Comparative aspects of Luvale female puberty ritual

SYNOPSIS

The Luvale female puberty ritual is examined against the comparative background of the Bemba rites, recently described by Dr A. Richards. The main contrasting features of Luvale and Bemba society are outlined. The sequences of events in the rites are then compared. The significance of the Luvale string games to take the place of the Bemba mbusa is of special note here. The interpretation of the Luvale ceremony is considered to bear out most of Richards's suggestions made from the Bemba ritual, except where differences in the structure of Luvale and Bemba societies produce variations. The paper then compares Luvale female and male puberty rites, and finds a close correspondence in their respective patterns. It is suggested that the parallelism of male and female rites in those tribes in which both occur should be examined on a wider comparative basis. Some additional data to supplement Richards's Appendix on chisungu ceremonies in Central Africa is furnished, and some examples of Luvale songs sung at the puberty rites are given.