Of Water and The Spirit Essay

Jeff Gerst
M/W 11:00

1.
Grandfather Bakhyes death ritual started with the journey home from the dispensary. He
was transferred there because he was on his deathbed, hoping for a miracle to save him.
Grandfather already knew this was his passing, and shared important details with Malidoma in a
form of trance state. He shared his lifes purpose and Malidoma received images of a bird flying
with hundreds of people flying in it, like it was being controlled by them. This was Malidomas
future of him in an airplane, even though he did not yet realize this. At the dispensary
Grandfather died. In Dagara culture one cannot die away from his home. Gripping the hyena tail
by his father, he was able to stand and walk back to the village. There is where the death ritual
will start and be completed. Grandfather was in an unconscious state the whole time walking
back, and he did not move quickly. Upon arriving home it was found that people from all around
came to lay Grandfather to rest. This was the first part of his death ritual, the separation stage.
The ideological ceremony performed was a death rites of passage ritual. An Ideological ritual
seeks social control by changing the moods and behaviors of those in the community. This is
what occurs during Grandfather's funeral. Members of the Dagara culture far and wide come to
support and change their moods based on the emotions of others and togetherness. These are
transitions from one social society to another. In the case of grandfather, he was traversing from
Dagara culture, to the land of the ancestors.
A rites of passage ritual usually consists of 3 flexible parts that often vary by culture and
what encompasses each emotion differs. As In most separation stages, Grandfather remained
unconscious, and was stripped of clothing and his white hair was shaved. In Dagara culture,
before one may travel to the land of the ancestors they must have one last meal. This meal will
give them the energy to travel to such difficult destinations. Malidoma saw the out of gravity
cooking and other magical forces present during this. The dish was called Millet cake and was
made with a variety of ingredients, including monkey meat. Grandfather was only able to regain
consciousness to eat when father passed the hyena tail to his hand. Grandfather was the first to
stop eating, and this was the conclusion of the meal. Everyone got up and washed their hands,
even if they were unfinished. In my opinion this was the conclusion of the separation stage.
The second part of the Rites of Passage is the transitional stage. This is also called the
liminal stage. This is the in between time between present society and other lands. In the case
of Granfather Bakhye, it was a period of education and varying levels of lucidity based on the
tail of a hyena being placed in his right hand. He was not in normal society, but he was neither
in the land of the ancestors. An example of education during this segment was we cannot sit
with our hands folded and surrender passively to this alien threat. By sending our children to mix
with these people, let us begin our quest for a resolution to our difficulties ( P. 56) Grandfather
is sharing advice on how to deal with colonialism present in their society. French colonialists
took over their land and destroying their way of life and culture. Grandfather thinks the only way
to stop them is to assimilate some of the Dagara people, and allow them to share the
preciousness of the Dagara culture and how sacred things such as forests are to them. They
seek to find a balance between colonialism and their way of life without destroying either. At this
point in the book most elders understand that completely getting rid of the white man is not
possible. But they are preventing the worst effects they could face.
Grandfather shared more advice with his son about keeping the family intact and how
it's now his destiny to fulfill the family values. At the end of his monologue Grandfather said, My
word stops here, Farewell (P. 54) These are the last words spoken by Grandfather Bakhye.
By ceasing to speak anymore, he ceased to live. This signaled the start of the public
mourning of Grandfather. This was the final stage of the ritual, the incorporation stage.
The incorporation stage moves one out of solidarity into the community with a new identity.
People from all around came to mourn Grandfather. Music was played constantly, it is the force
behind not preventing another death. Malidoma said it is the force without a container (P. 57)
Music carried the beat allowing people to dance and cry, the fundamental aspects of mourning
in Dagara culture. Tears allow the deceased to flow into the land of the ancestors. Without
tears, it would not be possible for them to go to the land of the ancestors. Grandfather was also
buried ceremonially during this incorporation stage. Everyone mourned during this stage and
time stopped for the death of a beloved person, unlike in western culture.
Traditional western funerals in developed countries are very different than death rituals
held in Dagara culture. Real life stops for people that even remotely knew the deceased in
Malidomas culture. Multiple days of mourning and celebration of their accomplishments in life
are in order. In western countries it is hard to even get off work for a funeral of a friend or loved
one. Time keeps on moving in our culture, and there is little time to reflect on that person's life.
There is less spiritual effects too in western culture. I for one, view death as not really being with
me anymore. I cannot think that they are here with me in spirit. In Dagara culture that is an
integral part that makes them human. Ancestors can help you battle challenges in life even
more than a friend. In Malidomas view, Grandfather is not really gone, but in a different place
looking over him, and making sure he keeps on his life purpose. He is one of the only people
that saw Malidomas purpose in the womb. This type of view is a very interesting one, and it is
one that I can take in stride. The next time a loved one of mine passes away I will think of these
aspects to celebrate their life and accomplishments, instead of just mourning.

2.
The two types of education Malioma received while in the Seminary and traditional tribal
life were on opposite spectrums. Seminary life consisted of order, and physical pain, while tribal
life focused on culture and spiritual awareness. The order of seminary school with their set
schedules and abusive fathers and members of the church.They were hidden away inside the
Seminaries walls, masses were held without them present. They did not want anyone besides
members of the church know what's going on with the African children living inside their
Seminary. The tribal life of the Dagara was a more simpler one, with less set schedules and
more time for talking. Talking was banned in much of the Seminary, and was very weird for
Malidoma to grasp.Dagara culture is all about speaking emotion aloud, and sharing ideas with
other people. In times of work, stories are shared between everyone. Walking with a friend in
Dagara culture and not talking is a very peculiar thing. These differences between them were
significant, but learning strategies and treatment pushed things over the edge.
Learning in Seminary school was hard for Malidoma. They threw him in French courses,
and classes on christianity. Malidoma thought all this was nonsense. But repeated exposure can
really change your mind and forget your true past. His education here was more advanced than
any form of education offered by the Dagara. His abduction allowed us to see his true life in
both cultures, but his life was stolen from him in every sense of the word. If abduction wasnt
enough he was abused sexually and emotionally. Malidoma said, while being forced to undress
in front of a religious father. I felt like I would rather die a hundred deaths than stand like this in
front of someone. (P. 109) This abuse as a young child impacted Malindoma for the rest of his
life. Religious leaders of this type will be a reminder for the rest of his life. In Dagara culture, this
was not present. People were treated equally and with respect. Children were treated just the
same as adults, Elders were more respected however. In class we talked about how elders
often perform rituals and serve as a source of guidance. Grandfather was Malindomas elder
and he taught via sharing stories of his past and experiences. This gave Malidoma an idea of
what is like to be a Dagara, without having experienced it himself. Malidoma said, My
grandfather had told me many stories about these beings, but this was the first time i had
actually seen any of them.(P. 69) He was talking about the Kontombili. The strongest most
intelligent beings god ever created. These people are the ones that taught the Dagara how to
make beer. These creatures are not present in the material world, and most Dagara will never
see them in their life. Learning is said to more fluid in Dagara culture, less fundamental
baselines and more spiritual knowledge that can be transformed. Kontombili provide lots of
knowledge in exchange for magic and joy. This magic is very different than what we learn in our
western culture, of practical technological advances, formal education, and less than common
spiritual practices.
Education in western culture is all about educating in the sciences, business, history,
and many more types of classes. I received a high school diploma and am currently in college,
this is very normal for someone my age. For most, college is just the next step in required
schooling to get the career you dream of. In Dagara culture it's much the opposite. People are
taught based on prior experience, not a written textbook. Malidoma wrote Children learn by
watching adults work and by doing the same things on a smaller scale. (P.17) In example, a
child might see the dad working on the farm with a shovel, and the child decided to grab a stick
and hoe the dirt of the house. At an older age learning about cultural history comes in the form
of oral storytelling. Grandfather shared stories of his past and this in turn, educated Malidoma
on these topics. I believe this made later parts of his spiritual life easier to digest because he
was already exposed to these religious acts. Malidomas education was a diverse, yet very
chaotic one and it made him an even better person to preach his worldview and understated
cultural needs.

3.

After Malidomas exposure to western life in Seminary school, he made the long journey
home to his birth village. Upon arriving home, almost everything was different to him. Malidoma
no longer remembered the language of the Dagara, a very frustrating fact to face. He was
treated as a form of outsider, welcomed but not yet fully immersed. Over time Malidoma was
taught the Dagara language by his sister. Everyday different types of rituals and diviantions
were conducted in Malidomas name. His arrival caused turmoil in the village, people were
dumbfounded on how to deal with this case. Since liberation of the french colonialism, other
people like Malidoma returned to their villages but it was different. These other people were
uneducated while being taken into slavery by the white man. This allowed them to assimilate
back to tribal life much easier and without turbulence. Malidoma had quite the opposite
experience. He was gone for so many years, that he no longer was a part of the tribe. Other
members of the tribe were disgusted and unhappy with Malidomas re-entry. Malidoma wrote To
my people, to be literate meant to be possessed by this devil of brutality. (P. 167) This was
especially tough with Malidoma and his father's relationship. Malidoma found it hard to forgive
his father for not looking for him. Malidoma did not understand how a child was allowed to be
taken and the family never even contacted him. Malidoma never fully healed the relationship
with his father. I feel Malidomas only connection with this father before his initiation was one of
faith. Father believed everything relates to his faith, much like Grandfather did earlier in the
book. This aspect of questioning and misunderstanding was discussed in in class topics as well.
We have talked about how indigenous cultures are misrepresented and they are never seen
truly through the light of the people. Malidoma tries to understand this balance between faith
and family with his father, but cannot Malidoma cannot. Father wants to bridge their relationship
by fixing Maldiomas relationship with his traditional faith. This traditional faith is brought back
into Malidomas life by his initiation, so he can fully become a man in Dagara culture. This
initiation that Malidma faced was not a light decision. Elders had multiple meetings discussing
the Malidoma, and what actions need to be taken. The Elders believe that the white man's soul
is in Malidoma, because he was so acclimated to colonial life. They question if it's possible to be
in Dagara culture fully if Malidoma was in western culture for so long. Others think this is a good
omen, that the presence of the white man's knowledge in the tribe is a good thing. The council
decided to do let Malidoma become initiated, and he was after the harvest was completed.
The initiation Malidoma received was an ideological ritual. They took Malidoma in a
youth state of mind and turned him into a man, a free person. He is no longer considered a child
after the ritual is complete. There were 3 parts to Malidomas ritual. The first one was separation.
Malidoma left his family and compound, into the forest for the duration of the ritual. Each initiate
was naked and there was too many to count. They walked single file into the forest where the
ritual will be completed. The next stage is called the transition stage. This liminal stage started
with a bonfire, which instructed them on what the initiation will consist of. The thoughts seemed
to rush into Malidomas consciousness and not be natural thoughts. They also faced hard
biological challenges as well. In class we talked about liminal stages consisting of fasting and
sleep deprivation. This was also present in Malidomas initiation. They were forced to fend food
for themselves, and slept on wet leaves. In the morning Malidoma and the initiates were
required to sit in front of Yula tree until they could see. This was a metaphor to the green lady,
mother nature personified. Malidoma did not see this until the middle of day 2. It was very hot
outside, and he was covered in sweat. Most of the other initiates saw the green lady on the first
day. Malidoma had to fight certain thoughts in his head and expel certain emotions, she then
appeared to him. She said her goodbyes, and Malidoma came back to consciousness. Liminal
symbols present were breaking taboos and fasting. The Elders ordered him to get back to
camp, this was the end of the Yule segment of initiation.
The next major event in Malidomas initiation was the light portal. This portal
leads to the other world, where you can see where you came from. The elders said that you
must go and come back quickly, as if you think you can stay there you cannot. The world will
see you as a ghost, not as a normal being. The elders related this to ghosts around our world.
One boy went into the portal and came back with lacerations all over his body. The elders saw
his fate, and let him rest. This boy had died, but the ritual moved on. Everyone understood the
risks, and death happens at every initiation. It was now Malidomas turn, he ran and jumped in
the gate. Malidoma wrote At first my body felt extremely cold, as if I had fallen into a freezer.
(P. 241) He was falling into oblivion, and he saw the light the elders talked about earlier.
Looking down, Malidoma realized that he had no body. It was simply his spirit floating.
Malidoma was greatly confused throughout this experience, it was unearthly. Malidoma had
seen things like this happen, but this was the climax of all of those events. This involved him
and only him directly, it was not a story. Malidoma experienced an out of universe experience,
and it ended with him flying towards a mountain. Before crashing into it, he let go of the light
bundles and came back to earth. Malidoma became much more observant after, his eyes
changed. He saw details and important facts he never noticed before. Liminal symbols present
in this passage were events of confusion and paradox, educational transformations, and a test.
This was the first real personal change Malidoma experienced during his initiation.
The final test of initiation was the hardest and the most dangerous. He was assigned to
the egg shaped cave, by the elders. This was a solo mission, and he had no prior advice on
how to go about this. He and 4 other initiates walked together to their assigned caves. Upon
arriving, he noticed large amounts of animals coming out of the cave. It had just turned dark, so
he inferred that the animals escape to the cave hiding from hunters. Malidoma proceeded
through the small cave until he saw light at the end of the tunnel. This was the underworld.
Malidoma compared the cave to a womb, as he emerges into the underworld. This is also seen
as a tomb because the underworld is a such a dangerous place. Many initiates do not make it
out. Malidoma was one of the few who did. He touched his stone, had a complex series of
illusions and hallucinations. These visions showed Malidoma the true history of his ancestors.
This experience also connected all parts of the initiation together. Upon bringing the stone back
to the elders, his initiation was complete. The final segment of this ritual is incorporation
After Malidoma brought the stone back to the elders, it was analyzed and approved by each
one. This was the final test of his initiation. They slept the night off, and the walk back to the
village occured the next morning. With music and drums, the families embraced their new man
into village life. Father kept quiet and said very little things other than how proud he was of
Malidoma. He was given a Dagara 3 piece suit and all 60 some initiates had a gathering and
festival celebrating their success. This included drinking, dancing, prayer, and celebration.
Malidomas initiation ritual was very dangerous and complex, and the Dagara ritual made him a
more developed and spiritually intact person.

4.
In Dagara culture a name means much more than a callsign, it is a description of their
destiny and is sacred. Malidoma means be friends with the stranger or enemy. This is clearly
exhibited in most aspects of his life. When Malidoma was in seminary school he was never fully
believing in what the jesuit priests were telling him. Malidoma never showed this emotion, as it
would only land him in further trouble. His destiny, as predicted by his grandfather was to get
assimilated into western culture, and to come back to his tribal roots later in life. This is exactly
what happened in his life. Malidoma wrote Grandfather knew that the bulk of my life was going
to be lived outside the tribe . (P.36) Grandfather predicted this and helped Malidoma in many
ways throughout his life. Certain subconscious thoughts and decisions were brought to his head
unnaturally. He believes these are from his ancestors. An example of reincarnation of ancestors
in his story involve sabre, Grandfather Bakhyes brother. Malidoma is said to be him
reincarnated. In Dagara culture the dead are never truly gone, and provide advice even after
death. Malidoma has met his destiny. He has provided a window into mostly unrecognized
cultures such as the Dagara. The leader of the tribe said to Malidoma But today as I look at
you, you are part of us and also part of them. (P. 299) This was the ultimate reaching of his true
destiny, the medium between two distinct cultures. Reading this book further established my
perception and reaction to indigenous culture beliefs. I can now value certain aspects of ritual
that may seem weird to me. The same can be said about in class discussion. I am much more
likely to voice my opinion on indigenous cultures such as the Dagara as I am now more
educated on the topic. In traditional schooling, indigenous cultures like these are not covered,
and the rituals they do seem primitive from the unknowing. I feel Malidomas life purpose was to
share his experiences, and give a voice to the Dagara culture previously impossible. Without
this book, I would have never learned about the true meaning behind certain actions and rituals.
It is an eye opening experience to peek into the lives of a isolated tribe. Their values and
traditions are mostly secret, and it was an honor to read them.