Reviews
“An important contribution to the existing literature on Caribbean festival arts, one which will be of great use to those interested in Haitian expressive culture.”—Daniel Tannehill Neely Ethnomusicology
“McAlister does an eloquent job of weaving together these characteristic manifestations of Rara.”—Les Field Royal Anthropological Inst Journal (Man)
"This is a startling, stunning, and fascinating book about the blend of music, religion, and politics in Haitian culture. McAlister's mastery of many different ways of knowing makes this study an endless source of insight, intrigue, and inspiration.
Rara! succeeds magnificently as an exploration into Rara rituals and Haitian music, but it also presents original and generative insights into every aspect of Haiti's past, present, and future."—George Lipsitz, author of
Dangerous Crossroads"This is a major contribution to the literature on Vodou, Haiti, popular culture, Caribbean culture and music, transnational immigrant practices, and the corpus of black religions in the Americas. It is an extremely well-written, well researched and argued, and highly readable book."—Lawrence H. Mamiya, co-author of
The Black Church in the African American Experience "This is a smart and thoughtful book by a very talented ethnographer. Anyone interested in Haiti will appreciate the work of Elizabeth McAlister."—Karen Brown, author of
Mama Lola: A Vodou Priestess in Brooklyn
"A rare in-depth look at an extremely popular, yet often misunderstood phenomenon. With this book and CD, Elizabeth McAlister, an involved observer, makes an incalculable contribution to our musical and cultural literature."—Edwidge Danticat, author of The Farming of Bones: A Novel
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