“sky” or “light,” have been consecrated as guardian
spirits who intercede to Kòlotyöö on behalf of ter-
restrial beings. In addition to these guardian spirits,
there are other spirits, such as ancestral spirits, twin
spirits, and nature spirits, that affect the welfare of
the people.
Monitor lizards, crocodiles, tortoises, soft
shell turtles, and pythons are nature spirits. The
python motif is the primary insignia of Sandogo
members. The Nile crocodile is considered to
be the strongest and most powerful of the water
animal family. These animals are associated
with the nature spirit—water. Men prefer the
crocodile as their symbol of power. In many tra-
ditional African societies, humans have animal
doubles or twins commonly called totems.
Anita J. Glaze notes the testimony of a former
Senufo diviner. This diviner explained that his
special twin (totem) was the monitor lizard.
“Once such a spirit ‘attaches’ itself to a person,
it is for life.”
Although Islamic and Western influence have
caused some groups to shift to a patrilineal sys-
tem, the Senufo are a predominately matrilineal
society. Women are highly respected in matrilineal
societies. Elder women are given what might be
called special recognition in community affairs.
For example, a woman is the head of the men’s
Poro society.
Education and governance take place within
the framework of the Sandogo, Poro, Wambele,
and Typeka societies. Sandogo is the women’s
society, and Poro is the men’s society. Although
Poro is the men’s society, young girls and post-
menopausal women are permitted to join Poro,
and men are permitted to join Sandogo. The
Wambele is a society for sorcerers, and Typeka
is found only among the Fodonon people. Males
and females play vital roles in the activities of the
societies and in public rituals and celebrations.
Poro members perform at funeral rituals, consid-
ered one of the most important rituals for Senufo
people as well as other African peoples.
The Senufo adhere to a long tradition of occu-
pational specialists in traditional Africa. Wood-
carvers, blacksmiths, brass casters, leather workers,
and agriculturalists are among the various occu-
pational specialists. Major agricultural crops
include millet, sorghum, maize, rice, yams, bananas,
and manioc. In addition, they raise farm animals
such as sheep, goats, chickens, guinea fowl, and
dogs, in addition to hunting and fishing.Willie Cannon-BrownSee alsoInitiation; Poro Society; Sangoma; Societies
of SecretsFurther Readings
Awoonor, K. (1976).The Breast of the Earth:A Survey
of the History,Culture,and Literature of Africa
South of the Sahara. Garden City, NY: Anchor Books.
Diop, C. A. (1987).Precolonial Black Africa:A
Comparative Study of the Political and Social Systems
of Europe and Black Africa,From Antiquity to the
Formation of Modern States. Brooklyn, NY:
Lawrence Hill Books.
Glaze, A. J. (1975, Spring). Woman Power and Art in a
Senufo Village. African Arts, 8 (3), 25–42.
Glaze, A. J. (1993). Call and Response: A Senufo Female
Caryatid Drum.Art Institute of Chicago Museum
Studies, 19 (2), 125–143.
Mbiti, J. S. (1969).African Religions and Philosophy.
Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.
Richter, D. (1980). Further Considerations of Caste in
West Africa: Senufo.African Journal of the
International African Institute, 50 (1), 37–54.SERAPIS
Serapis or, more accurately, Asar-apis, emerged
as a state deity during Ptolemaic Greek occupa-
tion and oppression of Kemet (332–31 BC).
Although Greek in image, Serapis engendered the
highly admired healing attributes of two ancient
African deities, Ausar, the lord of eternal life and
resurrection, and the bull deity, Apis, the restorer
of life, who was originally worshipped in Men-
nefer as an incarnation of Ptah. Around 306 BC,
Ptolemy I Soter introduced Serapis as a state
deity in hopes of placating and uniting the
Kemetians (Egyptians) and Greeks. Soon after,
Ptolemy III Eurgetes (246–221 BC) founded a
temple at Alexandria that firmly established
Asar-apis as the god of healing in the Hellenistic
world. Ptolemy made Serapis the main state
deity of healing and located his temple in
Alexandria, where many in the Hellenic worldSerapis 605