African Rituals of Conflict 1

Abstract

Tms PAPER presents a description of rites expressing social conflict among various African societies and offers suggestions concerning their functional significance. In doing so, it examines critically hypotheses and supporting data presented by Max Gluckman (1954b; 1959), who has provided the only substantial published writings on this subject. Gluckman discusses rites involving rebellion against authority among societies of southeastern Africa. The following discussion broadens the geographic area to Subsaharan Africa and enlarges the subject to include many ritual events not considered by Gluckman. Some of the rites to be discussed lack the element of conflict but are relevant in other respects.