Israel as Africa, Africa as Israel: ''Divine geography'' in the personal narratives and community identity of the black Hebrew Israelites

A consideration of how identity and knowledge are shaped and played out within the Black Hebrew Israelite Community in Dimona, Israel, this article focuses on the Black Hebrews' redrawn map of Africa as their key legitimating and motivational symbol. It presents the ''Divine Geography'' of this map as a powerful counter-hegemonic strategy for bringing what Foucault has called ''subjugated knowledge'' out into the open and converting an idea into practical action. Based on participant-observation, as well as life-history and focused interviews with Community members, the analysis intertwines narratives and observations to show how the Black Hebrews have moved beyond resisting racism and an unsatisfying identity in America to building their own culture in Israel-as-Africa