Providing a history of structured systems of visual expression in both Central Africa and Cuba, Kongo Graphic Writing and Other Narratives of the Sign nuances our understanding of graphic communication as a cultural illustration and demonstrates a link between Bakongo culture in Central Africa and an Afro-Cuban religion, Palo Monte. This in-depth analysis addresses the still too-commonly held assumption that, apart from Egyptian hieroglyphs and Coptic writings, Africa lacks graphic writing systems. This work is greatly enhanced by the plethora of figures, the documentation of the rupestrian art (art done on rock or cave walls) in Lower Congo, contemporary Kongo bidimbu (symbols) and bisinsu (codes) and Palo Monte's firmas (signatures). In addition, it has already been translated into Spanish (El Colegio de Mexico Press, 2012), which ensures its potential to reach a broader audience and begin to bridge some of the disparities between diaspora studies.
A Palo Monte practitioner himself,...