Where the False Gods Dwell
In this fictional retelling, two American women and one Jamaican woman accompany real-life Black dancer-choreographer Katherine Dunham on an expedition to a remote maroon village in Jamaica in 1935. In real life, Katherine, who was also an anthropologist, traveled on her own from 1935-1937 to four Caribbean countries to study African-inspired dance.
The story is told from the points of view of the three women, but Katherine’s point of view is never revealed. Vivian Jean, who hails from an elite Black Chicago family, is Katherine’s friend. Longing to escape the grief over the loss of her first husband, Vivian Jean joins Katherine’s expedition. Con artist Othella is sent by a Chicago gangster to a party attended by Katherine and Vivian Jean to steal a watch owned by Vivian Jean’s father. Othella attacked, and may have killed, her boyfriend. When her boyfriend’s brother shows up at the party, she is rescued by Vivian Jean, who invites her to join the expedition as her assistant.
The group travels by boat to Jamaica, where they are met by Zinzi, a local woman who is working to unionize sugar plantation workers. Zinzi takes them by mule to a remote maroon village. There they interview residents about their customs and witness local dances. The story ends when the women are caught up in a real-life hurricane, with devastating consequences.
What is particularly striking is how vividly each setting is depicted. Readers can picture the gaiety of the party, the bumpy and insect-filled hours traveling by mule, and the village life and spicy food in Jamaica. While Vivian Jean and especially Othella are fully realized characters, Zinzi’s connection to Katherine seems tenuous. Since Katherine’s backstory is lightly sketched, readers may wish for more exposition from her point of view.
