LONGWOOD, FL-Few people in the West understand the enormous influence of witchcraft on the lives of people from all walks of life in parts of Africa, particularly areas south of the Sahara Desert. There, the culture is heavily impacted by animism, the belief that spirits inhabit not just humans but also plants and animals.
"I was one of the first generation of overseas workers to be oriented to Africa entirely by Africans," says Charles H. Harvey, author of NDOKI: Trapped in the Web of Witchcraft (paperback, 978-1-60477-074-2), and that experience immersed him in indigenous cultures, giving him exceptional insight into their traditional religious beliefs. At the request of African leaders, Harvey has led seminars on the issues related to witchcraft to help them understand how to find assistance in dealing with the practice. His expertise in the field is recognized not only in Africa but also in Canada, where Acadia University in Nova Scotia awarded him an honorary doctorate for his contribution to the understanding of witchcraft.
To enlighten Westerners about this phenomenon, Harvey's biographical novel-based on a true story-traces the life of a girl named Titi, whose thinking process changes as she matures into young adulthood. Set in Angola and the Congo, where Harvey worked, the story exposes readers to the practical day-to-day implications of an alternative interpretation of life shared by millions, one implication being the deep distrust that exists in a society where people are suspected of causing tragedy by using their hidden occult powers. NDOKI also shows the devastating effects of anarchy and civil war, through the eyes of a young woman.
Xulon Press, a part of Salem Communications Corporation, is the world's largest Christian publisher, with more than 3,900 titles published to date. Retailers may order NDOKI through Ingram Book Company and/or Spring Arbor Book Distributors. Salem Communications is the country's leading Christian communications company with interests in radio, Internet, and magazine publishing.
|
2007