Mental Illness Remedy

A man in the village has gone mad. As a youth he had refused to undergo the tribal initiation to manhood. The marabout explains that according to the Koran if one does not do that which he is ordered, he will truly be punished. The villagers wait in silence for the marabout’s signal. When the signal is finally given, the villagers undress the man and begin to whip him publicly. They believe that pain reestablishes an equilibrium hat has been upset. Whipping is both an act of exorcism and a warning. This serves to warn others not to renounce their tribal obligation. The man’s madness is caused perhaps by the subconscious realization that he is different from other men. His refusal to undergo initiation to manhood has set him apart from other men. He has been cut off from tribal social life. Soon, he is washed. Water is a purifying element that eliminates guilt. The man is then shackled to prevent him from escaping. The marabout explains that this punishment serves as a warning for anyone who disrespects rites passed down from their ancestors. The tribal rites must be respected by everyone. Defiance and protest are dangerous symptoms that undermine the very existence of the tribe. The man is left to meditate in solitude; perhaps the loneliness and fear will help him to relieve the darkness of insanity.