V 
TRIBAL CUSTOMS 
Most of the tribes in Liberia still practice certain ceremonies connected with the 
initiation of both boys and girls in the bush schools, known commonly as the 
devil bush for boys and the grigri bush for girls. Locally these schools are desig- 
nated by different names. Among the Vais the boys’ school is called beri; among 
the Krus it is kedivo; among the Bassas, Gibis, and Grebos boriowah, while among 
the Kpwesi it is termed poro. The corresponding girls’ school is known as sande, 
bundu, sembe, or grigri. Such bush schools still exist not only in Liberia, but in 
parts of Sierra Leone, and further south on the west coast, and even in parts 
of the Congo basin. Great secrecy, feigned or real, is maintained by the native 
tribes about the organization and customs of these mystic schools, or law-god- 
purification societies, as they are sometimes termed. When one enquires about 
them of the natives, he is usually told that their chief function is to change boys 
into men and girls into women and to teach them tribal customs. It has been 
presumed that they originally became established to enforce and maintain tribal 
conditions, customs, and beliefs in danger of changing and becoming obsolete. 
The school, which is situated in the forest, is often walled off from the trail by a 
fence of striking form which is constructed of palm trees on the outside and 
thorn bush within, interspersed with ornamental pillars (No. 65). The trails 
leading to the bush schools are sometimes closed, a fact which is indicated by 
bundles of palms or other leaves hung beside or over the trail. The poro or pre- 
siding official of the society also uses such signs to indicate the entrance to the 
bush school. Among these signs are a bundle of twigs, a plume, a spiral, and two 
double pyramids placed point to point. This latter sign is also sometimes seen 
on the house walls. The spirals, called dimomoi, may be of twisted palm or 
creeper and are usually placed outside the outer gate of the sacred entrance. 
The isolation of the bush school is respected by all natives and its inmates are 
not molested or visited except by those connected with the institution. Beyond 
this barrier or fence a place is cleared in the forest where the huts for the boys 
or the girls, and a palaver house and special residences for the devil and his vari- 
ous assistants, are built. Trails are then cut to the nearest creek or river and to 
farms which are prepared in the vicinity by first cutting down the larger forest 
trees. In order to enforce respect and regard for the school and to preserve the 
tribal customs and lore, the native mind has hit upon the idea of a devil presiding 
over the school, who will frighten the people into discipline and belief. ‘This 
devil or grand master, Bert Nyana of the Vais and Golas, when he goes out of the 
school or sacred enclosure, beri-fera, is accompanied by a number of people called 
zo who encircle him so closely that theoretically he cannot be seen by the un- 
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