This dissertation asserts that members of Ile Asho Funfun, the Lucumí spiritual house at the center of the research, is
comprised of members who have undergone the process of converting to the spiritual practice of Lucumí and, as such, have experienced
tremendous personal transformation. The author argues that the religious practice of Lucumí was introduced to African Americans through
music and dance traditions in the 1940s by performing artists and that since that time music has been one of the foremost tools of
conversion. Among the theories asserted herein, the author develops the theory of reversion to describe the process of conversion from
Christianity to Lucumí. Borrowed from Islamic traditions that use the term to refer to a return to the natural state of awareness of the
one true God, reversion here is viewed as a return to the religion of practitioners' ancestors and to a set of practices that are innately
a part of human understanding of the cosmos and Creator as well their place within the cosmos and with the Creator. Furthermore, the
author contends that process of reversion is ongoing, informed by Afrocentricity, and impacted by the constant expansion and contraction
of the religion. These occur as individuals and the community adjust to life events while negotiating their identity as both African and
American. This dissertation establishes the theories of expansion and contraction as the processes by which African practitioners of
Yoruba-derived religions have always adapted their practices to the situation and environment. The author introduces these concepts as a
more precise description of processes of adaptation than the more commonly cited concept of syncretism. The author both observed and
practiced the religion for ten years prior to undertaking the research and did field work and ethnographic research for six years while
studying for and writing this dissertation using a reflexive approach. / A Dissertation submitted to the College of Music in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of
Philosophy. / Spring Semester 2016. / February 4, 2016. / African-American, Conversion, Ethnomusicology, Lucumi, Reversion, Yoruba / Includes bibliographical references. / Frank Gunderson, Professor Directing Dissertation; Maxine Jones, University Representative;
Michael B. Bakan, Committee Member; Denise Von Glahn, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_360321 |
| Contributors | Beckley-Roberts, Lisa Michelle (authoraut), Gunderson, Frank D. (professor directing dissertation), Jones, Maxine Deloris (university representative), Bakan, Michael B. (committee member), Von Glahn, Denise (committee member), Florida State University (degree granting institution), College of Music (degree granting college) |
| Publisher | Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource (288 pages), computer, application/pdf |
| Coverage | Africa |
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