How female adult trainees, Integrate with young girls during Chinamwali the Initiation Ceremony for girls in Petauke District, Zambia

DOI

No DOI

Published In

Volume 2, Issue 4 (2022)

Published Online

July-August 2022

Pages

01-05

Article Type

Research Article

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Adolescent rites are characterized by ceremonial legacies for admission of girls into adulthood. In Petauke District- Zambia, older females above adolescent age of 10-19 years break the traditional pattern by bending backwards to enrol in the cultural school in relatively older age. While limited studies have been conducted to find out the reasons behind advanced age initiation, no study has been conducted to inquire how blending of the two age sets occurs during the ceremony. The objective of this study was to explore mechanisms employed to ensure integration of the two groups during the cultural ritual. The study was conducted in Petauke District, Zambia between November 2021 and May, 2022. The study utilized explorative research design. It employed qualitative method to collect data from 12 Traditional Instructors. The study found that the environment surrounding initiation ceremony had social under linings that influenced blending of the different age sets. Key Words: initiation, culture, ceremony, integration, society