Chisungu: A Girl's Initiation Ceremony Among the Bemba of Zambia

Audrey Richards (1899-1984) was a pioneering British anthropologist who conducted fieldwork among the Bemba people in northern Zambia in the 1930s. Her book Chisungu: A Girls Initiation Ceremony Among the Bemba of Zambia, widely hailed as a classic of anthropology and African and gender studies, focuses on the initiation ceremonies for young Bemba girls and challenges the prevailing theory that rites of passage served merely to transfer individuals from one status to another. It is a crucial work for its role in accord symbolism in explaining the structure of society.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 210 pages
Publication date: 29 March 2021
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Audrey Richards, a renowned British anthropologist of the 20th century, achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first woman to preside over the Royal Anthropological Institute. Her groundbreaking work, Chisungu: A Girls Initiation Ceremony Among the Bemba of Zambia, stands as a classic in anthropology and African and gender studies. Drawing upon extensive fieldwork conducted during a period when male anthropologists held dominance in the discipline, Richards delved into the intricate initiation ceremonies for young Bemba girls. Her meticulous research among the Bemba people in northern Zambia in the 1930s laid the foundation for this seminal work.

Chisungu: A Girls Initiation Ceremony Among the Bemba of Zambia is a profound exploration of ritual, encompassing a wide range of themes. It delves into matriliny, the reverence for elders, sex and reproduction, childbirth, the concept of continuity between past, present, and future, and the centrality of emotional conflict. Richards' writing goes beyond mere description, offering a rich and nuanced understanding of these rituals. By challenging the prevailing notion that rites of passage were solely about transitioning individuals from one status to another, she shed light on the intricate and multifaceted aspects of Chisungu that shaped the Bemba society.

On a deeper level, Chisungu is a groundbreaking work for its insightful examination of symbolism's role in explaining the structure of society. Richards' pioneering approach paved the way for subsequent scholars to understand the profound significance of symbolic meaning and kinship in shaping human societies. This Routledge Classics edition, featuring a new foreword by Jessica Johnson and an introduction by Jean La Fontaine, ensures that Richards' legacy continues to resonate with readers and scholars alike.

Weight: 350g
Dimension: 154 x 233 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367540944
Edition number: 2 New edition