The Archive

Collections Overview

Holdings

What the Society Holds

The Society's collections span textual, visual, sonic, and material dimensions of Afro-Atlantic sacred practice. All materials are governed under the six-tier access framework articulated in the Iroko Framework's governance vocabulary. Access to any given record is calibrated to the material's nature and the community authorization protocols that govern it.

Textual Materials

Sacred Texts & Libretas

Handwritten libretas, ritual notebooks, Odù transcriptions, patakís, liturgical texts, and correspondence between practitioners and religious communities. Includes materials digitized through ongoing fieldwork in Cuba since 2002.

Visual & Photographic

Visual Ethnography

Documentary photography and visual ethnography materials produced through fieldwork in Havana, Matanzas, and Pinar del Río. Access governed by community authorization protocols specific to each body of images.

Sonic Materials

Music & Sonic Archives

Sacred drum recordings, liturgical music, and ceremonial sonic materials. The Society holds the sacred Añá drum set "La Redentora de Dos Anillos" under dedicated governance instruments.

Scholarly Output

Research Library Holdings

Scholarly literature, field notes, conference papers, and working papers on Afro-Atlantic sacred knowledge systems. Open-access materials are available through standard research request protocols.

Access

How to Request Access

Access to IHS holdings is governed by a six-tier framework calibrated to the nature of each material and applicable community authorization protocols. Not all materials are available at all access levels. Requests are evaluated on the basis of the requester's credentials, community standing, and the specific materials sought.

View Access Policy Submit a Research Request