Are there any good books out there on Vodou, Santeria, Yoruba, Palo Mayombe, etc.? Just something practical for the black magician.
EA’s The Spider and the Green Butterfly.
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Not very many good ones. People are pretty tight lipped. Other than EA’s works, there’s Milo Rigaud and that’s about it.
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In the garden of blood and bones is the best book in english on the Mayombe Tradition. Society of the dead may benefit you as well.
As far as Lucumi (Santeria) I recommend any Ochani lele book for introductory.
Truth be told about Santeria, Palo, and true Haitian Vodoun it needs to be passed down traditionally as ancestry is its foundation, you have two types of ancestry that you are blood born with and then the ancestors of those lineages you join through initiation.
It is true that one who is well established in conjure who has made adept pacts with nature and the holy spirit can appeal to the Loa of Vodoun but it should be done with some passed knowledge which becomes sanctioned by the Good God himself.
I myself am a Tata Nkisi Malongo of Palo Mayombe as well as an Olorisha initiated into the mysteries of Oggun. Before I made any of these steps I was born into spiritual tradition that led me to where I am today.
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I’ve seen the Garden of Blood and Bones going for 1,000$ plus on amazon before. And I know that I’ve read that almost all… probably all lol books written on Palo were written inaccurately purposefully . In my mind you must be initiated in palo to learn, there’s a lot of it I would never try to just tap in to that current . I have a lot of respect and admiration for Palo Mayombe and glad to know friends who are paleros it’s a very strong way for sure
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If you get EA’s book make sure to get the newest edition. He changed A lot and he says the older texts are actually inaccurate.
There are ton of tratados online if you read Spanish. Which can give you a lot to work with.
Also Santeria by Gonzalez-Whippler, even though it gets some things wrong. Society of the Dead by Ochoa. Also the essay by Chris Bradford in the “At the Crossroads” anthology. And for a look at the cultural milieu at the time in Cuba.Voice of the Jaguar by Miller.
Though the last one is a book about the Abakua society, which is a men’s initiatory society in Cuba. The Abakua have their own sort of beliefs and rituals. They also different names for their spirits. The book gives an overview on Afro-Cuban influence in general Cuban society.