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Ritual, Art And Mimetic Theory
- John Cussans would gather Georges Bataille, Dutty Boukman, Katherine Dunham, Kent Monkman and René Girard for a conversation.
- He frames this group to connect ritual, possession, art and mimetic violence across history.
Ritual Sacrifice Can Spark Revolutions
- Cussans links the Haitian legend of a sacrificial ceremony to Bataille's idea that ritual can spark revolution.
- He argues that ritual sacrifice plausibly formed a pact that committed participants to overthrow colonial slavery.
Katherine Dunham's Vodou Initiation And Activism
- Cussans recounts Katherine Dunham's deep engagement with Haitian Vodou and her purchase of Habitation Leclerc.
- He highlights her initiation into Vodou and subsequent activism in Black dance and community work.