Black Light - The Face and Spirit of African Culture

Author: Song Qingqing
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-06-01
Features:
2. The Honey Peach Maturation Festival (also known as the "New Fruit Festival") is a unique and ancient folk tradition of the Ailili tribe in western Africa, Nigeria. It remains very popular to this day. This festival marks the time when young girls enter their prime of life, and young men can come to pluck this "mature, fresh fruit," hence the name "New Fruit Festival." The festival is held every August. Before the Western calendar was introduced to Africa, the Ailili tribe determined the exact date of the festival based on the ripening of coconuts. The Honey Peach Maturation Festival is the Ailili tribe's most solemn celebration, lasting for several days. During the festival, people put aside all their work. To prepare for the occasion, every Ailili family cleans their houses, tidies their courtyards, and prepares abundant and delicious food. On the morning of the festival, all Ailili men and women, young and old, dress in festive attire and gather from all directions at the village square. People from neighboring ethnic groups also come to watch the excitement. The young men are particularly lively, dressed in stylish and brightly colored ethnic clothing, standing at the forefront of the crowd, waiting for the girls to arrive. Although they feel very anxious deep down, they appear composed on the surface, greeting each other with courtesy and speaking with restraint, avoiding behavior that might give the girls a bad impression. Girls' ideal partners are described as "cheerful, dignified, intelligent, and polite" young men. However, the most excited ones are the young girls who have reached puberty. Because they are about to open the door to love, meet different genders, and choose a lifelong partner. According to tradition, Ailili girls who have not yet reached puberty must stay secluded in their homes and are forbidden from contact with the opposite sex. Only when they reach maturity and are approved by the chief can they participate in the "Honey Peach Maturation Festival," choose a spouse, form a family, have children, serve their husbands, manage household affairs, and fulfill their responsibilities as women. Therefore, in this ethnic group, the festival is the most important event for girls, and they must prepare thoroughly for it. Some girls even start preparing several years in advance. On the day of the festival, the most lively activity is the girls' parade, which allows them to showcase their beauty to the public. To attract the attention and affection of the young men, the girls dress up in their finest attire. They wear beautiful clothes they have sewn themselves, tie colorful cloth around their waists, and wear necklaces and ornaments made of metal and shells on their necks and arms. Steel bracelets and copper rings adorn their wrists, shining in the sunlight and making tinkling sounds as they walk! The girls comb their curly hair into numerous small braids, each tied with colorful ribbons, giving them a lively and vibrant appearance. To display their physical beauty, the girls expose their chests and backs, and tattoo colorful patterns with special meanings on their shoulders and chests. They smile shyly, showing an irresistible joy. When the girls' parade arrives at the square, the people there immediately cheer. The young men gaze at the girls with affection, carefully selecting their beloveds. The girls are surrounded by the crowd in the center of the square, and they dance gracefully amidst the cheers. Some girls send subtle glances to the young men they are fond of while dancing. After the dance, a large-scale parade begins. The procession starts from the square and circles the village, visiting the door of every household. The girls march in neat rows, flanked by guards armed with spears and dressed in ancient warrior costumes. At the forefront of the procession is a boy who leads the way, carrying a bamboo basket on his head. The basket holds a live chicken, several eggs, and fresh palm leaves. A white cloth stained with blood is also draped over the basket to protect the girls from evil spirits.