African Spirituality: Jambalaya

Jambalaya by Luisah Teish

I met Luisah Teish many years ago and attended a workshop with her in London and a retreat in Hawaii.  Her book, Jambalaya, is a result of her research and practice of African spirituality over the course of many years.  Her work is part of the inspiration for the name of the Ancestral Energies blog. 

Enslaved African people in the Americas used traditional African spirituality to survive in some of the harshest conditions ever known.  

The rituals remained and continued to be observed, although the meanings were often lost.  African spirituality was suppressed during the enslavement period, as the enslavers saw it as a threat to their dominance.  African spirituality was used to liberate African people in Haiti and other parts of the Americas.  

I find Teish's explanations very clear and accessible.  Jambalaya combines Teish's personal journey with detailed descriptions of traditional African American charms and rituals. Click here to read my review.