Ashé-Diasporan Spirituality in Carlos Wilson's Los nietos de Felicidad Dolores

Abstract

For individuals of African ancestry, liberty not only means freedom from physical restraints such as chains, but also equality, and the freedom to express traditional spiritual practices. Carlos Guillermo Wilson (Cubena) is one of Panama's first novelists to integrate elements of Afro-Caribbean spirituality in a positive manner to counter negative attitudes toward African-inspired cultural expression. His novels, Chombo (1981) and Los nietos de Felicidad Dolores (1991), and his numerous collections of short stories and essays focus on the historical tensions among the nation's black communities. This study will focus on Los nietos de Felicidad Dolores and the manner in which the work serves as an example of Ashé-Diasporan literature.