Iconoclastic Historicity in Ishmael Reed's Mumbo Jumbo

Abstract

Ishmael S. Reed's novel Mumbo Jumbo presents an iconoclastic paradigm against the western perspective to view cultural history of African American people in American locations. In this novel, Reed rewrites the history of black people from a cultural praxis that dismantles the 'icons' of western metaphysics. While Reed tries to show the cultural history of black people from its origin to the present socio-political situation in America, he moves to the iconoclastic arena of historicity. The white conception of 'history' and 'culture' of black people is violated, dismantled and threatened in this novel. The struggle between Jes Grew and Wallflower order regarding the ancient Black Egyptian text The Book of Thoth and adaptation of multidisciplinary facets such as art, culture, myth and music from the perspective of African Americans questions the canonical culture and history. Furthermore, with the contextualization of Harlem Renaissance and Jazz culture Reed challenges the autonomy of western canon.