Of Water and the Spirit: Ritual, Magic and Initiation in the Life of an African Shaman

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It is quite ironic that Malidoma’s name so accurately depicts the life mission to which he so persistently tries to accomplish. Indeed, the magnificence behind Of Water and the Spirit lies in Malidoma’s approach in trying to "befriend a stranger" and educate rather than defame the Western world. The vividness and conviction to which he explains his grandfather’s life and the events in his initiation, which seem whimsical to any Westerner, definitely remind one that Malidoma’s tribe belongs to a world so remarkably different to the West. He also makes it apparent that the Westerner can only learn from his tribe, whose customs are equal in validity to that of the West.

Contrary to his own experiences with the French Jesuit missionaries’ educational methods, Malidoma invokes his audience in the first part of his story through an innocence in tone and a profoundness in concept. This statement also parallels the plight of African indigenous culture in the presence of the white man. To be more specific, Malidoma explained that the Western world seemed to attack the traditions of Africa or several countries, which the white man did not understand. Although they feared much of the white man’s culture, Africans tended to accept the non-threatening aspects of other cultures as different and even tried to incorporate ideas into their own lives. Malidoma himself went even further in this approach by being educated in both societies. In his life, he has tried to understand the motives and values of both cultures, point out the differences, and even draw out some parallels in the two. Malidoma recognizes the equality of importance of both cultures. Of Water and Spirit seems to be his way of trying to instill this same recognition to other...

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...ed through one’s own experiences. He carefully notes that he also could not understand the purpose in the first event of tree gazing until he discovered the green female. Furthermore, he explained that not only could he not disclose much of the events in the initiation, a six week long process, but also most involved so much intensity that it would be impossible to manifest his feelings in words.

Indeed, much of Malidoma’s purpose is to allow the audience to enter temporarily the realm of his culture in order to educate any outsider, specifically the Westerner, of the importance in the preservation of his culture as well as all indigenous cultures. He accomplishes this task by trying to note the oppression he felt in a Jesuit missionary and reveal aspects of his tribal life by delving into his emotions during initiation, in a captivating story and a warm voice.

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