Mumbo Jumbo, an innovative novel, weaves historical events and imaginative storytelling into a plain fabric. Set in the 1920s Harlem, it introduces Jes Grew, a contagious outbreak of joy and ... SOURCE: Ludwig, Sämi.

Understanding the Context

“Dialogic Possession in Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo: Bakhtin, Voodoo, and the Materiality of Multicultural Discourse.” In The Black Columbiad: Defining Moments in African ... Mumbo Jumbo emerges as a multifaceted work, intertwining a novel of ideas with a satirical critique. At its core, it is a postmodernist detective story that aligns itself with the traditions of ... PaPa LaBas, a HooDoo detective, is a venerable leader in the quest for cultural and spiritual revival through the Jes Grew movement.

Key Insights

At fifty, he helms the Mumbo Jumbo Kathedral, tirelessly ... In Mumbo Jumbo Reed untangles the black mythic past from the negative symbology of Western religions and relocates the integrity of black magic and hoodoo in the artistic function of the Afro ... P.T. Barnum and his partner, James Bailey, establish the Barnum & Bailey Circus, featuring Jumbo, an African elephant they purchased in London, as their main attraction. One day, their lives take a dramatic turn when Sikh terrorists destroy an Air India jumbo jet.

Final Thoughts

Amazingly, two passengers survive the crash, landing safely in the English Channel. The secret is so heavy, of course, that it can only be revealed through the leader's interpretation of Das Kapital / visions of the Scripture / mumbo jumbo about the creative process.