Sso (rite)

The Sso was named for an antelope hunted by the Beti, which, according to their folklore, was extremely fast and had no need of sleep. Several headmen usually sponsored a single Sso rite, and the events occurred at their compounds. Sponsorship was expensive; it entailed providing numerous feasts, housing out-of-town guests, entertaining large groups, and recruiting certain individuals who travelled from lineage to lineage to conduct the rituals involved. Sponsorship brought great prestige for the individual and his '''' (lineage). The young men who participated in the Sso, known as ', were between 15 and 25 years old. They came from miles away to participate, The ' (holder of the Sso sack) was responsible for the actual running of the Sso rite. His name made reference to his sack of traditional medicines that would later be eaten or drunk during the rite. Because groups of Sso brothers came from several lineages, the participants established ties with individuals with whom they would otherwise have little interaction. In fact, marriage was the only other means of binding Beti ' together, and it only affected two lineages. Such bonds also formed between the ' and their Sso fathers, between the '''' and the rite's sponsor, and between the sponsor and the boys' fathers. The Sso had importance to Beti religion. It was thought that only men who had completed the ritual would be allowed into the land of the ancestors. == Rites ==

A Sso typically began in November during the dry season and spanned about six months. The rite began with the fathers of the participants partaking of a small feast called the '''' (approving the court), which allowed the sponsor to showcase his ability to provide the requisite feasts for the rest of the six-month rite. After all the candidates had emerged, the sponsor danced and declared the transgression that had compelled him to sponsor the Sso. A goat, referred to as the Sso, was fed a plant known as an akon that covered its vocal cords and prevented it from bleating. The elders dismembered the animal limb by limb then slit its throat. If the goat made a sound, the rite was declared null and had to be redone. On the other hand, if the goat endured its death in silence, the people declared that '', "the Sso is dead". The '' repeated the sponsor's faults and declared them atoned for. He declared that anyone who mentioned them again would be guilty as the sponsor had been before and would have to atone himself. The '' enjoyed more freedom of movement, but they were expected to rest in the esam Sso until they had healed from injuries. Any candidate who had shown himself exceptionally skilled at hunting or fighting, including those who had killed a fellow candidate, were allowed to leave the compound early. The boys went on a last group hunt known as the '', which marked the end of the rite. == Notes ==