In 1994, Beckwith and Fisher experienced what they describe as the largest and most joyous seasonal celebration in west Africa at the Fulani cattle crossings of the mile-wide Niger River. It took over ten days for the Fulani herdsmen and their cattle to complete the dangerous and dramatic crossing. Their return to families and girlfriends after a six-month dry-season search for pasture was celebrated by the entire community. The herders were showered with gifts and praise and beautiful young Fulani girls enticed the young men to join them in courtship dances.

A different kind of community ritual is seen with the Bobo of Burkina Faso, who hold dramatic masquerades to ask permission from the nature spirits to plant and harvest their crops. The Bobo believe that if they did not hold these ceremonies, they would suffer a drought or a terrible plague.