Re: alternative film maker (Maya Deren)

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From: Judy Seigel (jseigel@panix.com)
Date: 07/06/01-01:42:30 PM Z


On Fri, 6 Jul 2001, Rosae Reeder wrote:

> She also wrote a book entitled "The Divine Horsemen" She was apparently the
> only women "white woman" who was welcomed into the Petro sect of the Voudoun
> (voodoo) religion. She went to Haiti to film and research Dance and became
> entwined and enthralled with the culture and beauty of that religion. It's
> a great book. Sorry she caused such problems for you Judy. I took this
> course in Undergrad entitled "African Carribean Religion" and my professor
> was very good friends with her which might be why he required we read her
> book. It is one of my faves though.
> Rosae

Absolutely absolutely -- as we agreed when we went out for coffee together
after I took her to court for the 17 cats: if circumstances hadn't put us
in those roles, we would have been friends.

I forget whether it was a book or an article, though I think it was
published in Harpers Magazine, but to me the most original -- and engaging
-- of her works was "The Private Life of a Cat." In those days wild Toms
really did sit on the back fence and yowl "in season" into the small hours
of the night (just like in the old cartoons). (What ever happened to
them?) She used to leave her windows open and watch the visitors come
creeping in over the eaves... then wrote a sort of hymn about it.

But she and her crew also did bongo drums and stomp dances until small
hours -- all year round -- and not just those of us in the floors below
with our chimneys vibrating, but across-the-street neighbors whose walls
it bounced off of were distinctly less enchanted, as your prof might have
been -- if he wasn't one of the stompers !

cheers,

Judy


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