Liberia: Information about the initiation rites of the Sande secret society, and prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) among the Bassa of Liberia, including age at which initiation into the Sande secret society and FGM are performed; any state condemnation of the practice and whether state protection is available to women or female children who refuse to be subjected to this practice
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 18 March 2002 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | LBR38472.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Liberia: Information about the initiation rites of the Sande secret society, and prevalence of female genital mutilation (FGM) among the Bassa of Liberia, including age at which initiation into the Sande secret society and FGM are performed; any state condemnation of the practice and whether state protection is available to women or female children who refuse to be subjected to this practice, 18 March 2002, LBR38472.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3df4be5e0.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
The Sande is a "female secret societ[y]" (Liberia: A Country Study 1985, 94). It is found among the Mende, Sherbro, Temne, Dei, Vai, Kpelle, Gola, Kono, Limba, Bassa, and Homwe (Introspec 1 May-31 July 1998; Liberia: A Country Study 1985, 94, 114-116; Poynor 1995, 185-191).
According to Poynor, the name of this society varies among ethnic groups (1995, n.p.). It is known as Bondo among the Vai (Kresge Art Museum 7 June 2001) and Temne or Sande among the Mende (Poynor 1995, 185-191).
The following information is extracted from the Kresge Art Museum's Website at Michigan State University:
While the role of Sande has changed over time, the education of young girls remains a key responsibility of its leaders. In theory all women belong to Sande and its formal role in women's lives begins at puberty when girls must undergo a rigorous training period that marks their transformation from child to adult (7 June 2001).
Country Reports 2001 states that female genital mutilation was traditionally performed on "young girls in northern, western, and central ethnic groups, particularly in rural areas. Prior to the onset of the civil war in 1989, approximately 50 percent of women in rural areas between the ages of 8 and 18 were subjected to FGM" (Mar. 2002).
According to Country Reports 2001, a local non-government organization, Human Rights Watch Women and Children, launched a campaign in 2001 to eradicate FGM, and the Association of Female Lawyers in Liberia (AFELL) also spoke out against the practice (ibid.).
Country Reports 2001 further states that
Social structures and traditional institutions, such as the secret societies that often performed FGM as an initiation rite, were undermined by the war. While many experts believe that the incidence of FGM dropped to as low as 10 percent by the end of the war, traditional societies are reestablishing themselves throughout the country, and the increase in the incidence of FGM continued. The most extreme form of FGM, infibulation, reportedly is not practiced. The Government has taken no action against FGM (ibid.).
The information which follows provides a historical context of the Sande society, including its initiation rites, social function and significance.
Introspec states that,
While enrolled in the Sande School, the young initiates learn many secrets, among which is the art of using herbs, spices, and roots to make poisons, love potions, and impotency powders. Revealing any of the society's secrets to men or non-initiates would result in sanctions ranging from banishment to death. During their training, the young initiates "die" ritually and are reborn as new human beings. ... It is also during this training that the initiates undergo the highly controversial operation, the clitorectomy. Membership in the Sande societ is highly sought because few opportunities exist for women who have not initiated into the Sande society (1 May – 31 July 1998).
During the training period, "the Sande masquerade," which "highlights the solemn magnitude of this time for the young women," is performed (Kresge Art Museum 7 June 2001). This masquerade
also appears to honor the important political dignitaries and pays homage to Sande leaders at their funerals. When the masquerade appears, it is regarded as a personification of Sande power, both on the political and religious level. The mask bears the name sowei, which refers to the title given to the highest-ranking leaders of Sande (ibid.).
According to Poynor,
[Sande] higher offices are hereditary. Each group is led by a powerful woman who has control over the "medicine," or halei, a sacred power given by a supreme being. She also controls the masks. Initiation of girls takes place outside the limits of the village. Here they are taught basic female values and trained for marriage, domestic life, and economic pursuits. They are also trained in the mysteries of the women's society and taught its songs and dances.
Public masquerades provide a means of mediating between the society and the community in general. Other people are kept abreast of the stages of initiation and important events in the secret domains of Sande through the masquerade and are thus allowed carefully limited participation in the experiences of the members.
The masqerade also makes visible the powerful halei of Sande without revealing the essential mysteries. Participants and audience are drawn into a common experience, providing a sense of harmony and unity that offsets the threat of disunity and division that is suggested by the division of the community into separate secret factions.
At the same time, the masquerade serves to remind of the powers that the society has at its disposal, should any male decide to threaten it or a member.
The masquerade of Sande is called Nowö. ... One of the most noticeable features of the Nowö is the abundance of rings around the neck. ... The rings also suggest to Sande members the ripples of water that radiate from the mask when it appears from the water, for the Nöwo spirit is believed to appear to humans from bodies of water ...
When a woman commissions a mask, she reveals the name of the spirit to the carver. He secludes himself in the forest to visualize the personality of the spirit that will inhabit the mask. The mask must be attractive, or the spirit will not enter it.
After the mask has been carved, members of the Sande anoint it with halei, thus consecrating it to ritual use.
The owner of the mask is the only person who will invoke the spirit with the mask. When a woman retires or moves up in the society to another level, her Nowö retires as well. It becomes a valueless piece of wood. It may be transformed into a comedic relief mask by repainting with unattractive colors. It may be given to a chief as a prestige gift, or it may be sold to outsiders. ...
Masked dancing provides a festive mood appropriate to the completion of the several stages of initiation. Masks are seen in public at several key moments during the process. Their appearances serve to announce to families of initiates that certain stages have been successfully accomplished and that preparation of foods and gifts of money must be
completed. A mask may collect food from the community to take back to where initiation is taking place. She comes into the community to announce the imminent coming out of the girls, and she leads them into town on their first visit after the process has started. Finally, she leads the richly dressed girls into town when they have completed their training and are released. This is the high point of the entire process, for the girls are now recognized as marriageable, adult women.
The mask may appear at other times to bring justice to offenders of Sande law, to perform in respect at the funeral of an important leader of the society, and to participate in ceremonies in which a new mask is initiated into the work of Sande. Nowö is accepted as a living presence. The spirit speaks not through words but through the language of dance,
referring to moral and social doctrines of beauty, serenity, dignity, control, order, and balance. Dance movements exaggerate the powers of ordinary women and dramatize the ideals of feminine beauty (1995, 185-191).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2001. 2002. United States Department of State. Washington, DC:
Introspec . May – 31 July 1998. "For Women Only: The Sande Secret Society."
Liberia: A Country Study. 1985. Edited by Harold D. Nelson. Washington, DC: Secretary of the Army.
Kresge Art Museum, Michigan State University 7 June 2001. "Sowei Mask, Women's Helmet Mask, Vai People, Liberia." Poynor, Robin. 1995. African Art at the Harn Museum: Spirit Eyes: Human Hands. Gainsville, Fla: University Press of Florida Additional Sources Consulted IRB Databases LEXIS/NEXIS One oral source
