Boukout du village de Thiobon : Un rite initiatique vivant et vibrant, 42 ans après la dernière édition
Thiobon, in the department of Bignona, district of Tendouck, celebrated, this year 2025, its ʺBoukoutʺ, the entry of young people into the sacred wood. A moment of initiation of young people to the Diola culture and to life in general. These initiates, hundreds of young people, left the mythical place dedicated to this learning, this August 16, after entering this sacred place last August 6.
These young people, now adults, were reunited with their parents, friends, and other family members after spending about ten days in a place where only the wise and certain initiates are allowed. This place, prepared since the announcement of the wise men's decision to host these important festivities, marks a transitional phase in the transition from youth to adult life in the tradition.
In Thiobon, the ʺBoukoutʺ took place 42 years after the last edition which dates back to 1983.
Boukout, a crucial stage in the lives of boys
The "Boukout" prepares young people to take over. The initiates are taught values such as honesty, courage, and all other values that allow them to behave well in society, revealed the chief of the village of Thiobon, Ibrahima Tamsir Mané.
ʺ "Boukout" represents for the Diola community the opportunity to transmit its values, its knowledge and its responsibilities to the new generations.
"This ceremony is a crucial moment in the lives of young boys. This ancestral ritual, deeply rooted in the culture, is much more than just an event," warned Tamsir Mané.
The holding of this ancestral and traditional practice was at the origin of the withdrawal of these young initiates during these days. A withdrawal "from the world", to follow a traditional teaching, away from prying eyes.
This event is also a time for reunion, celebration and strengthening community ties.
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