Press Release | Arole Cultural releases “Eshu: two friends and a fight”, volume two of “The Orishas Book For Children” collection

Children's book teaches children about the African Gods and the importance of respecting the various points of view

Arole Cultural made its debut in children literature with “The Orishas Book for Children” collection, a series of 18 titles, which in a didactic and illustrative way presents to the small readers the universe of African-Brazilian culture. After having access to the main Orishas and its most outstanding characteristics in “Knowing the Orishas”, it´s time to know deeper of each one of them.

In the second volume, “Eshu, two friends and a fight”, by Mighian Danae and illustrations by Caco Bressane, children will learn one of the most famous myths of Eshu, African god of communication and movement.

“Eshu is the first Orisha to be hailed, graced, remembered ... And this must happen because it is Him who protects the roads and illuminates the paths of all the people who ask for his attention and care in the first place", thus opens the publication, in which the Guardian of the Crossroads teaches that a truth can have many sides and is always willing to fight and enjoy life.

“Exu is not good nor bad, is not hot nor cold, is not shade nor light. Exu is both light and dark, because his name is daring", explains Waldete Tristão, coordinator of the first five volumes of the series, dedicated to Orishas Eshu, Ogun, Oshossi, Omolu and Ossain.

In the new book, Mighian Danae has adapted into children's language a traditional myth in which Eshu dresses in a half red / half black hat and prostrates himself between two childhood friends, each looking at only one side of his clothing. From then on, the two friends engage in a great argument for the absolute truth, one arguing that it sees one color and the other, another. With this, Eshu, through the words of Mighian, teaches small readers that truth, even though it is only one, can be seen and seen from various points of view.

In the next volumes of the collection, which will be released gradually between 2019 and 2020, each Orisha will be highlighted with one of its traditional stories, specially adapted for children of literacy age, teaching fundamental values about friendship, respect for differences, love, family, generosity, identity, self-esteem and more!

In addition to the cultural and educational character, the collection also aims to be a relevant instrument for the strengthening of the Law on Guidelines and Bases of National Education (LDB) 9.394/96, amended by Law 10.639/03, which makes compulsory the study of culture and African-Brazilian and African history, as a constituent and formative of Brazilian society, in which blacks are considered historical subjects.

Connected with Opinion No. 4 of the National Education Council, approved in 2004, which established the National Curricular Guidelines for the Education of Ethnic-Racial Relations and for the Teaching of Afro-Brazilian and African History and Culture, the collection values ​​the African-Brazilian cultural heritage, recognizing and affirming rights with regard to education, insofar as it collaborates to bring children closer to African-Brazilian and African history and culture, in the perspective of religiosity as a cultural heritage.

Eshu, two friends and a fight
40 pages, paperback
Cover price: R$35,00 | ISBN 9788590624028
Available at:  www.arolecultural.com.br/shop/exu-dois-amigos-e-uma-luta

About the author
Mighian Danae graduated in Pedagogy at the State University of Bahia / UNEB (2003), with a specialization in History, Society and Culture at the Pontifical Catholic University (PUC) - São Paulo (2008), Master's degree from the Faculty of Education of the University of São Paulo / FEUSP (2012) in the line of History of Education and Historiography and Doctorate in Education in Sociology of Education at FEUSP. She has experience in Education, with emphasis on Early Childhood Education, working mainly on the following themes: race and gender, early childhood education and social studies of childhood. She is part of the Research Group on Sociology of Childhood and Early Childhood Education (GEPSI) of the School of Education of USP and the Group of Studies and Research in Education of the University Lueji ANKonde, Angola (GEPEULAN), of the School of Education of USP. She is currently a professor at the International University of the Integration of Afro-Brazilian Lusophony - UNILAB (BA).

About Arole Cultural
The publishing house was founded in 2015 by Diego do Oxóssi, aiming to translate the culture of the Orishas in an objective and easy way for the lay reader or for anyone who already has an interest in the subject "Arole means `the heir` in Yoruba language - one who carries a tradition. This is the mission and the main goal of our titles and brand: help spread African religions, breaking down taboos and stigmata, demystifying and deconstructing prejudices and showing that we are all equal in our differences", explains the founder and writer.