Richard Price (2) (1941–)

Weird. One part anthropology, one part primary sources, and a little part history. Price basically gives an odd biography of Alabi, a Saramacca, a Maroon society in the forests of Suriname. The problem I have is his reliance on oral traditions of present-day Saramacca, which perhaps skews the record, though, it should be said, that contemporary Dutch written records might be skewed themselves. Also, like most anthropologists, he harbors nothing but ill-will and hatred for Christianity and its missionaries (in this case Moravians). This is important because Alabi was a Christian, though he ruled over an animistic people. Hmm. Still, it is rather interesting, however weird it may be, as it reads like a good historical novel.… (mer)