“When the margoulat sews himself some underpants, he doesn't forget he has a tail”

In animistic Africa, the author seeks a cause for the cruel and incomprehensible refusal to heal. Collective ritual life and griot’s legends point him towards defense mechanisms elaborated early in life at the time of weaning. They are the basis for the characteristic stance of each individual in relation to the group. The questions raised can be related to problematics occurring in child psychotherapy.