Spirits and Slaves in Central Sudan The Red Wind of Sennar [Hardcover]

This historical ethnography from Central Sudan explores the century-old intertwining of zar , spirit possession, with past lives of ex-slaves and shows that, despite very different social and cultural contexts, zar has continued to be shaped by the experience of slavery.PART I: BACKGROUND Remembering Spirits and Sufis in Central Sudan PART II: THE HOUSE OF ZAINAB The Ottoman Ranks Colonialism and Colonization Independence, Islamism, and Modernity PART III: THE HOUSE OF SPIRITS The World of Red Spirits Nations of Spirits Serving the Spirits PART IV: DEALING WITH POWER Bargaining with Power Spirits at Play Sacrifice PART V: NOT A MOMENT TO LOSE Slavery Remembered: Lessons from the Zar

Although Zar is a well-documented cultural movement, this treatment is particularly rich in ethnographic detail and local voices . . . the book is an important addition to that specialized literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students/faculty. - CHOICE

As an intimate and sensitive portrayal of how zar is lived and remains relevant over time as part of local histories, Kenyon's book is a significant achievement and an important contribution to research on lineage, ritual knowledge, religious institutions and change, and historical ethnography more generally. - Society for the Anthropology of Religion

The fruit of decades of anthropological fieldwork with a set of families in Sennar, Spirits and Slaves in Central Sudan is a valuable ethnohistorical resource. This is a rich and rewarding ethnography, beautifully written and highly accessible. It is a welcome addition to the literature on Sudan, on zar, and on Sudanese women. - Janice Boddy, Professor and Chair of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Canada

When Sudan figures in the news, reports are inevitably confined to chronic civil war, famine, and religious strife. This lively account from one of the field's leading authorities on zar spirit possessionlӾ