Growing Up Sexually

 

VALENGE (Mozambique)

 

 

Index →Africa→ Mozambique → Valenge

 

Featured: Makonde, Valenge; ®Swazi, ®Thonga

 

In Mozambique VaLenge, sexual instruction was given by the mother, with assistance by the ritual leader (Earthy, 1925)[1]. Dolls were used to illustrate topics such as physiology and sexuality. Ritual defloration was carried out with a sacred horn. Earthy (1933 [1968:p150])[2]: “[…] if a marriage is consummated before a girl is physically fit, it is considered a disgrace and a misfortune, and believed to bring illness and vene death upon the girl”.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Janssen, D. F., Growing Up Sexually. VolumeI. World Reference Atlas. 0.2 ed. 2004. Berlin: Magnus Hirschfeld Archive for Sexology

Last revised: Sept 2004

 


[1] Earthy, E. D. (1925) Initiation of girls in the Masiyeni District, Portuguese East Africa, Ann Transvaal Mus 11,2:103-17

[2] Earthy, E. D. (1933) Valenge Women.London: OxfordUniversity Press. 1968 edition, London: Cass