HISTORICAL BACKGROUND BEHIND PUBERTY RITE IN AHANTA
The physiological changes characterizing this stage of a person’s life is very noteworthy and it requires a performance of rite for the child. And this is usually done for the female child since it is always the female child that undergoes significant bodily changes. These bodily changes have social, spiritual and emotional implications on the female child. Socially, the maturation of the sensual parts of the female child makes her the centre of attraction to men from all walks of life. At this stage, it becomes needful for the female child to undergo some moral nurturing on the implication of a likely unrestrained relationship with these men.
Spiritually, the first menstrual flow of blood by these female children also makes them susceptible to advances from spiritual forces locally referred to as “Semankents3n” and unclean/unfit to enter into certain forests and other sacred places. In order to liberate the innocent female child from all these predicaments, she needed to be purified by feeding her with “3t))” and undergo other cleansing activities. By tradition, it is further believed that the soul of a woman is still regarded unclean and unacceptable in the spirit world if the rite is omitted during the lifetime of the deceased. It is a result of this, the rite is performed even at the time of death of a woman in the land of Ahanta.
However, in a situation where the family is financially constraint, the rite will partially be done by touching the mouth of the female child with 3t)) upon her first menstrual experience. Once this is done, the lady can personally toil economically and save towards the rite later at age 20 or above.
CENTRE FOR NATIONAL CULTURE
AHANTA WEST MUNICIPAL
