For his new book, an elegantly clear and authoritative study of Santeria mythology, Nez collected the ancient stories told in Santeria, a widely practiced religion resulting from the syncretism of Catholicism and African religion. These stories, which speak about the actions and conflicts of the divine ancestors of the Yoruba slaves of Nigeria have been retold for centuries by native-born Africans and their Cuban-born descendents during their sacred and secular dances, carnivals, and festivals throughout the Spanish and Portuguese colonies.