Note 5 — Chapter II · CEREMONIAL CUSTOMS

Some man is chosen to take charge of the ceremony. This may be one of the older men of the community to which the youth belongs or a distinguished visitor, if there be any such present in the camp at the time. This man selects some of the meat and fat of the cooked turtle, placing them in a wooden dish. He comes to where the youth is seated, while the friends and relatives gather round. Taking some of the fat he rubs it first over the lips and then over the whole body of the youth, while the female relatives of the latter sit near and weep loudly. When the youth’s body is thoroughly covered with fat the man who is performing the ceremony takes some burnt oxide of iron, such as is used for making red paint, and rubs it over the youth’s whole body, except the hair of his head. He then takes a piece of turtle fat and places it in the youth’s mouth, feeding him thus with a few mouthfuls which the youth eats in silence. At this point the weeping of the relatives is taken up again with renewed vigour and then gradually comes to an end. Having fed the youth the man then proceeds to massage him. He first stands behind him and placing his hands on his shoulders presses down on them with all his weight. Then he seizes a roll of flesh on each side of the youth’s belly and shakes it up and down as though to shake down what has been eaten. The arms are next massaged and the wrists and knuckles are forcibly flexed so as to make the joints “crack.” The legs are similarly massaged, either with the hands or with the feet, the performer (in the latter case) standing on the outstretched legs of the youth and rolling the muscles beneath his feet5. The joints of the toes are forcibly bent with the hand to make them “crack” if possible. A mixture of clay (odu) and water has been prepared in a wooden dish. The performer dips his hands into this and spatters it over the youth’s body from head to foot, either by holding his hands near the youth and clapping them together, or by jerking the clay off his fingers with a flicking motion. During the whole of these proceedings the youth sits passive and silent.