Rites of Passage

During a major festive event in Ghana, I saw and grabbed a photo of a young girl dressed in fine silk and jewelry with painted images all over her shoulders and face. My curiosity could not be abated and she disappeared in the crowd. Some days later I attempted to explain this girl to my friend Armahfio. He shrugged but the next day told me of Laryea. She, at thirteen, was going through a rite of passage. Her family was advertising her available for marriage. Armahfio said if we go early in the morning, we can see her being painted. The next day we drove to one of the remote fishing villages of the Ada people. It was her! A young lad was painting her body with symbols and words. Here I derived this to be a local custom for puberty. It was very costly for her single mother as she had a club foot. I found the people had their own social system. Her handicapped mother had an exclusive right to travel to a neighboring village, buy bread, and return to sell it in her community. The tradition was for her daughter to undergo this for thirty days. I spoke with Laryea, who said she was in school with no intention of getting married but just fulfilling her duty.