Amos Nicol, a Soko Bana (elder) member of the Poro society demonstrates on November 21, 2108 his ability to cut himself without being harmed with a knife that has been purified with a spiritual oil. For youngsters in Sierra Leone, the end of a year in class can entail secretive tribal initiation rites far older than school, at a risk of scars and lifelong troubles. Women and men in the villages safeguard ancestral traditions and cultural knowledge pertinent to their separate sexes and take in boys and girls to start their grooming for tribal duties. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Yamba Fojusule (R), a traditional healer, stands next to the masked devil Machar and fans him with protective herbal plants in Waterloo on November 26, 2018. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Amos Nicol, a Soko Bana (elder) with the Poro society holds a knife and a animal bone in his hand during a ritual performance in Freetown on November 21, 2018. In this ceremony the animal bone is used to pluck thru a member's eye with enough force to extract blood. This is a special performance that only Soko Bana members can perform. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Chief Baykuh, a traditional healer in his shrine at Magbumoh village mixes herbs into potions on December 1, 2018. In his mouth he holds an animal horn called a ke'elen which is used to communicate with the gods who guide him. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Pa Foday Bangur holds a bottle containing spiritual oils as he leads a processional of members of the Poro society through the secret bush in Matru on December 1, 2018. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





The Kofi Jalloy secret society portraying four devils dancing during a Araba dance performance in Freetown on November 28, 2018. The devils seen are from left to right Baykey (white), Faerie (red), Gargoda (yellow) and Labalaba (gray). (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Secret Bondo society members are led by the Black Devil as they begin their procession across the field of Songo village in order to perform on December 2, 2018. The three young girls wearing white face paint symbolise those that are awaiting future initiation. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Yealie Kabba, a traditional Sampa Soko Bondo society member wears a red hat with a mirror called a kashak and holds a red bottle filled with spiritual wine which is used for purification in Waterloo on November 26, 2018. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Secret society member Amos Nicol calling on his traditional gods for help before the the start of a ritual performance in Waterloo on November 26, 2018. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





The men's secret hunting society members of Songo village begin their processional through town on December 7, 2018. Leading the group is Oninfara who blows a whistle to communicate to other members that the devil is coming out. Next in line is Oninbele who carries a gun for protection of the large masked animal devil walking behind him. Taking up the rear of the processional is Oninsaweh who uses herbs and a bowl called a calabash to fan spiritual medicine to protect the devil. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





At the initiation hill of the chiefs in the mountains near the town of Makeni, Poro society members remove their caps on December 9, 2018 in a semi-circle symbolising their appreciation to their gods upon arrival at the secret bush. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Chief Baykuh, a traditional healer performs a ceremony on a young Abu Koroma who has been shot with a witch gun in Magbumoh on December 1, 2018. In traditional culture. a witch gun is a spell or curse placed on a individual causing physical or mental illness. In order to be treated, the Chief covers his patient with a blanket and places a boiling pot of medicine beneath him to be evaporated into his body. The ceremony concludes with Baykuh blowing a spiritual powder overtop Abu's head. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Raka Soko, a traditional healer and Poro society member is deep in prayer while holding a broom and a bottle filled with spiritual wine that is purified to show gratitude to the gods before a ceremony in Waterloo on November 26, 2018. Standing across the field from him another member, Amos Nicol, holds a statue of the spiritual god Sama Yorbu which is used to communicate directly to other gods for permission to perform. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Hassan Kamara and Pa Yamba Soko communicate with the spiritual realm before performing a ceremony in the witch forest of Matru village on December 1, 2018. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





A Soko Bana Poro society member prepares in Waterloo, Sierra Leone on November 25, 2018 for a ritual performance. The broom in his hand is used to control the healing power that comes thru the air from his spiritual gods to heal the wound in his stomach. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)





Bondo women's secret society dance during a performance in Kroo Bay, Freetown on November 24, 2018. In the center of the circle, in the blue and green regalia is the Bondo Devil named Mama Salone whose appearance often symbolises new initiates in the secret society bush. Fatmata Bangura, the young women dancing beside the devil wearing a red hat with a looking glass upon it is called a Sampa-Bondo. (Photo by Lynn Rossi/AFP Photo)