About the book
In four previous books, acclaimed photographers Carol Beckwith and Angela Fisher have documented vanishing tribal customs in Africa-and won an enormous following. Now, after nearly a decade of travel and research, they have created their masterwork-a monumental two-volume exploration of traditional African rites and rituals. Spanning the continent, Beckwith and Fisher open our eyes to scores of exotic and wondrous ceremonies-baby namings, initiations, weddings, harvest blessings, coronations, healing exorcisms, and funerals, among others. Many of these rituals will never be performed again; few have been pictured and described with the intimacy, knowledge, and skill of Beckwith and Fisher. Overflowing with nearly 850 magnificent color photographs, African Ceremonies is one of the most important works on Africa ever published.
About the author
CAROL BECKWITH and ANGELA FISHER, who collaborated on Abrams' African Ark, have been photographing in Africa for 30 years. Beckwith grew up in Boston and is also co-author of Maasai and Nomads of Niger. Australian-born Angela Fisher is the author of Africa Adorned. Periodicals such as National Geographic, Time, LIFE, People, The New York Times, and many others have reported on their achievements and featured their photographs. Beckwith and Fisher lecture frequently. They both live in London when not traveling. MALIDOMA PATRICE SOMÉ, a native of Burkina Faso, holds doctorates from the Sorbonne in Paris and Brandeis University in Massachusetts. Somé teaches, lectures, and conducts workshops in initiation rituals and shamanism around the world, and has published several books and audio tapes. He lives in Oakland, California.