The domba is a premarital initiation school for girls, although boys also particiapte at times. Its occurence depends largely on the number of mature girls ready to particiapte, and on the size of the harvest as ample food supplies are essential. The domba is held only at the kraals of chiefs and may last from six months to two years.

Towards the end of the initiaiton period the girls and boys are brought together to dance the domba or pythond ance, one of the msot importnat rituals of the initiation school.