During the after-harvest period 1998 to 1999 in Ribáué there had been several celebrations of female initiation rites. The ‘festive season’ – with sufficient supplies of grain for beer-brewing and food for feasting – starts in September or October and goes on until January. The celebration on which this account is based took place early February and was the last one of the season. The rains were approaching, and with them a new cycle of agricultural work.

I had just arrived to Ribáué for the second round of fieldwork, when I was informed that a session of initiation rites—the last of the season—was due to take place the following weekend, and that I was invited to attend the proceedings. This particular session of female initiation rites took place in the compound of the namalaka, Arissa, in the mandioca fields behind her house, and in a nearby mato, close to the mountains, beyond a small stream. Arissa's house is situated a few kilometers outside Ribáué town, at the other side of the river. Arissa is a curandeira (traditional healer), a conselheira (counsellor) and a remarkable woman. During the whole sequence of the rites that went on continuously from Saturday morning to Sunday noon, Arissa was in charge; she was the organizer, the speaker, the chanter, the performer, untiringly for 30 hours non stop. Arissa works in close collaboration with three other conselheiras, they are her permanent assistants, together with the batuqueira, the woman that beats the drum.