Fidel and the Spirit of Anansi

ABSTRACT

Kidnapped and enslaved Africans were accompanied from West Africa to the Caribbean by Anansi, the spider-god. In Caribbean folklore, the tiny spider uses his wits to defeat the mighty. Anansi’s shenanigans are used to elucidate Caribbean political morals and mores, with Fidel Castro’s efforts to manoeuvre between the powerful cold war super-powers being the ultimate exemplar of this. Anansi-theology is also used to explore aspects of God in Caribbean theology.

KEYWORDS:

• Castro
• Caribbean
• Jamaica
• Anansi
• theology

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Rachele (Evie) Vernon currently serves as the theological advisor for USPG (UK). Email: [email protected]

Notes

1 http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5124/ (accessed 10/10/2017).

2 http://www.ltmpantomime.com/pages/detailed/Bluebeard49.html (accessed 10/10/2017).

3 Jagessar, “Spinning a View,” 182.

4 Matthew 23:24 The Holy Bible. New Revised Standard Version. OUP: Oxford, 1995.

5 Online Version: 1997, Castro Internet Archive (marxists.org) 2001. https://www.marxists.org/history/cuba/archive/castro/1953/10/16.htm (accessed 10/10/2017).

6 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/latin-lessons-what-can-we-learn-from-the-worldrsquos-most-ambitious-literacy-campaign-2124433.html (accessed 10/10/2017).

7 https://www.census.gov/newsroom/cspan/1940census/CSPAN_1940slides.pdf, http://www.bluemarblecitizen.com/world-population/Cuba, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-13066561 (accessed 10/10/2017).

8 http://www.history.com/topics/cold-war/cuban-missile-crisis (accessed 10/10/2017).

9 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/castro-announces-mariel-boatlift (accessed 10/10/2017).

10 Jagessar, “Spinning a View,” 182.

11 Ibid., 185.

12 https://www.huffingtonpost.com/salim-lamrani/cubas-health-care-system-_b_5649968.html, http://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-highest-literacy-rates-in-the-world.html (accessed 10/10/2017).

13 http://edition.cnn.com/2016/08/12/americas/cuba-fidel-castro-at-90-after-assassination-plots/index.html (accessed 10/10/2017).

14 Exodus 15:13, Is 11:2.

15 Genesis 25:26; 32:22-32.

16 Jeremiah 20:7.