The Decline of the Laabaan Ceremony Amongst the Wolof of Senegal
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Nichols, Rachel Anne
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Abstract
Senegalese culture, like that of many West African nations, contains long-standing and deeply-rooted, multi-ethnic traditions that have been challenged and shaped by outside forces. The Wolof in particular, who form the largest ethnic group in Senegal, have been impacted by the influence of Islam, the remnants of French colonialism, and the economics of globalization as culture has become increasingly connected. Despite these societal changes, many Wolof traditions persist; however, one tradition in particular is in danger. The Laabaan, derived from the Wolof word for purification, is a traditional ceremony that takes place the morning after a couple’s wedding night, when a blood-stained sheet is presented to celebrate the bride’s “purity,” or her presumed sexual abstinence before marriage. The existence of the Laabaan ceremony is important to catalog before its likely disappearance because it represents a women-centric rite of passage threatened to disappear in a rapidly changing culture.
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Senegal, Wolof, rite of passage, globalization, Wolofization, West African Culture