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Rationalising culture: youth, elites and masquerade politics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 December 2011

William R. Rea
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Extract

Studies of associations in West Africa have tended to focus upon the development of new development-related institutional forms. Other, so-called traditional, cultural groupings have tended to be ignored. This article points to transformations and changes in the masquerade society of the north-eastern Yoruba town of Ìkòlé and considers the continuing development of the masquerade society as an association. Changes in the masquerade society are being strongly promoted by younger men as a way to establish masquerade as a resource, promoting Ìkòlé's cultural identity. They are aided and funded by groups of elite citizens who are not necessarily resident in Ìkòlé. The article examines the relations between the various groups involved in masquerade, as well as the relationship between those often elite town members who support masquerades and Pentecostal Christian groups which would happily see their demise.

Résumé

Les études menées sur les associations en Afrique occidental ont eu tendance à se concentrer sur l'essor de nouvelles formes institutionnelles liées au développement. D'autres groupements qualifiés de traditionnels et culturels ont eu tendance à être ignorés. Cet article attire notre attention sur les transformations et les changements qui se sont opérés dans la société masquée de la ville Yoruba de Ìkòlé, au nord est du pays, et examine le développement continu de cette société masquée en tant qu'association. Les changements sont fortement encouragés au sein de cette société par les hommes jeunes comme un moyen d'établir la masquarade comme une ressource destinée à promouvoir l'identité culturelle d'Ìkòlé. Ces jeunes sont aidés et financés par des groupes de citoyens appartenant à l'èlite et qui ne résident pas nécessairement à Ìkòlé. L'article étudie le rapport entre les différents groupes qui participent à la masquarade, ainsi que le rapport entre les membres de l'élite de cette ville qui soutiennent les masquarades et les groupes de Chrétiens Pentecôtistes qui seraient contents de les voir disparaître.

Type
Decoding cults in contemporary Yorubaland
Information
Africa , Volume 68 , Issue 1 , January 1998 , pp. 98 - 117
Copyright
Copyright © International African Institute 1998

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