Jordan Minutola

LBST 2102

Essay Questions for Of Water and the Spirit

Grandfather Bakhyes death ritual can be categorized at an ideological ritual. The

separation phase is when Bakhye is believed not to be dead or alive but in the world of the

spirits. He is taken to his room and only family and close friends are allowed in the chamber. The

transition phase starts with the cleaning of the body and shaving his head. They also prepare his

final meal in an out of gravity method to symbolize the realms great ones he will enter

through. They have to use the magical hyena tail to wake Bakhye to make sure he eats his final

meal and has the strength to begin the journey to the ancestors. The re-incorporation stage can be

viewed as after the last meal Bakhye speaks to his son about taking over the main responsibilities

of the family. After the final words the funeral xylophones starting playing as he is then

reintroduced to the community by being placed under a baobab tree with colorful fabrics and

facing east. The family placed a bow with a quiver full of arrows to show he was a warrior.

Everyone who came to see Bakhye expressed their condolences in a different manner. After three

days the Zanu ceremony begins and ends with the body being buried. The funeral that Bakhye

received isnt unlike the ones that I have attended. There are some subtle differences but the

premise is the same. When someone dies we they are taking to be made presentable, just like

Bakhye was when they shaved his head and bathed him with special roots and herbs. The body is

then presented in a very professional manner in a casket, again much like Bakhye who was

dressed and presented in with colorful fabrics and items to remind everyone who he was. After
the final burial of the body, everyone says their final goodbyes and returns to their normal lives.

This was the case for the Dagara people as well they said their final fair wells and began a new

era. The biggest difference is that funerals that I have attended usually only last a few hours,

while the Dagaras lasted three days.

There are a lot of differences between Somes traditional education and the forced

seminary school. The seminary school used the power of fear to teach their lessons. An example

is when they were learning the alphabet and Malidoma made a mistake. He was smacked on the

head with a ruler. While in the Dagara culture, they let the students find themselves. While doing

the sight tree training, they allowed Malidoma to prove himself instead of using punishment

tactics. In the seminary school talking in Dagara or about different cultures was prohibited.

While in the traditional culture open speech and thought was normal and welcomed. Even in

class the priest do not want free thinkers, like the natives, but want students to become solders

of Christ. I can relate to the five thirty AM wake ups and no speaking unless spoken to rule, as

that was the normal daily routine during boot camp. In classes today teachers encourage you to

challenge the norm and express your thoughts and ideas.

The village requires Malidoma to undergo initiation due to him being away for fifteen

years and his inability to retain the customs or speak the language of the Dagara people. Its also

believed that when you stay away from home for a lengthy period of time, you leave a great

portion of your soul abroad. The elders are concerned that the village see him as a white man due

to his extensive knowledge of their culture. Even to be literate, meant to be possessed by the

devil. The initiation that Some undergoes is a revitalization ritual. He is being reborn as a man

in the Dagara society. There are three stages to the initiation ritual, separation, transitional, and
reincorporation. The separation phase of the ritual was when Some and the other boys were

separated from the village and brought to the sacred area. The transitional stage happens

throughout different spiritual events. First he was tested by staring at a tree until he had a vision.

His vision was that he found the green lady to which he discussed life with. Another example is

when he dove into the pool. During that time he experienced a major life changing event. The

water symbolized washing away his old self and being reborn as something new. Even the elder

commented on Somes experience by saying You spent a long time in thereI almost thought

you were never going to be reborn. The last example would be when Some was buried alive.

This can also be used to represent the the womb=the tomb. He talks about how while being

buried alive he starts to see smoky people, which represents him being able to see the ghosts

and sprits of the dead. You can tell that he has been totally reborn when Some says I had an

unshakable sense of well-being and unity with natureI knew nature loved me and I was happy

to love nature back. Malidomas reincorporation was his return to the village from the brush and

when he ritually washed away the impurities of his previous state.

In Dagara culture naming is what determines your future. Malidoma has a conversation

about his name with his grandfather, who mentions something very interesting about the naming

process none of them tells the whole story of who you are. However, there is one that almost

does, that one is your ancestors call you by: Malidoma. This helps explain the essence of his

name. With Malidoma he name means Be friends with the enemy. Overall I feel as if

Malidoma has met his destiny. The main enemy in this book is the white man. These white

men kidnapped Malidoma and forced him into a completely different culture and language.

While in seminary school he does become acquainted with one of the fathers. Father Michael

is the one who help save Malidoma from getting a beating from Father Joe. While he may have
not made actual friends with the white men, he did learn their culture which can be interpreted at

befriending the enemy. In his later years Malidoma left to attend a four year university, were he

brought his knowledge (from the enemy, the white man) back and share with his village.

Ancestors and reincarnation for the Dagara is very important. They believe every person is an

incarnation and a birth is the arrival of someone, usually an ancestor that someone already

knows. A great example of this is when Bakhye talks about Malidomas birth. Bakhye believes

that Malidoma is a reincarnation of his brother Birifor. Bakhye father came to him in spirit and

said that he ordered Birifors return. So when Malidomas mother became pregnant, the baby

inside of her would call him brother.