Customer Reviews

Divine Horsemen: The Living Gods of Haiti

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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.

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

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.

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.

This is actually the first book I read about Voudoun/Vodou etc. I found it informful, insighful, and personal. Maya served the Loa and it shows in her chapters dedicated to the individual Spirits. It is a shame that we lost her so early, Im sure she could have gone on and continued to aid the clarification of the negative misconceptions of Voudoun. I recommend this book to anyone interested in Haitian Voudoun, although be warned that parts read a bit too much academically (for me at least) and can make that section almost unbearable to read, but for the most part it is excellent.

Maya Deren was an experimental filmmaker in the 40's who traveled to Haiti in the hopes of making a film about Haitian dance. She was also a dancer. See "In the Mirror of Maya Deren," and definitely see "Maya Deren: Experimental Films."
Occasionally I think about voodoo, and this is the best book about the real thing I've ever seen. I know, she was the white daughter of a prominent immigrant psychiatrist. It's a bit of a time capsule if you look at it in anthropological terms. The film she shot in Haiti was edited into "Divine Horsemen: the Living Gods of Haiti," after her death by a couple of her friends. It's beautiful.
If you've never heard of Maya Deren, buy "Maya Deren Experimental Films."

This is one of the greatest books on Afro-Caribbean religion. Its one problem is that it is really written by academic researchers for other academics. But! It will help the serious scholar and devoted non scholar understand the essence of Vodun and other Afro-Caribbean religions.

Being that Vodou is a verbal Religion,compared to Islam or Christianity Maya Deren did a fantastic job! She explains and understands the religion more than many practioners I know.The video is also fantastic! I applaud her tremendously! What major leap.Many writer in Vodou now stumble when they try to attempt what Deren has over 50 years ago.

Let's suppose you don't know anything about Islam. Would you turn to a debate between two scholars of the Sharia' to get your basic knowledge ? Or maybe, if you didn't know anything about Judaism, would you turn to Maimonides' discussion of the impossibility of absolute finality ? The same question can be asked of Maya Deren's incredible, deep, detailed book on Haitian religion, a religion taken largely from West Africa. Although Deren, an artist and film-maker, writes passionately and intellectually about her subject, she assumes far too much knowledge on the part of the reader. I found the book incredibly dense, full of details which I could not possibly remember, yet giving me no quarter, explaining nothing to me in terms that I could come to grips with. I can be emotional in practice, but in reading a book on a rather new subject for me, I prefer some intellectual explanation, some connection to the web of knowledge all readers of books like this do share. Deren waxes philosophical, lyrical, and psychological in turn. It is hard to know how to absorb it all. She describes the symbolic and mythological significance of the many West African deities found in Haiti, trying also to explain how the New World required new meanings in some cases. Her argument that Africans absorbed some Indian influence seems rather frail. She also describes the role of the houngan, or priest of Vodun, the importance of drums and drumming, the fact of possession.

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.

You can take or leave the rich details on the deities of Voudoun; those who condescend to African-based religions may cease to do so after reading these chapters. But writing as one who has studied Haitian and African drumming, I am reminded by the final dramatic chapter (on possession) of a Dickinson poem which contains the lines "And through a Riddle, at the last --
Sagacity, must go --". Nothing can prepare you for this.