Book
Girls' nubility rites in Ashanti
Ghana Pub. Corp. • Tema, Ghana • Published In 1977 • Pages:
By: Sarpong, Peter.
Abstract
This is a detailed description and interpretation of Ashanti nubility rites based on questionnaires, tape recordings, and the personal experience of the author, who grew up in an Ashanti village. Ashanti nubility rites mark a woman's availability for marriage and the matrilineage's future hope. Boys are not as valued as girls in this respect and do not have any equivalent initiation rites. The rite is carried out for a single girl between the ages of 13 and 20. In the symbolism of the rite the girl is treated as the queen mother. She is ‘enstooled,’ kept secluded, and pampered. Other parts of the ceremony involve singing, dancing, sacrifices, ritual hair cutting, and ritual bathing. A separate KYIRIBRA ceremony is held for girls who violated their chastity prior to the nubility rite.
- HRAF PubDate
- 2000
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Western Africa
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Cleric
- Document Rating
- 4: Excellent Secondary Data
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Ian Skoggard ;1999
- Field Date
- Not Specified
- Coverage Date
- 1920-1970
- Coverage Place
- Ashanti; Ghana
- Notes
- Peter Sarpong
- Includes bibliographical references (p. 99-101)
- LCCN
- 78106960
- LCSH
- Akan (African people)