Introduction

 In traditional Bambara society, initiation codes were divided by class, which allowed man to emerge in life. There were 7 seven initiation societies among which the N’domo is included.

 N’domo means “Doni mo” which in French means “The fishing of knowledge”. It is the first initiation class, an initiatory society which trains children for their future life, their spiritual life, their social life, their economic life, etc. An initiation society which only concerns uncircumcised boys between 7 and 21 years old. Women and girls had no place in the N’domo.

 Ségou is the fourth region of Mali with a majority Bambara population. The N’domo is an initiatory society in the Bambara environment, which is why this study was carried out in one of its communes “Péléngana” by the researchers.

 The objective of this study is to know the n’domo and its mission in traditional society

To do this we asked ourselves questions: How was the initiation to N’domo? What place did he occupy in society?

A transversal school

Giving a good education to the child and training him for the future was his mission. At the age of 7, the child leaves his mother’s skirts to enter N’domo, a school where he will learn the principles of societal life and prepare him for the future. Indeed it touches many areas of education that man needs for his development and survival in society. Initiation to N’domo allows children to assimilate the intrinsic values of man, know healing medicines, his culture, entrepreneurship, leadership, the economy and power. The N’domo allowed children to live together and foster fraternal relationships.

An esoteric society demystified

 The initiation was secret and took place from generation to generation, in other words, the elders trained the new ones and respect for one’s superior was a principle. Once entering the N’domo the initiation was done step by step, test by test. According to BD “the N’domo includes 5 stages of initiations: ” the Diarra or the lion, the N’Tori or the toad, the Kono or the bird, the Kami or the guinea fowl, the Wulu or the dog » Submission to all these tests allowed the initiate to learn and face any obstacle throughout his life. The teachings and trials learned and undergone by the initiates were kept top secret and no one allowed themselves to be revealed.

Conclusion

Education is the basis of all development and the survival of any society depends on the people who make it up. The N’domo have done a lot of work in the training and development of the men of tomorrow. The initiation into N’domo ends with circumcision and the initiates move on to the next stage which is Komo.