In this reading, Ana-Marine Lara gives us a unique look into the intersection of being Black and queer and how they present themselves in the context of Caribbean spiritual practices. It was really interesting to see that these cultural practices allow these marginalized groups to reclaim a voice for themselves and connect with their heritage. It provided me an interesting example of how traditional practices, when interpreted in flexible ways, could be used to fill roles that modern society has neglected. For example, in the instance of this book, traditional spiritualism filled the gap in modern society as being a way for marginalized groups to finally feel empowered.
One specific of the reading I wanted to touch on is the concept of a body-land. A body-land is essentially the tie that exists between ones body and the land it is identified with. With examples of this where colonialism and liberation Christian’s struggle to erase indigenous identities as there is a deeper body-land connection, I thought this concept really hit home to me.