Kassa (Cassa) is a harvest-dance of the Malinke-people in East Guinea. The word means granary. During harvest-time the farmers go to the fields, that are sometimes far away from the village. A camp is made for as long as neaded. Some woman come to prepare the meals (and to sing). During the day the drummers play Kassa to support the workers in the field. When the harvest is completed there is a big party in the village, called Kassalodon.
Another custom (according Famoudou Konaté) that is connected with this work is that a girl (the prettiest in the village) hangs her shawl on a stick at the end of the field. The worker who reached this shawl the first (while working) spends the night with the girl. This meeting is not supposed to have a sexual character, for if the girl would get pregnant, the man would be beaten in public.
(by Paul Naas)