RITES OF PASSAGE

ROP= The transformation experienced in the life cycles of an African which

commences at the womb and concludes at the tomb (beyond)

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These rites are used to introduce a
new phase including the beginning
of life.
There are different rites for
conception, birth, adulthood,
marriage, eldership, retirement,
death and ancestorship.
They are prescribed by the social
norms each specific community and
ancestral customs and traditions
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In the RP people are metaphysically
and sociologically re-made into new
beings with new social roles. New
born infants are made into new
human beings. Children are made
into adults. Men and women are
made into husbands and wives. The
deceased who meet the criteria
become ancestors.
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 BIRTHDAY PARTY VS RITE OF PASSAGE ACTIVITY
Whether you celebrate your coming of
age with a birthday party or by
permanently disfiguring your body, most
cultures on earth recognize the
importance of this stage in an
individual’s life.
Some crazy rites of passage in this list
commemorate a young adults’ entry into
adulthood and the agonizing things they
are willing to endure to earn the respect
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 The Okrika tribe of Nigeria believes that the young woman of the tribe
forms romantic relationships with water spirits during their childhood.
For this reason young girls must perform the Iria ritual in order to end
their love affair with the water spirits before being married. The ritual
consists of singing songs by a river for days on end during which the
water spirits make one final attempt to capture their lovers, but not before
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they are rescued by a man from their tribe.
 Though scarification is done by people all over the world, it is practiced
heavily by Sepik River tribes in Papua New Guinea as part of an initiation
ceremony for men. This is only a small part of a ceremony that lasts
weeks and includes public humiliation, but it’s ridiculously painful. The
elders of the tribe use razor blades to cut the young men all over their
bodies in a pattern that closely imitates the rough skin of an alligator.
They believe that the alligator will then consume any semblance of a boy
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left in their bodies, and they will become men.
 A boy of the Xhosa people of South Africa must be circumcised before
being considered a man. He is shaved and taken into the mountains
where he will live in seclusion in a hut built for him by his family. While in
isolation,
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allowed to return to the tribe until he is healed
 Woman of the Fula people in West Africa must have their faces tattooed before
they are considered adults. The process takes several hours and is usually done
with a sharpened piece of wood. Similar to a Fula boy’s whipping match if the girl
cries or grimaces she is believed to be too young, and must wait to finish her
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tattoos and marry
After being ceremonially circumcised, the young boys and girls of the Okiek tribe
in Kenya are secluded from the adults for several months. During their seclusion
they paint themselves white using clay in order to take on the appearance of a
wild creature and they are then haunted by a mythical beast whose roar can be
heard at night. They become adults when the elders show them the instrument
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 The Maasai people of Tanzania and Kenya replace their warrior class every 6-
10 years. The next generation of warriors are then circumcised and moved into
a warriors camp where they will live until the next generation takes over. In the
past the Maasai had to stalk and kill a lion with only a spear before they were
considered warriors, but today the lions are protected under government animal
legislation. Let’s face it, you know you’ve crossed into manhood when the
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government has to stop you from killing too many lions
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 To the natives of the Mentawai Islands beauty is extremely important
because if a person’s soul becomes dissatisfied with the appearance of
its body, they believe the person will die. In order to beautify themselves
young female Mentawaians who have reached puberty sharpen their teeth
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with a rock and chisel, and file them down to points
Each stage of the RP is marked
with special rites. RP is usually
carried out with both religious
and spiritualistic overtones. It
varies from family to family/
from clan to clan/ and from
tribe to tribe.
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Puberty Rites in Africa as a Developmental
Strategy to empower the adolescents.
Contemporary anthropologists have
identified the RP as a functional group
process put in place to structure and
bring meaning to the many transitional
stages of the human life.
Puberty rites have both meaning and
function. They serve to ritualize and
demarcate changes in the life status of
Africans in a particular cultural setting.
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 RP is set in motion to
train, prepare and
initiate male and female
youths into adolescent.

HOW IS IT DONE IN YOUR

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THERE ARE DIFFERENT RITES FOR:
1. Conception,
2. Birth,
3.Adulthood/Adolescent
4.Marriage,
5.Eldership/Retirement
6.Death and
7.Ancestorship
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 LET US CONSIDER CONCEPTION
AND BIRTH AMONG THE YORUBA
OF NIGERIA:

1. CONCEPTION,
2. BIRTH,
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 When a woman has missed her
menstruation:
1. It is believed a new creation is on the way
2. The oracle is consulted to determine what type
of food she would be taking
3.No extra marital sex/ sometimes not even with the
husband - ?
4.No walking in the dark/heat of the day - ?
5.Delivery by mid wives/ rejoicing
6.Stays indoors until naming day (7 days for girls & 9
days for boys)
7.Naming ceremony proper
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Some items usually accompany the naming of babies in many Africa societies. Let
us take a look at twelve of these items and know what they symbolize
FOOD ITEMS USED DURING NAMING CEREMONIES
S/N FOOD ITEMS/MATERIALS MEANING
1 WATER UNDISTURBED SMOOTH LIFE FROM BIRTH TO OLD AGE

2 PALM OIL FOR ENDURANCE TO SOLVE LIFE’S PROBLEMS AND

3 KOLANUTS
4 SMOKED FISH
5 SALT
6 ALLIGATOR PEPPER
CHALLENGES
TO DEFLECT MISFORTUNE AND ATTRACT FAVOURS TO
THE IMMEDIATE FAMILY
FOR THE HEALTH OF THE CHILD
PRESERVING THE LIFE OF THE CHILD AND ALL AROUND
HIM/HER
FOR THE CHILD TO BE BLESSED WITH MANY CHILDREN

7 MONEY FOR PROSPERITY AND WEALTH

8 BITTER KOLA LONG AND USEFUL LIFE IN SPITE OF ALL LIFE’S
UPHEAVALS
9 CORN CAKE PLEASANT TRAVELLING MERCIES
10 SUGAR CANE SWEETNESS AND THE GOOD THINGS OF LIFE
11 HONEY PRESERVATION AND THE JOY OF LIFE
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12 FLOWER AND WATER ANCIENT SYMBOLS OF PURITY AND BEAUTY