TRIBAL INITIATION OF BOYS IN ANGOLA

Abstract

This is a comparative study of initiation rites from several distinct centers of Angola culture. Despite local differences certain essentials are common to all, viz., the basic distinction between the circumcised and the uncircumcised, seclusion, harsh treatment, instruction in dancing and tribal customs, fabrication of masks and costumes, and rigorous exclusion of women and the uninitiated. In general the idea of death and rebirth is emphasized, there is a change of name, and there is often a special language in archaic dialect for the novices. The age of initiation varies widely. The above refers to boys, and Hambly suggests that the initiation rites of girls may be one of the most important subjects for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)