From Initiation to Adulthood: The Kankurang Tradition in Janjanbureh

Written by Justic, now President of the Kankurang Committee

First recorded on Janjanbureh Island in 1946–47, the Kankurang tradition forms part of a wider system of intangible cultural heritage in which ritual, education, and community governance are inseparable. In his 2014 account, Justice Saidykhan documents one of the last fully traditional initiation cycles, drawing on both personal memory — including witnessing the ceremonies in 1998 — and knowledge shared by elders such as the late Hon. Foday Manka.

Initiation marked the formal transition into adulthood. Circumcision functioned not as an isolated act, but as part of a prolonged educational process through which young people learned social responsibility, discipline, and cultural values. In Mandinka terms, those who had not yet passed through initiation were described as solima — not fully recognised within adult society. As Justice explains, traditional Gambian life placed the collective above the individual. Participation in communal rites affirmed belonging; exclusion carried serious social consequences for individuals and families alike.

Teaching took place over several months, with elders instructing initiates in ethics, conduct, and shared history. Much of this learning occurred at Tinyansita, a sacred site associated with rest, reflection, and moral formation. Throughout this period, the Kankurang acted as guardian and moral authority — masked, anonymous, and symbolically positioned beyond individual judgement, embodying the community’s values and protective role.

As the initiation period concluded, elaborate preparations marked the return of initiates to public life. Cleansing rituals at Birikiba, a formal visit to the chief, and the coordinated roles of women in food preparation and celebration all reinforced collective responsibility. Families were reunited with their sons for the first time in three months, culminating in public recognition, drumming, masquerades, and an all-night celebration.

This account records a living system of knowledge transmission, social cohesion, and cultural continuity — one that continues to inform the contemporary revival of the Kankurang Festival today.