5 cultural facts we learn from L’enfant noir by Camara Laye

Throughout the story, the author teaches us some interesting facts about his culture and community’s rituals and practices. I share some traditional customs and beliefs that we learn from reading L’enfant noir by Camara Laye.

1. The “douga”

It is a traditional song that is intended for renowned men only; only these men can dance it. It is a very strong melody, rich of spiritual meaning, that is believed to attract bad spirits who at its sound, can cast a spell on the man who has the honour to dance it. Hence, before singing and dancing it, the griot and the man for whom he sings need to prepare spiritually through a specific ritual. They must wear a set of special talismans that are supposed to make them untouchable by these bad spirits. Keïta Fodéba in his poem called “Aube Africaine” described the douga as the sacred dance of the vulture that no one dances without having accomplished a brilliant action. He qualified it as the dance of the Malinkés’ * emperors, which each step is a stage in the history of Mali.

In the book precisely, the griot sang it for Camara Laye’s father at the request of one of his client, a woman who ordered a gold bracelet from him. In fact, Camara Laye’s father was a craftsman belonging to the caste of the jewellers. He had his workshop in his concession where he worked with several apprentices, about the age of his son. During the whole process of making the bracelet, the griot, with his Kora (a stringed musical instrument specific to the West African region and similar to the harp), sang the praises of Camara Laye’s father through the evocation of the glory and dignity of his ancestors and of all the great figures belonging to his family lineage. Only at the end, mesmerised by the completed piece of jewellery, the griot started to sing the douga. Camara laye tells us that his father was already prepared to dance the song since he had been made aware in a dream that he would have to dance it on the following day. Hence, he was able to take all the ritual precautions beforehand. Also, the griot, as soon as he made to deal with the woman who ordered the bracelet, had to take his precautions just in case he would end up singing it.

The way the douga is danced is very codified; Camara Laye’s father, as soon as the griot started to sing it, shouted. Then, he took in his right hand his hammer, symbolising his profession, and in his left hand, he had a sheep horn within which was a magical substance. With these two, he danced the douga.

2. “Bô”

It is the name by which twins are usually called so that their actual names are not often used. Also, the first born of the twins is considered as the elder. Camara Laye’s uncles from his mother’s side were twins.

3. Characteristics of twin brothers/ sisters

In Camara Laye’s community, it is believed that twin brothers/ sisters are more discerning than the other children, they supposedly have special powers. Also, the child who is born right after the twins, called “sayon” (meaning after the twins), is also believed to have special abilities, even more than the twins. He is viewed as more important and mysterious than them. Hence, he plays the role of mediator between the twins whenever an argument occurs among them. He is ranked higher than the twins in terms of wisdom and discernment. Camara Laye’s mother was a “sayon” and we learn that she had divination powers; she was able to foresee any evil scheme going on among the people, thus exposing them to the whole community. She mainly received these warnings during her sleep, that’s why nobody ever woke her up, fearing to disrupt her dreams and the possible revelations she was to receive through these.

4. The ritual of circumcision

As long as a male child was not circumcised, he would still be considered as a boy without discernment nor wisdom, even to the other boys of the same age who had the advantage to already be circumcised. Only after the circumcision, the boy would be considered as a man, he would be given new clothes and would leave his mother’s hut where he usually slept from his birth. There are two rituals that make up circumcision, a public and a secret one. The public ceremony lasts 7 days and the whole village participates; the soon-to-be circumcised boys dance to a special tune called the “soli”, which is specifically composed for their condition. On the last day of the public ceremony, the boys need to be separated from the crowd; even their mothers are not allowed to touch them nor to talk to them, the boys only are allowed to dance the “coba” while the congregation has to watch. This last step precedes the secret ritual. The boys to be circumcised, the man who is supposed to circumcise them as well as their carers only, partake to this secret ritual which takes place in the bush, far from the village. As soon as all the boys are circumcised, the tradition is to shoot in the air in order to proclaim the news to the whole village and reassure the families that everything went well. While the wound from the circumcision heals, no woman is allowed to see the boys, not even their mothers; they remain separated from the rest of the community. They spend this time following an initiation teaching while the village still celebrates the event by cooking and sharing meals together; the boys are allowed to receive gifts and food from their families and the rest of the village. The healing and initiation process altogether last one month after which the newly circumcised boys go back to their family compound.

5. The importance of the community

Before Camara Laye went to Conakry to study for his professional certification, his parents organised a big celebration where all the village was invited; it was the tradition to inform the whole village and provide food to a great number of people, especially to the most disadvantaged families, so that everyone would give his blessing to the one who was leaving. Also, there was this habit of consulting a holy man to ask for his blessing and enquire on how everything would work out; if the time and occasion were favourable for the departure or not. These traditions and considerations were very important and were not to be taken lightly since these were believed to impact the journey and well-being of the person; those are in line with the Fula proverb saying that it takes a whole village to raise a child.

References

· Keïta Fodéba, Aube Africaine

· Amkoullel, L’enfant peul or Amkoullel, A Fula child

*Malinké is a language that is spoken in West Africa, especially in some parts of Mali, Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Senegal, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gambia. The people speaking this language belong to the Mande branch. Note that Camara Laye was Malinké.

Go deeper

Learn more about traditional African rituals and beliefs in Amadou Hampâté Bâ’s memoirs and books

· Aspects de la civilisation Africaine or Aspects of the African civilisation

· Amkoullel, L’enfant peul or Amkoullel, A Fula child

· Oui mon commandant! or Yes, my commander!

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