Literature Review

Recreating Africa: Culture, Kinship, and Religion in the African-Portuguese World.
Literature Review: Recreating Africa by James Sweet
In the book, Recreating Africa, James Sweet explores the lives of African slaves in terms
of culture in the context of the old Portuguese colonial world. He argues that Africans used their
cultural beliefs when they were taken as slaves. They used their culture to challenge and
influence Catholicism that was being practiced in Brazil. The problem here is the resistance of
Africans to throw away their cultural beliefs in the faces of oppression by their colonial masters.
These communities for instance the This analysis looks at the millions of Central Africans that
prevailed the problematic journey to south American, specifically Brazil and unravels what their
lives looked like. In this book, Sweet focuses on their life as Africans and not Brazilians (Aimé,
128). for instance the With a specific focus on the lives and cultural practices of the slaves from
central African communities like the Ndembu, Kongo and Imbangala, Sweet continued
practicing their examines the particular rites as well as even after beliefs that prevailed their
departure from Africa into the Portuguese colonial world. His Sweet’s central argument here is
that they did not give up on their culture immediately they were sold as slaves but stuck with
them for some time.analysis is based on how Africans practiced their culture in Brazil while at
the same time enriching our comprehension on the creolization process and how African culture
survived.
Through the access of various historical materials obtained fromhis analysis of
Iinquisition trials, the author reveals in the book shows that Central African the slaves brought
took them many cultural practicesrites from Africa to Brazil. Some of those that they carried
along werethese practices included divination rituals, burial rituals, kinship restrictions on a diet,
judicial ordeals as well as their respective secret societies (Sweet, 1444). They used these rituals
to hold their own in the face of challenges and adversities. At the end of the day they prevailed
against the Catholicism that was dominant in the Brazilian culture. He posits that Africans
maintained these structures in their initial day in the Portuguese colonial world. However, with
time these practices transformed a bit as they learned to adapt to their new environment.
In this realization, they used religious rituals as portent approaches to fighting slavery and
hardships that they were protesting against. Additionally, he says that many African cultural
practices and morphed and incorporated Brazilian practices, for instance, Catholicism. The
primary focus is on the creolization and how these transformations impacted on the lives and
culture of the Africans.
This idea of African cultures subduing the creolization problem has been addressed by
scholars. aother writers as well. In his article on the Khan Academy journal, Peri Klemm posits
that the contact of cultures resulting from colonization resulted in many African cultures losing
their originality. He says that art was the most affected of all aspects of learning. In this regard,
Iit is easy to understand how Sweet says that African cultures were significantly transformed as a
result of this contact. They initially resisted but eventually yielded as they adapted into the new
environment and social systems. He says that many historians that focused on the “creolized”
Atlantic World consider the Black Atlantic as synonymous with the African Diaspora. Also,
creolization suggests that cultural practices are lost as people adapted or assimilated to colonial
society. Sweet forms part of the “revisionist school” along with Paul Lovejoy, Michael Gomez,
etc. who put Africa at the center of the history.
The way African cultures were reformed in new territory and the resilience of Africans to
hold on to their beliefs forms the critical dimensions of the problem. He achronologically
analyzes the changes that Central African cultures underwent especially in the context of the new
cultures surrounding them. The examination of this problem is essential as it serves to inspire
other Africans on how they should safeguard their cultural rights. The biggest opponent they
were facing was the creolization and they used their cultural beliefs to overcome it.Using the
historical literature and evidence from Iinquisition trials, Sweet says argues that Africans were
confident about the ability of their cultural believes in helping them solve their daily problems
even in the context of the new world.
He gives evidence like the kinship systems that were applied in solving the structural
problems and the Culundu ceremonies highlighted in chapter five (Sweet, 1441).). These
ceremonies were held to condemn slavery and proved to be very portent tools in their campaign
to freedom. TIn this chapter also highlights that even the colonial masters respected and feared
these powers. This aspect is well documented throughout the book. He says that the religious
arsenal was very effective in helping the slaves fight against oppression. They used these rituals
and practices in solving conflicts and daily problems that they faced with much efficiently and
coherence in their social systems. This fact was an assurance to that that indeed their culture was
real and it could bail them out when they were faced with difficulties.
James Sweet supplies numerous pieces of evidence to support his course. He mentions
that an undiluted African religion, as well as unwavering spirituality, formed the base of their
resistance against colonial oppression. Throughout the bookIn chapters 4-5, he outlines the
conspicuous features in the African cosmology that was of great help to the slaves. Examples on
these are the divination rituals that were used in solving criminal activities. These rituals could
make a ruling on a given offender. Some ceremonies involved spirits, for instance, the Culundu.
These ceremonies were vital as they could help in finding a cure for various illnesses
within the community. The specialists performing these rites were in demand and could receive
substantial compensation for their incredible services. (Klemm and Leah Niederstadt, 10). These
rites were significant as they reminded them of their true African background. They were armed
with these weapons the slaves could attack their opponents on many occasions. This ranges from
rituals that were performed to heal diseases and those mean to inspire good fortune in the
community. They could use these in asking for victory against their masters.
In this story, the author was very successful in bringing out how African cultures helped
the slaves prevail the colonization ordeal. His follow through was very convincing through the
examples he gave. His work provoked rave reviews, and many scholars have tried to build on his
work. This is a clear indication that his findings augured well with many people especially
Africans. They view this as a masterpiece of exploring how unwavering the African culture is
regardless of the situation or hardship.
Iffy, This is a good first draft. I offered a couple of rewrites/suggestions to give you an idea of
how to improve grammar, sentence structure, etc. It looks like you’re going in the right direction,
just exclude any outside sources. The purpose of this exercise is for you to evaluate how Sweet
reconstructed this history. I also offered feedback on areas where you can strengthen or elaborate
on some of your points. (I noticed a bit of jumping from one idea to the next without explaining
why those ideas are important.)

Works Cited
Sweet, James Hoke. Recreating Africa: culture, kinship, and religion in the African-Portuguese
world, 1441-1770. Univ of North Carolina Press, 2003.
What is the historical problem or question that is being investigated?
1. How did the author come upon this problem?
2. What is the existing state of knowledge?
1. Are there other studies that deal with this topic or related problems for other
countries, periods, etc? Does this literature have any obvious merits or shortcomings?
How well does the author integrate their study into the wider scholarly literature on the
topic?

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Recreating Africa: Culture, Kinship, and Religion in the African-Portuguese World.

Literature Review: Recreating Africa by James Sweet

Through the access of various historical materials obtained fromhis analysis of

culture of the Africans.

etc. who put Africa at the center of the history.

even in the context of the new world.

regardless of the situation or hardship.

why those ideas are important.)

world, 1441-1770. Univ of North Carolina Press, 2003.

What is the historical problem or question that is being investigated?

1. How did the author come upon this problem?

2. What is the existing state of knowledge?

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