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The initiatory rituals of the Bijago people

Our expert Guinea-Bissau

The initiatory rituals of the Bijago people

The initiatory rituals of the Bijago people The initiatory rituals of the Bijago people © Wilfried Louvet

For Bijago people, the forest is very important, socially speaking. It is there that initiatory rituals take place, and this takes place throughout their lives. The Bijago initiation, known for being violent, makes men and women go through different age and advancement stages. It gives men fatherhood and women motherhood. It is worth mentioning that the Bijago people are the only ethnic group of Guinea Bissau not to practice male circumcision or female excision. Despite a significant Christianisation, the Bijagos worship a creator through spirits, found in natural or manufactured objects.

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