Inscribed in 2008 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity of UNESCO, the Kankourang is an initiation rite practiced in the Mandingo regions, including Senegal and Gambia. This holiday, generally celebrated between August and September, marks the transition from one social state to another, but also the completion of a period of life from child to responsible youth.
The Kankourang is the main character of the ceremony. He can be recognized by his mask made of bark and red fibers. He is dressed in leaves and painted with vegetable dyes. He ensures the harmony of the community and punishes those who bring disorder and insecurity. His appearance is marked by a series of ritual steps, namely the designation of the initiate, who will wear the mask and his investiture by the elders, the retreat in the forest with the initiates, the vigils and parades in the village with the new insiders. The village proudly participates in the ceremony by singing and dancing to the rhythm of the jerky movements and shrill cries of the Kankourang equipped with two coupe-coupes.
This ritual, now extended in several communities, is an opportunity for the "niansuns" (new circumcised) to learn the rules of behavior which guarantee the good cohesion of the group. Adolescents are usually circumcised between the ages of twelve and sixteen, but gradually the age at which they are subjected to the operation approaches infancy. These initiates discover the secrets of plants, their medicinal properties and hunting techniques. The Mandingo communities are proud to see the Kankourang rite permeating their cultural life, even today, and, since 2008, making history on the UNESCO list of cultural heritage of humanity.
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