The new edition of the book comes with new graphic design, and unpublished photos inserted, in addition to a preface by Mãe Stella de Oxóssi, Ialorixá do Axé Opô Afonjá. The book is the outcome of Pierre Fátúmbí Verger's constant travels to Africa between the years 1948 and 1965 and presents texts and illustrations that discuss and show certain aspects of the worship of the orixás, deities of the Yorubás, in their places of origin, in Africa (Nigeria, ex-Dahomey and Togo) and in the New World (Brazil and the Antilles), where they were taken for 150 years (1700 to 1850) as slaves.