Gola

The Gola people live primarily in the western part of Liberia, West Africa. Furthermore, a sizable Gola community resides in the neighboring country of Sierra Leone. Their language is called Gola as well. Many scholars have suggested that the name Gullah, a people living in the Georgia and North Carolina regions of the United States, may well originate from the word Gola because many Gola people were captured and sent against their will to be enslaved in the United States, among other places, during the European slave trade and enslavement of African people.

The Gola's original home was mosdy in the country known today as the Ivory Coast, which they started leaving around 1300 AD to settle in their present locations. Much Gola life is centered around farming. Indeed, the Gola farmers are reputed for their great agricultural skills and knowledge. Rice is the main crop that they cultivate.

The Gola people believe in a supreme God who, once the world was created, withdrew, leaving its governance in the hands of divinities and ancestral spirits. Thus, the Gola venerate their ancestors because they know them to be an intricate part of their daily lives. They take much care in expressing their reverence and need for their protection by regularly performing rituals, such as offerings and sacrifices to them. The Gola believe in reincarnation, that is, in the endless cycle of birth, death, and rebirth. Thus, a newborn child is believed to be a returning ancestor from the family lineage. As a result, the [Page 295]child, once the reincarnated ancestor has been identified, will receive the name of that ancestor.

As in many other African communities, life is regarded as marked by four critical moments: birth, puberty, marriage, and death. Thus, boys and girls are initiated at the time of puberty within the context of rites of passage considered essential. This is the time when male adolescents will be circumcised. Circumcision marks the passage from childhood to adulthood and the time of a greater awareness of the spiritual nature of the world. After undergoing circumcision, the young men are secluded for a month in total isolation. This is the time when they are encouraged to reflect on life and the new meaning that it has for them as they undergo initiation.

When seclusion is over, the initiates are rein-corporated into their community in the midst of much rejoicing and festivities. They are presented with many gifts, such as poultry, beer, arrows, and so on. Now that they have been circumcised and their initiation is over, the young men are considered to be adults and may enjoy the prerogatives and duties associated with adulthood, such as marriage, procreation, and initiation into different socioreligious organizations.

Given the central role of farming in Gola life, it is no surprise that many of the most significant Gola ceremonies and rituals are devoted to agriculture. For instance, at the time of harvest, and because this is common in many other agrarian African societies, a thanksgiving ritual is observed, with the first grain being offered to the spirits. Only when this rite has been performed can people eat from the new grain. Every year, the Gola organize yam and groundnut harvest festivals. As farmers, the Gola people are particularly concerned about propitiating their rain god Da, to whom they will offer a special prayer in times of drought. The request will be presented by an elder, who, holding a human skull in his hand, will beg Da to send rain to ensure the prosperity of the Gola people. A sacrifice to Da, usually that of a chicken whose blood will be poured on the skull, is likely to follow.

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