Liberia <^ 



throughout Negro Africa,^ and nowhere more so than among 

 the uncivilised peoples of Liberia. It may be that there is 

 less need for this than there is for circumcision. And both 

 practices (together with similar ones amongst the savages of 

 Australia) may arise neither from religious sentiment nor wise 

 medical foresight on the part of early man, but simply from 

 that morbid interest taken by him in the sexual organs, a 

 concentration of thought which may have arisen before he 

 ceased to be an ape, and which increased greatly after he had 

 attained to human consciousness. 



It is necessary to pass these bush schools in review before 

 dealing with marriage and marriage ceremonies, because outside 

 the absolutely Muhammadan Negroes and Christian Americo- 

 Liberians it would be very difficult for any girl who had not 

 passed through the initiation school" to obtain a husband on 

 equal terms. It is not so clear, however, that native girls 

 would refuse a husband who had not passed through the 

 initiation school, except, of course, where the tribe had been 

 Muhammadanised. 



It is said, of course, that these bush schools are excellent 

 for the discipline of the sexes, and that at these gatherings 

 the women are taught a great deal of housewifery, cooking, 

 etc., whilst the boys are instructed in the secrets of the chase, 

 of warfare, tribal politics, etc. I have no hesitation myself 

 (after long experience of these institutions in many parts of 

 Africa) in saying that they are merely instrumental in keeping 

 the Negroes who still practise them in a state of savagery. 

 The minds of the young girls are completely debauched. 

 They may be taught the crude methods of native cooking, 



' The only excuse given for this practice is that it dimijiishes feminine 

 salacity. 



* In Vai a girl who has not been initiated is called "gboioa,' which is 

 equivalent to "silly lout," "idiot." 



1036 



