic of mine, ever since I read the Carlos Castenada books many decades ago. Others may find these journeys the most intriguing parts of the book.
Recommended for those with an interest in French Colonialism and the Jesuits in Africa or those interested in alternative spiritual journeys and African shamanism.
Although it is not clear if his father had arranged his ‘kidnapping’, when Malidoma was four he and other youngsters
Show More
were seized by the Jesuits and removed to their orphanage where they were taught French, Latin, and European ways. Eventually after several years there, Malidoma was transferred to the Jesuit seminary. It was planned that he would become a native Jesuit priest; but after enduring years of what Malidoma called outright abuse, he escaped and made his way back to his village as a man of twenty.By this time, he had missed all the boyhood initiations into Dagara manhood and had been thoroughly indoctrinated in the white man’s world. He met with great skepticism when he expressed interest in going through the Dagara initiation rites as the elders believed his intrinsic tribal spirit had already withdrawn and was replaced with a white man’s spirit. They believed it would be dangerous and perhaps impossible for him to complete the thirty day travels in the spirit world. Nevertheless, Some persisted and successfully completed the initiations.
The latter half of the book is a detailed account of his spiritual journeys during the initiation. Visiting other realms during spiritual journeys has never been a favorite topic of mine, ever since I read the Carlos Castenada books many decades ago. Others may find these journeys the most intriguing parts of the book.
Recommended for those with an interest in French Colonialism and the Jesuits in Africa or those interested in alternative spiritual journeys and African shamanism.
Show Less