ABSTRACT
Chapter 8 takes ritual as its focus, eventually assessing the extent to which the religious influences underpin the ritual, or otherwise. It moves through the life cycle, starting with celebrations of birth and various stages of childhood, followed by entry into adulthood and a section on marriage. There are also certain stages of life that are celebrated, including post-retirement, and finally, there is a section on death and memorials for the ancestors. The last part of the chapter argues that there is a pattern of syncretism in the life cycle, explaining the way all the religious influences may be engaged.
