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Throughout West African societies, at times of social crises, postmenopausal women — the Mothers — make a ritual appeal to their innate moral authority. The seat of this power is the female genitalia. Wielding branches or pestles, they strip naked and slap their genitals and bare breasts to curse and expel the forces of evil. In An Intimate Rebuke Laura S. Grillo draws on fieldwork in Côte d’Ivoire that spans three decades to illustrate how these rituals of Female Genital Power (FGP) constitute religious and political responses to abuses of power. When deployed in secret FGP operates as spiritual warfare against witchcraft; in public it serves as a political activism. During Côte d’Ivoire’s civil wars FGP challenged the immoral forces of both rebels and the state. Grillo shows how the ritual potency of the Mothers’ nudity and the conjuration of their sex embodies a moral power that has been foundational to West African civilization.

Older women --- Generative organs, Female --- Religious life --- Political activity --- Symbolic aspects --- Religious aspects --- Political aspects --- Côte d'Ivoire --- Religion. --- Female generative organs --- Female generative tract --- Female genital tract --- Female genitalia --- Female reproductive system --- Female reproductive tract --- Generative organs --- Aged women --- Older people --- Women --- Ivory Coast --- Costa d'Avorio --- Elfenbeinküste --- Territoire de la Côte d'Ivoire --- République de la Côte d'Ivoire --- Republic of Ivory Coast --- Republic of the Ivory Coast --- République de Côte d'Ivoire --- Kot d'Ivuar --- Republic of Côte d'Ivoire --- Costa de Marfil --- Ivoire, Côte d' --- Bereg Slonovoĭ Kosti --- Panté Gadéng --- Ivoorkus --- Republiek van Côte d'Ivoire --- Elfebeikischte --- Elpendbānrīma --- Costa de Vori --- Republica de Costa de Vori --- Costa de Bori --- Couta d'Ivouèro --- Fil Dişi Sahili --- Fil Dişi Sahili Respublikası --- Кот д'Івуар --- Рэспубліка Кот д'Івуар --- Rėspublika Kot d'Ivuar --- Obala Slonovače --- Republika Obala Slonovače --- Кот д'Ивоар --- Kot d'Ivoar --- Република Кот д'Ивоар --- Republika Kot d'Ivoar --- コートジボワール --- Kōto Jibowāru --- Kōtojibowāru --- 象牙海岸共和国 --- Kōto Jibowāru Kyōwakoku --- Kōtojibowāru Kyōwakoku --- コートジボアール --- Kōtojiboāru --- #SBIB:39A10 --- #SBIB:39A11 --- #SBIB:39A73 --- Antropologie: religie, riten, magie, hekserij --- Antropologie : socio-politieke structuren en relaties --- Etnografie: Afrika --- Religious aspects. --- Anthropology --- Africa --- Civilization Africa --- Religion Africa --- Politics and Government Postcolonialism --- Africa Ethics, Comparative Sex Role

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Throughout West African societies, at times of social crises, postmenopausal women — the Mothers — make a ritual appeal to their innate moral authority. The seat of this power is the female genitalia. Wielding branches or pestles, they strip naked and slap their genitals and bare breasts to curse and expel the forces of evil. In An Intimate Rebuke Laura S. Grillo draws on fieldwork in Côte d’Ivoire that spans three decades to illustrate how these rituals of Female Genital Power (FGP) constitute religious and political responses to abuses of power. When deployed in secret FGP operates as spiritual warfare against witchcraft; in public it serves as a political activism. During Côte d’Ivoire’s civil wars FGP challenged the immoral forces of both rebels and the state. Grillo shows how the ritual potency of the Mothers’ nudity and the conjuration of their sex embodies a moral power that has been foundational to West African civilization.