Secret Societies

A secret society consists of group of individuals who withhold certain knowledge and activities from the other members of their tribe.Any member who reveals the secrets of the group or any non-member  who stumbles by accident or peeps purposefully into a secret society may even by removed or murdered.Admission to the a secret society is very restrictive and selective.Entry is gained by the payment of a high fee or some special rituals or an ordeal of initiation rite.Further admission is attained only after a period of probation and after undertaking several tests.Any individual who wishes to become a member of a secret society is thus required to possess a high degree of physical and mental endurance.Once a candidate has fulfilled all the requirements for entry the ceremony of admission takes place which is often very elaborate and sometimes dangerous.

The secret societies mainly have dual function firstly which is obvious and secondly which is hidden and secretive.They may also act as military force at the time of emergency.It is in the sphere of magic and religion that their activities are most important.In some communities magical rites to increase fertility are also performed.The members of  secret societies also act as shamans and cure the sick through the media of spirits and rituals.

Secret societies are widespread in Melanesia and Polynesia ,in Indonesia and in New Guinea and in African tribes .They also occur in some places in India.