| dc.description | Chokwe women, living in Zairian villages, always run from mask-figures. 1 Throughout their lives--as children, adolescents, and mature adults--they dart away from the akishi's threatening pursuit. During the dry season, a series of masked figures wander through the bush and village, dancing and chasing women and children away from the men's circumcision camp. For women therefore, a masked figure recast as a story character brings frightening nuances to a scene. His presence evokes anew that threat of attack. Such allusions in the traditional tales called yishima (sing. chishima) stir vivid memories of the mask appearances during the circumcision festivities (mukanda). | eng |
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