Young Guéré girls protect the village by the animal spirits, particularly snakes. The so-called snake girls begin their initiation at the age of three. The community's shaman teaches them to capture the essence of nature. Moreover, the girls were drilled to perfect the technique of the snake dance. They are neither allowed to speak, communicate, nor to smile. During the dance the girls mimic snake movements, supposedly while in trance, and demonstrate spiritual protection. When they turn 10 years old,their relationship with this brotherhood ends, and they are released to live a normal life.
