Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
There are various taboo restrictions observed in different parts of Africa, and each tribe has its
own set of taboos imposed without any relationship to the prohibitions imposed by their neighbors.
Details of such restrictions are available in many specialized texts in anthropology. The following
are among the major and common taboos:
1. Incest: Sex is strictly prohibited between children of the same parents, cousins (usually up to the
fourth generation), direct relatives of one's spouses, and members of the same kraal. Freud
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wrote
on the abhorrence with which Africans treat incest in his essay on the “Horror of Incest.” His asser-
tion that “they [primitive people] are probably liable to a greater temptation to it and for that reason
stand in need of fuller protection” is untenable and betrays the apparent inability of Freud and oth-
ers to realize that while incest to a modern human may be a simple societal crime, to the so-called
primitive people the offense is an abomination that is considered sacrilegious.
2. Killing: Taking of any human life, even that of one's enemy, is strictly prohibited. Cases of suicide
are treated as murder, and the victim is punished even at death by not according him or her a proper
burial. Such deaths are treated as a disgrace to the family, and the corpse is abandoned in the evil
forest, unburied. Murderers are required to perform elaborate cleansing rituals and offer sacrifices
to the earth principle before they can be allowed to communicate with members of the community.
3. Meat: Certain types of meat are prohibited by the entire community; some are selectively prohibited
to women and children. Certain cuts or parts of meat are prohibited to a particular sex (more for
females) and children. The prohibitions are often of a religious nature and have their origin in legend
rather than in totemic objects.
4. Masquerades: Masquerades are an important aspect of African religion and culture. They are sym-
bolic representations of the ancestral spirits and are therefore accorded the utmost respect. The
uninitiated male and women and children in general are usually prohibited from participating in
serious masquerade dances; they are also not expected to participate in or watch a masquerade being
kited. During certain festivals and celebrations, ceremonial masquerades are displayed purely for
entertainment, and no taboo restrictions are observed.
5. Corpses: The attitude of Africans toward corpses varies a great deal among the different tribes;
there are significant differences in the burial customs and taboo prohibitions among distant towns
belonging to the same tribe. The general tendency is to treat the corpse with extreme caution while
performing all the necessary rituals for the soul or spirit of the deceased. During the period immedi-
ately following a man's death, his widow is not expected to engage in any domestic chores or attend
to her cosmetic needs. In certain parts of Igbo land, the widow's head is shaved, and the sisters of
the deceased are expected to exert the utmost pressure on the widow to ensure that their brother is
“properly mourned.” Some tribes demand that the woman should be seen publicly crying for her
dead husband every morning for the first 4 days following his death.
6. Women: There are restrictions imposed on women during menstruation. They are believed to be
“unclean” and are not expected to touch any sacred object at such periods. They are also not allowed
to participate in religious ceremonies and rituals during their menstruation. The restrictions again
vary among the different communities, but the overriding belief is that women in such a state will
defile whatever they touch.
7. Occasional taboo: It also usual for certain taboos to be observed for limited periods only, for exam-
ple, during the burial or coronation of certain kings and during important festivals. The burial and
the coronation of Oba of Benin (Nigeria) requires elaborate rituals that involve restrictions on cook-
ing on certain days and the shaving of hair as a sign of collective mourning. Minor prohibitions are
imposed on persons undertaking treatment with a traditional healer. Some of the restrictions are
related to dangers of food/drug interactions; for example, certain medications are not to be taken
with palm oil, while others may prohibit the use of alcohol. During certain rituals, sex may be pro-
hibited for a stipulated period.
Other taboo restrictions are imposed on farm products and the general conduct in the society
over time. Most taboos that are of a religious nature are transferable; anyone who transgresses
against one of the prohibitions acquires the characteristics of being prohibited: The person must
