Nan domi, le récit d'une initiation vodou

by Mimerose Beaubrun

Document unique, exceptionnel, d’une initiation vodou. Expérience vécue par une anthropologue haïtienne, co-fondatrice du groupe haïtien Boukman Eksperyans « Comme toutes les grandes religions du monde, le vodou a une pratique publique extérieure — de rituels et de cérémonies —, mais également une dimension mystique intérieure qui a plus vocation à être pratiquée en privé, bien qu’il soit quelque peu inapproprié de l’appeler pratique personnelle. Avant Nan dòmi, les travaux sur le vodou se sont concentrés sur la première, c’est-à-dire la dimension publique, extérieure, de la religion et des us et coutumes qui l’entourent. Mimerose P. Beaubrun s’est proposé, tout d’abord, d’effectuer un travail du même ordre. Mais après quelques décennies d’étude et de recherche, elle a perdu toutes ses notes, cassettes, photos et brouillons dans une inondation. Il ne restait plus rien que le noyau essentiel de ce qu’elle avait appris et intériorisé dans un lieu où ni feu ni eau ne pouvaient le détruire. Nan dòmi est le seul récit offert au public jusqu’à présent d’une pratique du vodou privée, mystique, intérieure. Son contenu établit le même rapport au cérémonial vodou que le zen au bouddhisme conventionnel, le soufisme à l’islam conventionnel, la pratique des saints délaissés au christianisme conventionnel. Mimerose P. Beaubrun a étudié le vodou pendant la moitié de sa vie, mais elle en est aussi une adepte et dans cet ouvrage d’une valeur inestimable elle se dépouille de tout apparat universitaire pour parler du coeur même du vodou. » Extrait de la préface de Madison SMARTT BELL, traduit par Danièle ROBERT

Genres: Spirituality, Anthropology, Religion, Memoir, Biography

288 pages, Paperback

First published November 8, 2010

Reviews

[Gabrielle Villard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let's not kid ourselves , I am no pro at writing reviews but considering that it wasn't read by many , I thought I'd start.

First of all I have no words to describe how fascinating Nan Domi was. It is more than a "good" read or an "amazing" book. Nan Domi is instructive and an eye opener. It treats a different aspect of Voodoo which was too long kept in the dark and solely considered satanic, diabolic...

Nan Domi is simply on another level . It is about the pursuit of spirituality , inner peace , the "unknown" as the author puts it , the untouchable. It is about discovering the power of the mind and the power of our dreams. It is about letting of "reason" of our "intellect" which too often blocks us from the basics and what truly matters. It is about how we are constantly looking for answers and explanations for everything around us instead of appreciating the simple beauties of this earth , of life , of the inexplicable... It is about changing perception of this world and getting the "je" meaning the eye which would allow us to discover another world.

Beaubrun's research on Voodoo for her thesis will lead her into a new journey where she will voluntarily be initiated into that Religion. You will feel her confusion and excitement as you read this book.Nan Domi is far from being a "meaningless speech" . It is a well and simply written book rich with content about the Haitian Culture.

Happy Reading!

[Myriam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read this in the original French...Beaubrun, who had been writing an anthropological text on vodou lost all her papers in flood; she re-wrote the text from memory, in a trance, while also practicing dream analysis. Her conclusions give great insight in the practice of vodou from a place of profound engagement, without the usual sensationalism associated with vodou. Her sources are mostly elder mambos (women priestesses) who aid her in transcending her intellectualism to understand the heart of vodou, and, in the process, the heart of humanity and the "mysteries." Beaubrun is the lead singer of the rasin band, Boukman Eksperyans. Worth a read.

[Capucinette · Rating 5 out of 5]

Youn nan pi bèl liv mwen li pou 2021 an. Mwen kontan li te resi rive nan menm, poum apresyel e aprann yon pakèt bagay. Mèsi!

[Leyla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Un récit très personnel de l'initiation au vodou de Manzé, qui porte beaucoup de réflexions sur l'essence de la culture haïtienne et sur celle de l'esprit humain. Cependant, le style est assez répétitif et on arrive assez vite a en avoir assez de la personnalité un peu immature de Manzé et de son manque de confiance en elle-même (ce qui est tout à fait compréhensible, elle était très jeune lorsqu'elle a vécu ses expériences). Parfois aussi on se perd dans les détails et j'ai eu du mal à suivre le contenu du livre parce que le texte est assez souvent bourré de noms de lwa et de lakou ou de phrases abstraites et très spirituelles. Je suis aussi une personne très logique (comme l'auteure dit d'elle même aussi), donc (comme elle aussi) je me suis souvent retrouvée en train de chercher des preuves et de la cohérence lorsque, comme tanta Tasia le dit en continu dans le bouquin, l'intellect n'en a rien à voir et il faut uniquement sentir et voir. Une lecture très originale!

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a must (read). I hope one day, this book will be an essential in the curriculum. So much to learn, so much to explore. Every human (especially Haitians) should read this.

[Marsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

First, let me say thank you for. I won this book through First Reads. I have been interested in various spiritual beliefs for quite a while. I'm curious about different belief systems that are outside of the big "ones." Growing up I was always afraid to even think about what other religions or spiritualities consisted of or believed because I was always taught that everything else was evil or satanic and that I was going to go to hell for even thinking about them. I have grown - in many ways and now have come to understand that there is much to learn about ourselves and the world around us simply by understanding other belief systems. This book was truly fascinating. It helped to remove and correct many of the notions that I had about Voodoo. I was truly ignorant - but not so much that I couldn't understand that there was more to it than I assumed and that it was not evil.

I found that Mimerose Beauburn did a wonderful job of drawing me into the concepts and explaining them in a way that made it easy to understand. It also made me stop and consider my own beliefs and my own approach to the world around me. I could also sense that she learned a great deal more than she expected when she began her journey to write about Voodoo. Thankfully, she was provided access to the internal reality of Voodoo, not just what others can "plainly' see from the outside looking in.

Thanks so much!

[City Lights Booksellers & Publishers · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Nan Dòmi stays localized in Haiti, yet its universality, like that of Buddhism or Hinduism or any of the enduring religious worldviews, becomes apparent from Beaubrun's instructive guidance into this transferable territory. She directly confronts the same questions that arise in every worldview, every philosophy, every religion, and every science . . . Beaubrun takes us along the Vodou path to comprehending the nature of the universe, the nature of the ordinary and the divine, and also into the mired terrain of darkness and light, evil and suffering, and human frailty and strength, the twin threats of being and nothingness . . . Her story courageously unfolds her personal extension and deepening of awareness, not as a substitute for ordinary Western ways but as expansion of comprehension and competency . . . These are the lessons of this important book."--Journal of Haitian Studies

"Mimerose Beaubrun's book Nan Dòmi: An Initiate's Journey into Haitian Vodou — the first part of the title refers to a spiritual state — is a welcome addition to the canon of vodou scholarship, a deeply felt inside account of a faith of often daunting complexity."--Michael Deibert, Miami Herald

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book, for free, in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a story of spiritual progress in the style of Carlos Castaneda. This book seems somewhat dry compared to other spiritual tales such as Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives or The Alchemist. Additionally, the frequent use of non-english words hurt the book's flow.

I didn't find much I could adapt to my own practice.
This could be due to my own impatience. The author seemed to be genuine and underwent an impressive journey. My assumption is that this book could be excellent in the hands of a more patient reader.

[Karen Ashmore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though I had never read this book before, I felt I had lived some of the experiences previously or at least dreamed them. Some of the descriptions were crystal clear to me and other concepts I struggled to understand. It was self-affirming that some of her interpretations of different lakou were the same as mine. This was an excellent intro to an individual's journey into Haitian vodou. Some day I want to experience that journey as well. Or maybe I have in the past and remnants of those memories resurface in my dreams.

[Damien · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about this book is that it was not written by a white American, but by an actual Afro-Haitian. Another great thing about this book is that its more important message was about developing spirituality, something a few of the white American know-it-alls tell you is not the purpose of Vodou. Also, the author does not bother to shame the reader to "stop appropriating other people's cultures," something most white Americans do when they decide that Vodouisant is their new adopted religion for that moment. I plan to read this again some time soon. I hope Beauburn writes more.

[World Literature Today]

"Nan Dòmi is Mimerose Beaubrun’s fascinating, first-person narration recounting her study of, and initiation into, Haitian Vodou. What began as a doctoral thesis in anthropology on the lakou became the detailed description of Beaubrun’s reaching, with Aunt Tansia as her primary mentor, the “state of lucid dreaming,” Nan Dòmi." - Robert H. McCormick Jr., Franklin University Switzerland

This book was reviewed in the November 2014 issue of World Literature Today. Read the full review by visiting our website: http://bit.ly/1DmygYH

[Yoly Belizaire · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the most important book I have read, touched and felt. I read this book while in Ayiti. I would read this and then bathe in the sacred rivers of the land. This is a book that awakened me, awakened my dreams, awakened my inner waters. The most important book I have read in my lifetime. A book that I will always return to.

[Anishella Jb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nan Domi: An Initiate's Journey into Haitian Voudou

[Lysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

[Kath · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating snapshot some of the lesser known non-asson vodou traditions and an insight into the Haitian worldview and culture. Fascinating if hard to follow in places.