Yoruba Religious Aesthetics in Popular Culture: A Visual Analysis of Beyoncé’s Reclamation of Blackness Through African Spirituality Open Access

Abstract

Through outlets like The Walt Disney Company, the media has historically misappropriated Lucumí and other African heritage religions by demonizing the practices. Consequently, contemporary artists and practitioners themselves have actively counteracted the media’s irresponsible handling of such traditions by using social media and popular culture to reclaim the representation of African heritage religions. While early studies of African diaspora religions addressed issues of syncretism and the Herskovits-Frazier debate concerning African “retentions,” contemporary studies are now analyzing a broader array of themes, including gender, ritual process, sexuality, and sensuality. These themes as well as Beyoncé’s engagement with Lucumí in her public performances and productions have sparked controversy over the boundaries of propriety and respectability regarding the secular representation of African heritage religions. Through a visual analysis of Yoruba religious aesthetics in Black is King.

I will argue that contrary to critics who find Beyoncé’s work disrespectful, her public embodiment of the Orisha is a practice integral to the essence of Lucumí. The intersection of religion and themes surrounding race and Blackness in her work effectively challenges white supremacy and the historical degradation of African culture. I will also explore how Lucumí’s reclamation by popular culture icons like Beyoncé actually affords scholars an opportunity to examine corrective representations of African heritage religions in the media that reflect nuanced interpretations of sacred knowledge, practice, and performance.

Table of Contents

Introduction...........................................................................................................................................1-7

Chapter 1: Lucumí’s Appearance in Cuba and Reappearance in the United States........................................7-11

Chapter 2: Contestation Over Race and Religion: Lucumí and its African Heritage Among Practitioners...... 11-15

Chapter 3: Scholars’ Opinions of Cuba as a Source of Yoruba Spiritual Practice..........................................15-18

Chapter 4: Lucumí Cosmology................................................................................................................18-21

Chapter 5: Beyoncé’s Inspiration from Lucumí.........................................................................................21-27

Chapter 6: Black is King Visual Analysis..................................................................................................27-49

Conclusion............................................................................................................................................49-55

Bibliography.........................................................................................................................................56-60

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	African American Studies
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Fine Arts African American Studies Religion, General
Keyword	Black Is King
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Stewart, Dianne, Emory University
Committee Members	Carrion, Maria, Emory University Quiroga, Jose, Emory University

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