Baba Raul Canizares (–2002)

By brother bought me this book while in Cuba. It explains the worship of a god of illness (and healing) in Africa which spread to places like Cuba and Brazil due to the slave trade. This god has been built into Christian tradition as he is associated with the beggar St.Lazarus. It is an interesting read. The parables about Babalu are the best bit. The book collates information from different sources and describes how Babalu is viewed and honoured in different cultures. This helps the reader to gain an understanding of attitudes to illness in these regions.… (more)