August 1998

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING FOR SACRED ARTS OF HAITIAN VODOU

The Department of Education of the American Museum of Natural History presents lectures, panel discussions, and performances in conjunction with Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou, the first comprehensive exhibition to explore the arts of this Afro-Caribbean religion. The exhibition is on view at the Museum from October 10, 1998, through January 3, 1999.

Performances
All performances: Kaufmann Theater, 2:00 and 4:00 p.m.

• Saturday, October 10
  Ritual and Secular Dances, Chants, and Rhythms of Haiti Jean-Léon Destiné and his Afro Haitian Dance Company.
  
• Saturday, October 31
  Haiti Chante et Danse (Haiti Sings and Dances) The Ibo Dancers of Haiti with guest singers Paulette Saint-Lot and Maryse Coulanges.
  
• Saturday, December 5
  From Vodou Adjae to Revolution: The Music of Boukman Eksperyans Boukman Eksperyans.

Educational Discussions
All programs: Linder Theater, 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

• Sunday, October 11
  Vodou: A World Religion
  
• Sunday, November 15
  Spirits in Celluloid: Haiti, Hollywood, and the Mass Media
  
• Sunday, December 13
  Breaking Leaves: The Healing Arts of Haitian Vodou

Lecture Series
All lectures, 7:00 - 8:30 p.m.. Fee, $40 for series ($36 members); $12 each ($10 members). On October 15, 1998, from 5:45 - 6:45 p.m., series ticket holders can attend a special viewing of the exhibition with the speakers.

• Thursday, October 8
  Imagine Heaven: The Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou Donald J. Cosentino, Professor of African and Diaspora Literature and Folklore, University of California, Los Angeles
  
• Thursday, October 15
  Ties That Bind: Race, Memory, and Historical Consciousness in Vodou and Beyond Mama Lola, a Vodou priestess who maintains her temple in Brooklyn, and Karen Brown, Professor of Sociology and of Anthropology of Religion, Drew University
  
• Thursday, October 22
  When Death Wears Sunglasses: Negotiating Life and Death at the Vodou Crossroads Marilyn Houlberg, Professor of Art and Anthropology, School of the Art Institute of Chicago
  
• Thursday, October 29
  The True Image of Vodou, Its Elements and Its Role in Haitian History and Culture Henry Frank, Executive Director, Haitian Centers Council
  
• Thursday, November 5
  Haitian Ethnography, Music, and Culture Aboudja (Ronald Derenoncourt), scholar, musician, journalist, and Vodou priest

The exhibition was organized by The UCLA Fowler Museum of Cultural History with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Rockefeller Foundation. The presentation of this exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History is made possible through the support of the Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Endowment Fund.

* * *

For more information on these and other programs being offered in conjunction with Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou, the public should call the Department of Education, 212-769-5304.

For more information, contact the Museum's Department of Communications, 212-769-5800.

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