Common Features
The common features of all of these women's associations are:
- Group initiation in a secluded area of the forest.
- The use of Sande society names in lieu of birth names following initiation.
- Hierarchically ranked female leadership.
- A pledge of secrecy vis-a-vis men and uninitiated girls.
- Clitoridectomy and labiodectomy performed by female specialists.
An additional characteristic Sande feature – the wooden helmet mask and raphia costume worn by Sande leaders – is absent among the Kpelle, Kono, Loma, and Mano.
Read more about this topic: Sande Society
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