2 The Poro in West Africa

Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter I
2. Contents V
3. Foreword VII
4. Preface XI
5. THE LANGUAGE OF SECRECY
6. 1 Introduction 1
7. 2 The Poro in West Africa 13
8. 3 The Poro and Other Secret Societies in the Vavala Clan 19
9. 4 The Concept of Secret in Secrecy Societies 43
10. 5 Secrets as Texts: The Message Forms of Deep Talk 53
11. 6 Secrets and the Initiation Ritual 79
12. 7 Mentioning the Unmentionable 107
13. 8 Toward a Theory of Secrecy 139
14. Notes 145
15. Bibliography 151
16. Index 159