Brown, D. (2003). Santería enthroned. Chicago (Ill.): University of Chicago Press. pp. 126

I found this book through professor Brennan. She recommended the book to me when I told her I was having trouble finding what I was looking for with the online encyclopedias. The specific passage I am interested in is on page 126. The main idea of this passage is that Elégbá or Ésú has the ability to open or close the road for your prayers, and how crucial the relationship between a believer, Ésú, and Obatalá is.  Obatalá is the all-powerful God, or “owner of all heads” In santería “Head = Orí = Destiny and Ésú is the guide for destiny’s path.

Mr. Brown has an interesting perception of this relationship. He is looking at this from a very functional standpoint. If you are trying to find your destiny through your inner head then you need to have Ésú open up that road and lead you along the path to your destiny. Throughout my reading of this book Professor Brown has placed Christianity as the origin for these Afro-Cuban religions which may be his bias, but his theory on Ésú seems incredibly sound.

Mason, M. (2004). Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion. pp.7, 95, 96.

I discovered this book in the library while looking through the books that professor Brennan had put on reserve. The pages in Living Santería: Rituals and Experiences in an Afro-Cuban Religion that I selected are talking about Elégbá or Ésú and how his ability to open the road to your destiny is not the only thing he does. in general, it means the future or he can hurt or help specific aspects of the future. Elégbá or Ésú doesn’t have to and isn’t just a tour guide to your destiny he is at the end of the day known as “the trickster”.

Mr. Mason seems incredibly similar to David Brown and even dedicates the book to him and a couple others. I believe that Mr. Mason and Mr.Brown are cut off the same branch. He is scientifically analyzing the Santería rituals and trying to pull out little pieces to later be used to build the ground on which Santería stands, but that I the reader cannot see yet. From the reading that I have done so far, I cannot see any bias in Mr. Mason’s writing.

Falola, T. and Genova, A. (2005). Orisa Yoruba Gods and Spiritual Identity in Africa and the Diaspora. 1st ed. Trenton, NJ 08607: Africa World Press, Inc., pp.129-139.

I discovered this book in the library while looking through the books that professor Brennan had put on reserve. This book was meant to show similarities and differences between Cuban Santería and Yoruba with regards to their views on Elégbá. In the section of this book that I read. Mr. Falola and Ms. Genova were arguing against all of the demonizing done to Elégbá by mainly Christian scholars. The fact that he has a power that rivals that of the all-powerful god and how his ability to be benevolent and malevolent at the same time makes him the devil.

Mr. Falola and Ms. Genova were fighting bias in this section. They were using facts to undo the demonization of Elégbá that happened when foreigners didn’t understand him or the culture he was a part of.

-Jack Bechtold