The Mande Blacksmith: Knowledge, Power and Art in West Africa (Traditional Arts of Africa) [Hardcover]

Patrick R. McNaughton (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1988 | ISBN-10: 025333683X | ISBN-13: 978-0253336835

"... finely crafted scholarship. Elegant and graceful, yet packed with knowledge and information, it embodies the aesthetic qualities which it describes and explores." —American Ethnologist

"The text is detailed and informative, and enjoyable reading... " —Choice

"The Mande Blacksmith is an important book... sensitive, sympathetic, multifaceted, and thorough... " —African Arts

"McNaughton's Mande Blacksmiths is undeniably the most profound study of African artists yet published." —Ethnoarts

"... penetrating... McNaughton boldly grapples with the thorniest issues related to his subject and articulates them with clarity and precision." —International Journal of African Historical Studies

"... a work in the best tradition of ethnographic research.... critical reappraisal, innovative inquiry, and fresh observation... make this book an invaluable fund of new material on Mande societies... " —American Anthropologist

"McNaughton... provides an important interpretation of these artists' conceptual place as members of a complex culture." —Religious Studies Review

Examining the artistic, technological, social, and spiritual dimensions of Mande blacksmiths, who are the sculptors of their society, McNaughton defines these artists' conceptual place as extraordinary members of a complex culture.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" ... finely crafted scholarship. Elegant and graceful, yet packed with knowledge and information, it embodies the aesthetic qualities which it describes and explores." American Ethnologist "The text is detailed and informative, and enjoyable reading ... " Choice "The Mande Blacksmith is an important book ... sensitive, sympathetic, multifaceted, and thorough ... " African Arts "McNaughton's Mande Blacksmiths is undeniably the most profound study of African artists yet published." Ethnoarts " ... penetrating ... McNaughton boldly grapples with the thorniest issues related to his subject and articulates them with clarity and precision." International Journal of African Historical Studies " ... a work in the best tradition of ethnographic research... critical reappraisal, innovative inquiry, and fresh observation ... make this book an invaluable fund of new material on Mande societies ..." American Anthropologist "McNaughton ... provides an important interpretation of these artists' conceptual place as members of a complex culture." Religious Studies Review --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 270 pages
• Publisher: Indiana Univ Pr (April 1988)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 025333683X
• ISBN-13: 978-0253336835
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,662,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #47 in Books > History > Africa > Mali

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soul, power and creation in Mali, W. Africa, January 30, 2001

By 

Christopher Fung (honolulu) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa (Traditional Arts of Africa) (Paperback)

Anyone who has any interest in traditional West African society should read this book. McNaughton discusses the roles, image and social context of the blacksmiths of the Mande peoples of West Africa. Blacksmiths are not simply artisans, they are skilled manipulators of supernatural power (called nyama in Bambara. As such they are considered in the same vein as jeliw (bards, praise-singers) and sorcerors. They are also woodworkers, potters, circumcisers, and workers of magic. Specifically located in Mali, this study examines the world of the blacksmiths in relation to local rulers, villagers and visitng foreigners.

McNaughton's work emphasizes an anthropological perspective and he worked with and was finally apprenticed to several blacksmiths in the course of his fieldwork. Even though this is a very scholarly book, and at times very dense, it is well worth the effort required to get through it. Like John Miller Chernoff's "African Rhythms and African Sensibility", this book deserves pride of place among people who are serious about expressive culture in West Africa.

As a primer to the deep knowledge that comes out of the continent, this book presents an extraodinary and powerful introduction. A bonus for musicians and rhythmatists: check out the excerpt where he talks about the way the blacksmiths play drum rhythms on their bellows to accompany their work and the rhythms "played" by the women as they work pounding millet in the compound. Magic.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what I needed, February 25, 2006

By 

J. Kelly "HumboldtMike" (Humboldt County, CA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa (Traditional Arts of Africa) (Paperback)

I read this book shortly before returning to my former Peace Corps site in Mali a few months ago. My "jatigi" family are the blacksmiths of a small village in the Mande region. During my two years living with them I observed a lot of interesting things that I couldn't understand, or didn't realize the significance of. I was very happy to find a scholarly explanation of pretty much everything I had scratched my head over for a dozen years. I don't exaggerate when I say that every page contained something that made me say "oh that's what that was about..."

During my return visit I was able to ask the blacksmiths about details in the book. And they confirmed everything I asked about. I couldn't find a single contradiction. It was as if the book were written about them specifically. They enjoyed hearing about the notion that the blacksmiths themselves were responsible for the early anthropologists' mistaken conclusion that blacksmiths were bad and should be avoided -- just trying to get rid of the anthropologists with all their annoying questions. They also seemed happy that someone would be interested enough in what they do to write a book about it, and that I had learned so much about them while I was gone. One brother was willing to talk a little bit about nyaman and fetishism -- just yes and no to a few careful questions -- but I'm convinced that the author's discussion of the subject is right on.

I had a great couple of weeks back in the village. And this book enhanced the experience in a big way.

My thanks to the author!

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting read., January 8, 2011

By 

LyndaK "L-" (Michigan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Mande Blacksmiths: Knowledge, Power, and Art in West Africa (Traditional Arts of Africa) (Paperback)

I got this book for my husband who blacksmiths. He's not much of a reader but can't seem to put this book down. The history of blacksmithing in Africa is amazing, from what he tells me, and much, much different than the history of the American Blacksmith.