In African cultures, the spiritual and the physical exist in close communion, and the proximity of this relationship explains many aspects of African societies. The connection between the natural and the supernatural, the visible and the invisible, the human and the divine is maintained in a state of equilibrium through prayer and ritual, and the representatives of divine forces on Earth occupy a central place in society. Juju priests, shamans, and healers are not only the guardians of tradition but also the pillars of African civilizations. They serve as doctors, priests, performers, and teachers, and as mediums between the spiritual and the earthly worlds; they embody the soul of Africa itself. African Gods - a spiritual journey through twelve African countries: Nigeria, South Africa, Ivory Coast, Benin, Togo, Guinea, Cameroon, Ghana, Mali, Congo, Gabon, and Uganda - is as enlightening as it is visually stunning.


Daniel Lainé, photojournalist, received the Prix de la villa Médicis hors les murs in 1988. He won first place in the 1991 World Press awards “People in News” category for his book African Kings. Tobie Nathan, ethnopsychiatrist, is professor of clinical psychology and pathology at the University of Paris VIII. Anne Stamm, assistant professor of ethnology at the University of Paris V, has written several books about African history and religions. Pierre Saulnier, a missionary priest, is an expert on African birth and initiation names and author of numerous books about central Africa.