Sande society
E581898
Sande society is a powerful women’s initiation and secret society among the Mende and related peoples of West Africa, known for overseeing female rites of passage, education, and social regulation.
Statements (51)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
religious and cultural institution
ⓘ
secret society ⓘ women’s initiation society ⓘ |
| associatedWith | Poro society NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| controls |
access to womanhood status
ⓘ
female initiation timing ⓘ ritual knowledge ⓘ some aspects of local political influence ⓘ |
| country |
Guinea
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Liberia ⓘ Sierra Leone NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| function |
moral regulation
ⓘ
social cohesion ⓘ transmission of cultural values ⓘ |
| genderRestriction | female-only ⓘ |
| hasIconicMask | Sowei mask ⓘ |
| hasRitualSpace | bush school ⓘ |
| leadershipBy | senior women ⓘ |
| leadershipRole |
Sande elder
ⓘ
Sowei (mask-wearer and ritual specialist) NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| membership |
adult women elders
ⓘ
girls at puberty ⓘ |
| oversees |
female initiation rites
ⓘ
female social regulation ⓘ marriage preparation ⓘ moral education of girls ⓘ rites of passage for girls ⓘ sexual education of girls ⓘ social education of girls ⓘ |
| practicedBy |
Gola people
NERFINISHED
ⓘ
Kpelle people NERFINISHED ⓘ Mende people NERFINISHED ⓘ Vai people NERFINISHED ⓘ |
| region | West Africa ⓘ |
| relationshipToPoro | female counterpart of Poro society ⓘ |
| ritualsInclude |
instruction by elder women
ⓘ
public emergence ceremonies ⓘ seclusion of initiates ⓘ |
| SoweiMaskRepresents | idealized female beauty ⓘ |
| SoweiMaskSymbolizes |
fertility
ⓘ
water spirits ⓘ wisdom ⓘ |
| teaches |
agricultural skills
ⓘ
community obligations ⓘ domestic skills ⓘ respect for elders ⓘ sexual conduct norms ⓘ |
| uses |
costumes
ⓘ
dances ⓘ masks ⓘ songs ⓘ |
Referenced by (3)
Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.