The Aje Spirits,The Secrets of Congo Initiations,Palo Mayombe,Palo Monte,Kimbisa

The ceremony described in this book are not Palo. If you look carefully, it is Wiccan disguised as Palo. When you work a cemetery, you need to ask permission, write a seal, etc. No one works the cemetery at 9 PM, at least under Santería or Palo. That's a western way of thinking, mainly Wicca. Cemetery is worked when everyone is sleeping, midnight. The use of colored candles is not Palo. That's NOVO, Wicca, espiritismo... There's not even a biography. This is a great work of invention. If you are an honest student, I would not buy this book.

The author gives you what he says in terms of the actual rituals and and ingredients for a pot... so you wont be disappointed there...even if they are probably half made up. No real explanation about Aje .. Nothing practical.. ... unless you happen to have the powder of 121 birds of flight bones... or a few dead female powdered bones hanging around.... along with 50 other ingredients.... you probably wont be doing these any time soon.... Nobody said it would be easy... I would recommend books by Theresa Washington if you want to know more about Aje. It's time for men to let women write on women's traditions.

I have in the past appreciated Montenegro's work on Palo -- indeed, a lot. This is thus an extremely disappointing read. Either he knows a lot about the Aje' but has decided not to share it, or his knowledge of the Aje' is sadly lacking. I've learned more from Nigerian community college students on this subject. A much, much better text focusing on the Aje' -- in an innovative, fascinating, and erudite way -- is Teresa N. Washington's 'Our Mothers, Our Powers, Our Texts.'

Please read the title? Aje is a Yoruba word for the Iyami. Palo is Congolese This is like mixing up Kung fu with Judo and then writing a book on the ancient art of Chinese Judo!If he cannot get his title right how is the book?????