Title
Sankofa Healing: A Womanist Analysis of the Retrieval and Transformation of African Ritual Dance
Date of Award
5-9-2015
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Religious Studies
First Advisor
Dr. Monique Moultrie
Second Advisor
Dr. Lia Bascomb
Third Advisor
Dr. Nadia Latif
Fourth Advisor
Dr. Kathryn McClymond
Abstract
African American women who reach back into their (known or perceived) African ancestry, retrieve the rituals of that heritage (through African dance), and transform them to facilitate healing for their present communities, are engaging a process that I define as “Sankofa Healing.” Focusing on the work of Katherine Dunham as an exemplar, I will weave through her journey of retrieving and transforming African dance into ritual, and highlight what I found to be key components of this transformative process. Drawing upon Ronald Grimes’ ritual theory, and engaging the womanist body of thought, I will explore the impact that the process has on African-American women and their communities.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/7021647
Recommended Citation
Robinson-Myers, Karli Sherita, "Sankofa Healing: A Womanist Analysis of the Retrieval and Transformation of African Ritual Dance." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2015.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/7021647