AFRICA: ONE CONTINENT. MANY WORLDS. | LESSON PLANS

Coming of Age: Initiation Into African Society

While the nurturing mother is important during early childhood, her power to discipline the emerging adolescent is limited. In Africa, the responsibility for raising a child into adulthood is entrusted to members of the men's and women's associations of the local community. These groups educate the young and perform special rites and ceremonies of initiation.

To strengthen the survival spirit of young people, they are taken out into the forest to learn how to survive on their own. This teaches them how to confront and deal with physical and emotional danger. All children suffer hunger, pain and loneliness so that they understand these emotions in themselves and in others. These emotions are dramatized through music and dance performances. African music, particularly drums, brings the dancers and the observers into active participation in the drama. Dance is the rhythmic motion of bodies and music is the rhythmic motion of sounds. Both music and dance are used to express emotion as well as to relieve stress, thereby contributing to the mental and physical well-being of the individual and the community.

Societies such as the Senulo of the Cote d'Ivoire teach young people the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge enables a person to analyze problems and develop solutions. Knowledge answers the questions of why and how. Wisdom teaches about the nature of life and its relationships. Wisdom involves human understanding and compassion, and promotes maturity and harmonious relationships. The Senufo place greater value on wisdom than on knowledge because, without wisdom, people can become corrupt and destructive. Simple knowledge fosters power, while wisdom fosters life and well-being.

The Senufo make statues in the form of a seated woman holding an adolescent. Called "Ancient Mother," she nourishes the young, uninitiated adult, with the milk of wisdom. Symbolizing the feminine or nurturing forces in nature, she is endowed with dignity and resolve. The young adult in her arms is now prepared to become a responsible member of the adult community, a giver rather than a taker, fit to become a husband or wife, a father or mother.

Masks are usually worn in initiation ceremonies, plays, dances or other enactments, which illustrate the many types of human personalities encountered throughout life. Wise men, fools, healers, bullies, artists, leaders and many other roles are acted out with masks. Sometimes the play is very serious, but at other times it may be humorous and lighthearted. Masks allow the wearer to become the host of another spirit or being.

Masks also dramatize ideas about how to live in harmony with nature. It is important to know which plants are safe to eat and which are poisonous, which species of animals and insects are harmless and which are harmful.

Many of the negative images acted out are those that exist in the mind and are created out of fear. When the boys and girls are taken into the forest, they encounter not only real threats, such as snakes and wild animals, but also the phantoms they imagined lurking in the bush. Costumed men wearing masks depicting monsters and ogres hide in the bushes and then suddenly appear. Later the children are shown that these were not real monsters but masked impersonators, and they learn that things are not always as they appear.

Initiation ceremonies are usually held for a large group of children together at one time. Thus, initiation is both an individual and a group experience, teaching the children that they must balance individual needs with the greater good of the community. Failure to consider the needs of others might cause suffering in the community. Yet, if the community ignores the needs of the individual, personal growth and development will also suffer. Moderation and balance are needed to promote both personal and communal well-being.

The many forms of initiation masks include images of human and animal heads or combinations of the two. Masks might be decorated with bells, feathers, hair, shells, fabric, metal, and painted or carved designs . The face expresses the personality or character, particularly the mouth and the eyes. Round hollow eyes symbolize power, while half-closed eyes suggest contemplation. An open mouth with bared teeth suggests ferocity.