r god's power, which allows them to continue reincarnating. Therefore, the goal of life is to continue steal this power, which will aid them in successive reincarnations (Gray, African Art).
             The six societies that exist within the Bamana also govern the political hierarchy of the tribe. Individuals who have risen high within the religious hierarchy also wield considerable power in the governing of the clan. These individuals hold the positions of village chief and family head and are usually viewed with respect and admiration due to the political and spiritual power that they wield. Family heads wield much power because Bamana societies are both patrilineal and patrilocal. The term patrilineal signifies that Bamana people trace their ancestry through their male forebears while patrilocal signifies that once a man and woman have married custom dictates that they move into the household of the husband's father or near his household. Due to these two ways of establishing family ties, an extended Bamana family can be anywhere from 100 to 1000 peopl
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