Book

Boyhood rituals in an African society: an interpretation

University of Washington PressSeattle • Published In 1989 • Pages:

By: Ottenberg, Simon.

Abstract
This is a study of the traditional aspects of boyhood in the Afikpo village-group in southeastern Nigeria, with a focus on the village of Mgbom. The author's original intention was to analyze the boy's initiation ceremonies at adolescence, but he soon found that he could not take this out of the context of their earlier childhood experiences. As a result this monograph provides detailed accounts of infancy and childhood and their link to adolescent initiation into the Igbo secret societies (p.xiii).
Subjects
Personality development
Body alterations
Athletic sports
Age stratification
Sodalities
Family relationships
Sacred objects and places
Ceremonial during infancy and childhood
Development and maturation
culture
Igbo
HRAF PubDate
2003
Region
Africa
Sub Region
Western Africa
Document Type
Book
Evaluation
Creator Type
Ethnologist
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
John Beierle ; 2001
Field Date
1951-1953, 1959-1960, 1966
Coverage Date
1950-1960
Coverage Place
Mgbom village, Afikpo village-group, southeastern Nigeria
Notes
Simon Ottenberg
Includes bibliographical references (p. 329-335) and index
LCCN
87021701
LCSH
Igbo (African people)