Radiance of Tomorrow By Ishmael Beah Rituals & Customs/Ceremonies and Social Gatherings Allie Schneider & Alex Tan

Question: Identify 3-5 laws/customs/rituals in Imperi. Describe at least two examples when a character violates a law/custom/ritual. What are the consequences? ●Laws/customs/rituals: o The elders telling stories, common greeting practices, cooking for other locals in need, someone playing the drum at appointed times, respecting and accompanying the elders ●Violations of laws/customs/rituals: o Men aggressively pursuing women without consent o Wonde disrespects the elders by not driving them back home

Quotes 1. Storytelling: -"No matter who was present, and why, the entire town had come to hear a story from Mama Kadie and from whoever else would be moved to tell. This was the tradition- the elders, mostly women, would tell a story, and other elders would join in afterwards." (47)

Continued Greetings: -"The right hand is customary for greetings." (45) 3. Helping other locals: -“It was customary in small towns and villages for mothers and women in general to put aside portions of food that they had cooked for their families for children with no family of their own or even single men.” (84)

Continued Daily drumming: -"In the morning there used to be a man who would play the drum at 5:00 a.m., then again in the evening for dancing, and finally deep at night, singing a quiet melody that summoned sleep for everyone." (40)

Continued Respecting the elders: -“One always asked to accompany the elders, even on foot, and even if your eyes could see where they lived, and especially after they had walked to seek a discussion with someone younger.” (80)

Violations 1.Disrespect of Women -“They began walking out of the bar to physically touch women in places that one must ask and be granted permission to touch” (121)

Continued Disrespecting the Elders: -“He [Wonde] climbed into his vehicle and left without offering the elders a lift back to their homes. This was not a respectable thing to do.” (80)

Consequences 1.Disrespect of Women -“The woman ran home and brought her husband, brothers, and uncles, and they attacked the fellow who had misbehaved. His drunken friends came to his aid and a big fight started” (121)

Continued Disrespecting the Elders: -After hearing that the elders were mistreated: “Colonel went to work, driving nails into all the tires [of Wonde’s car]... and removed the battery from the walkie-talkie…” (84)