Description
Alfred Métraux was a Swiss-French ethnologist whose fieldwork redefined the modern understanding of Afro-Caribbean religion and culture. A key figure at UNESCO and a leading voice in anthropology during the mid-20th century, Métraux approached his subjects with empathy and nuance rather than colonial detachment. His deep immersion into Haitian society—particularly rural and spiritual life—challenged Western misconceptions and laid the groundwork for later generations of scholars and artists interested in Vodou as a complex cultural system, not a sensationalized oddity.
Originally published in 1958 as part of the UNESCO “Man and Society” series, Haiti: Black Peasants and Voodoo offers an incisive look at the lived experiences of Haiti’s rural communities, with a particular emphasis on Vodou as both religion and social structure. This English-language edition, translated by Peter Lengyel, is presented in its full dust jacket featuring stunning cover art by André Pierre Mendes of the Saint Soleil school. Métraux’s vivid, sensitive prose captures a people’s resilience and rituals without exoticism, making it a foundational text for anyone studying the African diaspora, ethnography, or Haitian history — an excellent example of a classic midcentury anthropological work.
A landmark book in cultural anthropology, as relevant now as when it first appeared.
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