Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah on Rediscovering African Sexual Traditions
Ghanaian writer Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah has transitioned from chronicling contemporary sex lives to exploring historical African sexual practices in her new book, Seeking Sexual Freedom: African Rites, Rituals and Sankofa in the Bedroom. This work builds on her earlier publication, The Sex Lives of African Women, which offered surprising insights into radical sexual practices across the continent.
Unearthing Forgotten Rites and Rituals
Sekyiamah describes her approach as that of a sex scientist, delving into indigenous African cultures to rediscover rites of passage that she believes can form the foundation for new models of sexual freedom. She poses critical questions in her book: Are our Indigenous religions more expansive than the Abrahamic faiths we predominantly practise today? Can we go back to the best of our traditional practices, and use that knowledge as a foundation?
Through years of research and conversations with women across Africa and the diaspora, Sekyiamah has uncovered customs that have been largely forgotten or under-discussed. One prominent example is the Ghanaian Dipo ceremony, which ushers young girls into womanhood at puberty. During this elaborate rite, girls are dressed in beads, have their heads shaved, and receive training on hygiene and symbolic performances of virginity.
The Role of 'Sex Aunties' in Sexual Education
Among the Baganda people of Uganda, Sekyiamah discovered the concept of the ssenga or sex auntie. This female relative is entrusted with the explicit role of teaching young girls about sex and preparing them for womanhood. I really love the idea of a sex auntie, Sekyiamah explains, because a lot of us grew up with mothers who are very conservative and say very little, if anything, about sex.
She illustrates this with an anecdote from her book where a girl leaves the room during a kissing scene, only to be called back by her auntie who encourages open discussion about sexual feelings. Sekyiamah advocates for appointing trusted individuals to discuss sex and pleasure when parents find it challenging, noting that she already plays this role for her goddaughter.
Body Awareness and Pleasure Practices
Sekyiamah's research also explores practices like pulling, where young Baganda girls are taught to extend their labia, believed to enhance sexual pleasure. This practice, taught by ssengas and sometimes demonstrated in schools, involves hours of pulling and the use of herbs. While acknowledging concerns about acculturation to ideal standards, Sekyiamah highlights how such practices foster familiarity with genitalia and body awareness.
For me, it was really radical to bring in this story where these girls are being taught to acculturate their genitalia to what is considered ideal for Baganda women, she says. But what it's doing is teaching them familiarity with their genitalia, encouraging them to touch each other's genitalia.
The Sankofa Philosophy and Future Directions
The book's title incorporates the Ghanaian Twi concept of Sankofa, which means go back and fetch—revisiting the past to retrieve valuable knowledge. Sekyiamah uses this philosophy to challenge stereotypes about African sexual practices, particularly the automatic association with female genital mutilation (FGM). Instead, she presents diverse traditions that emphasize openness, education, and pleasure.
Her work is grounded in love and care for girls and women, aiming to prevent the loss of joy and pleasure in their bodies due to modernity, religion, and urbanization. I just want to provide an opportunity to do things differently, Sekyiamah concludes. We are not starting from nowhere—we are starting from a base.
Seeking Sexual Freedom: African Rites, Rituals and Sankofa in the Bedroom is published in the UK by Dialogue Books on 12 March and in the US by Atria Books on 5 March.
