 |
The circumcision ritual at Songo: The period of preparation According to the Guindo the circumcision ritual takes place every third year during the warm, dry season. In exceptional circumstances, such as in cases of drought and bad harvests, the ceremony may be postponed until sufficient food-stuffs are available to feed the hundreds of participants in the celebrations. Today the boys are between 10 and 12 years old at circumcision; formerly they were considerably older, between 15 and 17 years of age. The preparation of the circumcision ritual is initiated by the boys' parents, who ask the village chief to permit their sons to be circumcised. Following this the villagers come together, and an official request is made to the Guindo to organise the circumcision ritual. Once a date for the circumcision is set, the age groups are informed and preparations begin. Following a gathering of the young people under a big tree to the north of the village, the boys to be circumcised cut millet stalks, while the preceding age group searches for branches. Both stalks and branches are used for building the shelter (hangar) under which the newly circumcised will sleep. Boys belonging to the age group circumcised in the previous ritual, repair wandyermas, musical instruments that are played at the occasion of the circumcision. Every boy repairs the instruments belonging to his family, since every family has its own wandyermas, marked by particular graphic signs. The preparation period for the circumcision ritual lasts several weeks. Once the young people's preparations are completed, the older age groups (who are responsible for the running of the circumcision ritual) are informed, and the operation can be performed. | |
