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Rites Of Passage
BIRTH
The human cycle of birth, growing up, marriage
and death is marked all the way with religious observances in Africa.
Birth is a time of huge rejoicing. In many cultures there's a period of
waiting before the celebrations begin, making sure first that the baby
is healthy and strong enough to survive. The Akamba, of West Africa, wait
three days before slaughtering a goat, at which point the child is named.
The Gikuyu, in Kenya, have a period of four to five days of seclusion
for both mother and child, where only close relatives can visit.
NAMES
Since almost all African names have a clear meaning, naming a child has huge significance. The name chosen may be influenced by circumstances of the birth - if it rained, the child's name will reflect that. The child's features may prompt the name to come from an ancestor or recently deceased member of the family. The name will be given some time after the birth. The Akamba chose a name on the third day: the Wolof, in coastal Senegal, one week after birth.
PUBERTY
The move from childhood to adulthood in traditional societies is carefully marked and charted. Most ceremonies involve an element of withdrawal. Boys or girls are taken away from the community for a period of instruction. This will also involve an element of endurance and some physical ordeal.
The Nandi, in Kenya, have their girls circumcised in a long drawn out ceremony. In all cases, there is a much emphasis on bravery and enduring pain without complaint.
The Akamba and the Massai, in East Africa, are just two groups where circumcision of the boys is the central rite of passage.
 Listen
to the sound of a Massai circumcision ritual
MARRIAGE
Marriage is another sacred rite of passage, but one involving all the community. Traditionally, a man or woman will marry someone known and approved by both families. If the man is married already, then his first wife, or wives, will be consulted. Traditionally, polygamy was not encouraged unless the man was rich enough to support his wives in a decent fashion. It was seen as a way of reducing infidelity and giving women insecurity. Taking a girl friend in addition to having several wives was very frowned upon.
The Yoruba, of southwestern Nigeria, and Krio, in Sierra Leone, have a
pre-wedding ceremony in which the intended bride is kept hidden when her
fianc茅 comes to see her. He calls for her, and her family keep producing
different women, who are often very old. The fianc茅 spots the mistake
each time and each time calls for his intended. Eventually she is produced
to much excitement.
Bride price or 'lobola' is paid in many parts of Africa. This and the cost of a wedding can be hugely expensive. But usually, the expense is met by contributions from all the family.
DEATH
There are a huge variety of different customs associated with death. Many of them are concerned with the transition of the soul, and laying the soul of the dead person finally to rest. This may take some years. Considerable thought is devoted to burial places. Some bury their dead underneath the compound or house. For others, it is important to remove the body to a burial ground some distance away. The Baganda, in Uganda, prepare a grave for each individual when they are still children.
There are all sorts of rules governing how the dead are buried, what they should wear, and what food they should take with them. Echoing the funeral rites of ancient Egypt, there is a belief that death is a journey and one must be equipped for that journey.
In Old Calabar, southeastern Nigeria, the funeral of a king was accompanied by the sacrifice of a number of slaves, who would, it was believed, serve him in the after-life. But in 1852 all this changed. King Archibong was seriously taken ill. The slaves of the Duke Town plantations banded together, in protest of the possibility of being buried with their king. When he recovered inhumation or slave burial was forbidden.
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Fire rages at Layima,
It rages in the valley of river Cumu,
Everthing is utterly destroyed;
Oh, my daughter,
If I could reach the homestead of Death's mother,
I would make a long grass torch;
If I could reach the homestead of Death's mother
I would utterly destroy everything.
Fire rages at Layima.
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