Liz Edouard - Danc 0163 - An Opera of the West African Bondo

When reading Frederick Lamp’s description of the initiation ritual of Bondo girls, I was awed by his knowledge and in depth description of such a deep rooted ritual in their culture. While I am sure that as a foreigner that some aspects of the ritual were lost in translation and he was not privy to certain parts of the performance such as rituals in sacred areas or understanding the “cook’s dance”, it is notable that he is able to describe with such great clarity both the physical set and the deeper meaning of this initiation rite. Initiation is described as a process of metamorphosis, which seems in this example to relate to the process of coming of age. The complexity of the ritual is captivating and warrants credit as a living cultural tradition. It is interesting to note that differences in the initiation ritual exist between Temne villages due to foreign influences. While rituals such as the “Opera of the West Africa Bondo” represent a tradition that has been in place for almost as long as the people performing the ritual, it is doubtful that the ritual has not undergone significant amounts of change over time. Part of these changes reflect the development of this culture and add to the mystery and enchantment of this partially secretive ritual even though some changes are more western such as asking for gratuities, which reflects European influence. The appeal of the initiation to me came from the ability of Lamp to describe the significance of each natural element with regard to its physical position and its role in other contexts. Normally such descriptions would raise questions in my mind with regard to the author overanalyzing each element, however in this case, all significance seems appropriate and necessary. For example, a part that captured my attention was the description of the anticipation leading to the women’s’ arrival and the emphasis on the “dramatic rise of the piercing tropical sun”, which conveys both physical and symbolical power. The Bondo girls unite with their mothers and women ancestors in this ritual heavy with symbolism yet explicit in meaning as it uses elements such as water to represent the human cycle. Lamp is capable when describing and explaining the symbolism of the distinct elements in the ritual to portray the importance as though he, himself, had undergone the initiation ritual. Another aspect, which he addresses is the contrast between chaos and confusion and coordination, which reminded me of the “aesthetic of cool”. The women perform each step impeccably with calmness and unity amidst a spiritually and emotionally charged environment. Using the word opera to describe this initiation ritual seems unnecessary as at its roots, it is not a western performance and should not be labeled as such.