New Friends and Opportunities: African Heritage in the Americas

Dr. Jualynne Dodson, Black Studies
University of Colorado, Boulder

I am currently on faculty at the University of Colorado in Boulder teaching religions of Africans in the Americas. Prior to coming to Boulder, I had been travelling to Cuba often - perhaps twice a year - doing research on questions related to African-derived religions. The African Heritage in the Americas study program was not only an occasion for me to return to Cuba, but also to share experiences and contacts with others who had been working in similar fields. This study program turned out to be one of the most exciting that I have done, (other than those I organize personally). The Eleggua Project has managed to put together in authentic fashion, an outstanding exposure to those Cuban heritages derived from Africa and peoples of African ancestry. I was impressed and pleased with Eleggua's ability to match needs and desires of the tour delegates with the circumstances of life in Cuba. This is important to me, not merely because of the delegates, but because the Eleggua Project did not violate the cultural integrity of communities we visited. We were participants; we were students; we were not intruders.

Another thing I liked about the African Heritage program was the fact that there was always a sense of contributing to the communities. I don't mean to suggest that individually we made personal donations. We pooled our resourses and then made a group contribution to each community we visited. I thought this was exceptionally senstitive and responsible, particularly given Cuba's current economic needs.

I am pleased with my experiences. I enjoyed myself. I met a new group of colleagues and associates, and am looking forward to having further contact with them. But most importantly, I'm certainly pleased with contacing new Cuban practitioners of African derived traditions as this represents an expansion of my network of collaborators. I intend to continue working with these new friends and contacts and I hope to continue working with the Eleggua Project, to bring other study groups to Cuba to see the dynamic nature of African-derived traditions in Cuba and the Americas