men’s social identity and,2: 536
seclusion during,2:538,2: 599
sexual intercourse restriction during,
1:170,2: 536
soapstone sculpture depicting twins and,2: 537
taboos associated with,2:536,2: 538
Tutsi creation myth and,2: 676
Priests, 2:538–540
ancient Kemetic priesthood levels and,2: 621
duties of,2:538–539
family life of,2: 540
feast days,2: 539
feeding the god ritual and,2: 539
high priest position and,2:538–539
Ifa priesthood levels and,2: 621
kheri-heb,formulaic responses, sacred actions
and activities and,2: 539
Opening of the Mouth ceremony and,2: 539
as orisha,2: 506
in other African societies,2: 540
powerful caste of,2: 538
purification by,2:539–540
seclusion of,2: 600
sempriests of mumification and burials,2: 539
temple entering rituals of,2: 539
training of,2: 540
wa’eb(cleaning, etc.) duties of,2: 539
See alsoPtah
Primitive Culture(Tylor),1:58,2: 501
Procreation, 2:540–541
ancestral perpetuation through,2: 540
centrality of,2:540,2:577–578
children as reincarnation of ancestors
and,2: 540
fertility as marriage prerequisite and,2: 540
fertility dolls and,2: 541
immortality of families and,2: 540
Nupe folktale regarding,2: 541
polygamy and,2: 540
reincarnation, ancestor maintenance and,1: 258
See alsoBirth; Fertility; Puberty
Prophecy of Neferti,1: 365
Prosser, Gabriel,1: 175
Proverbs and teaching, 2:541–543
of Akan,1:24,2: 541
anthropological proverbs and,2: 542
of Bassa people,1: 109
conflict resolution and peacemaking
through,2: 542
deep, profound, hidden meaning of,2:541–542
dynamic nature of,2: 543
forms of,2: 541
human frailty limitations of,2: 543
palm tree analogy of,2:541–542
personal responsibility and individual dignity
and,2: 542
repository of philosophic and religious ideas
and,2: 541
values of life and,2: 541
as wisdom source,2: 542
Ptah, 2:543–546
Apis bull depicted as,2: 544
Atum and,2: 544
ba and,1: 85
as God of original creation,2:543,2:544–545
Hebrew traditions and,2: 545
high priest of,2: 543
the holy Ennead and,2:545,2: 651
Mn-nfras Ptah priesthood central base and,
2: 543
other priesthoods and,2: 544
as patron of crafts and skilled professions,
2: 544
as patron of medical profession,2: 545
physical depictions of,2: 544
priesthood of ancient Egypt (Kmt) and,2: 543
as principle deity of ancient Egypt,1:37,2:543,
2: 544
Ptah-Hotep and,1: 318
Ptah-Sokr-Asr and,2: 545
Ptah-tatenen deity and,2: 545
Shabaka Stone depiction of,2:544,2: 650
Tefnut and,2: 651
uniting ideology of,2:543–544
werkherep-hemuhigh priest of,2: 543
wife, son, and Ra triad of,2: 544
PTARE.SeePopular Traditional African Religion
Everywhere (PTARE)
Puberty, 2:546–547
community enhanced by,2: 546
education and seclusion and,2:546,2: 572
family rites of,1: 259
fertility and procreation linked to,2: 546
male circumcision and female excision and,
2: 572
marriage and,2: 546
Ndembu traditions of,2: 598
Pokot traditions of,2:598–599
rites of passage of,2:546,2: 572
seclusion and,2:598–599
sexual reproductive capacity importance
and,2:546,2: 572848 Index