The Makishi masquerade is performed at the end of an annual initiation ritual for boys between the ages of eight and twelve known as Mukanda. Mukanda is an initiation ritual conducted by the Vaka Chiyama Cha Mukwamayi communities, which include the Luvale, Chokwe, Luchazi, and Mbunda tribes. During the dry season, the boys leave their homes and live in isolated bush camps for one to three months. Their separation from the outside world is a mark of their symbolic death as children.
In the Mukanda, the initiates are circumcised, tested for courage, and taught lessons on their future roles as husbands. Each initiate is assigned a specific mask character, which remains with him throughout the entire endeavor. As Chisaluke represents a powerful and wealthy individual with spiritual abilities, the Mupala represents a lord and protector over Mukanda; Pwevo represents the ideal woman and is responsible for performing the music accompanying the rituals and dances; Makishi represents the spirit of a deceased individual who returns from the dead to help the boys assist the rituals and dances. The Makishi is another masked individual, representing a dead ancestor who returns to the living to assist them. The culmination of the Mukanda is marked with a graduation ceremony, during which the entire village participates in Makishi dances and pantomime-like performances until the graduates are allowed to be reintegrated back into their communities as adult men.
Mashiki dancers have intrigued and intimidated audiences for centuries. The Mashiki are shrouded in secrecy, and it is taboo to inquire about who is hiding behind the mask. The Mashiki are spirits that represent the ancestors, and they command respect. They are usually seen during the Mukanda ceremony, and immediately thereafter they return to their graves. Their appearance provides a very fascinating ambiance. The Mukanda is known to take place between May and October, lasting between three and five months. The Makishi is believed to return to the land of the living during this period to guide and protect the boys and their villages during these transitional months. With a tense yet joyful air, they travel from village to village to announce the upcoming Mukanda. It is customary for the Makishi to roam a village before the purification of the boys, dancing and performing, contributing to a sense of tension and excitement in the village.
The Mukanda serves as an educational tool to teach practical survival skills while also imparting knowledge about nature, sexuality, religious beliefs, and social values. For many years, it took place over a period of several months, and it served as the reason for the Makishi masquerade. Today, it is often reduced to one month to adhere to the school calendar. As a result of this adjustment along with the increasing demand for Makishi dancers at social gatherings and public rallies, the original character of the ritual may be affected.
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