While each of these rituals are specific to a group of people, they all have similarities. Each ceremony incorporates not only the recipient of the honor but their family as well. There were three ceremonies that I found to be the most similar. This was the Bar/Bat Mitzvah in Judaism, Confirmation in Christianity, and the Quinceañera of the Latin community. These three ceremonies all honor the individual who is receiving them in a positive way. These ceremonies involve the entire community and celebrate the honoree and their accomplishments. These are also all customarily followed by a party in the individuals honor. Contrary to those, comes the teeth sharpening ceremony of the Mentawai people. This is done because the individual is not satisfactory the way they are, and must do this sharpening to enhance their beauty and please their spirits/future mates. There is no celebration associated with it. Two ceremonies that are similar to one another are the Ritu Kala Samskara Ceremony of Hinduism and the Genpuku of Shintoism. Both of these ceremonies involves the changing of ones clothes. In Hinduism, the girl is given her first Sari, showing womanhood, during her ritual. Similarly in Shintoism, the boy or girl is given their new adult clothes. Adding to similarities, Shintoism, Hinduism, and Mentawai all focus on appearance as part of coming of age. In conclusion, Judaism, Christianity and Latin culture are the most similar. While, Shintoism, Metawai, and Hinduism are more closely related.
The ceremony that I found to be interesting is the Quinceañera. This is the coming of age ceremony for girls in the Latin community. These people are Christians, but this ceremony is strictly for this community. This celebrates the 15th birthday of a girl and symbolizes their transition from a child to a woman. Latin myths and tradition explain that girls were prepared to be married by the age of fifteen; in the years prior to their fifteenth birthdays, girls were taught to cook, weave, and about child rearing by the elder women in their communities in preparation for their lives as married women. However today, this is more of a ceremony for celebration, not motherhood. I spoke one on one with my friend Ybett who is from Peru. She told me about her celebration. She shared with me that where she is from this celebration is referred to as la fiesta de quince. Ybett’s fiesta de quince started with her entering her ceremony, which took place at a party venue, with her father. She told me that girls traditionally wear a grand ball gown. Her ceremony took place indoors. As she walked in, she was greeted by guests including her friends and family. She entered to music and guests came up and gave her father roses, which is customary. After her entrance, her and her father danced the Waltz, and after he passed her along to her friends and family. She then did a ceremony of the 15 candles. During this time, she honored the 15 most influential people in her life with a candle of their own and a speech. The night was filled with dancing and celebrating. Ybett shared that there is not much religious affiliation with this ritual, it is more symbolic to the culture and her family.
After hearing our in class presentation on Shintoism, I decided to look more into their culture. I spoke with the Kadampa Meditation Center Maryland to learn more about the Genpuku ritual which is a coming of age ceremony in Shintoism. I was given the history and a description of what takes place. Basically, this ritual dates back to the 7th century. This is done to mark the coming of adulthood for boys between the ages of 15 and 18. The rituals have changed throughout time, so this is a description of the ancient ritual. The boys are taken to the shrine of their patron Kami and are presented with their adult clothes and are given a new hairstyle. They are also given new adult names also known as a Courtesy name. This ritual has significance for more than just normal boys. Genpuku is also a big time for Samurai, it marks the time when the trained samurai become actual samurai. The samurai are presented their swords and armor at this time. Much like the boys, at the age of 13 girls go through this same ritual, however it is called Mogi. In todays society in Japan, these ceremonies have been replaced by annual coming-of-age ceremonies for 20-year-olds of both sexes called Seijin Shiki (Coming of age day). This is held on the second monday in January. This ritual is much like a Bar Mitzvah in Judaism, with a formal ceremony held to recognize maturity, followed by a party.
: Mentawai people are natives to the Mentawai Islands in Indonesia. These people follow Christianity, but have their own rituals and coming of age ceremonies. The one that I found to be the most interesting is the teeth sharpening ceremony. I was unable to first hand experience this ceremony, or talk to a native, but I watched a video that gave a first hand account of what takes place and did further research into what exactly takes place. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgNWrnMM-F8, http://www.odditycentral.com/videos/indonesian-tribe-believes-chiseled-teeth-make-women-beautiful.html) This tradition is mostly done to women, and is seen as a right of passage to becoming an adult. It is done by taking a chisel, along with a blunt force, to split the teeth into sharp points. This is done without any pain killers and is practiced the same way it has been for hundreds of years. What’s interesting about this ritual, is that many people look down upon it and don’t understand it’s significance. This is the first coming of age ceremony that I have seen much criticism of. The reasoning that the people give to this painful tradition is that their souls will leave them if they are not happy with their bodies. The sharpened teeth are seen as beautiful in the culture. It shows that a women is mature and has made commitments to please their inner spirit. This adds balance to their bodies and adds appeal so they may find a man. This is done at an age where they are deemed ready to find a mate. Furthermore, by doing this ceremony and pleasing the inner spirit, people believe it prolongs death. If the spirit is content, than they will bring positivity to the individual. When I watched a video showing the ceremony, women were in severe pain, but were happy with the end result. The man who did the actual procedure was said to be guided by the spirits. To ease the pain at the end, the woman was given a raw green banana to chew on.
I didn't personally get to experience this ceremony, however I was walked through the process by someone who worked at the Greater Baltimore Hindu-Jain Temple. The one I chose to learn more about is the Ritu Kala Samskara Ceremony. This is done for young girls, which I could relate to because I was Bat Mitzvahed. This is celebrated when a girl reaches puberty. She wears Langa Voni (traditional dress), given by her maternal grandparents, which is worn during the first part of the ceremony. She is then gifted her first Sari by her paternal grandparents, which she wears during the second half of the ceremony. This marks her transition into womanhood.
The coming of age ceremony I experienced was at a catholic church called Saint Louis in Elicott City, MD. The ceremony was different, yet similar to that of the one I experienced at a Jewish temple. The confirmation is known as a sacrament. The boy I watched get confirmed went onto the stage in the church. Instead of leading much of the ceremony, the bishop did the act to him. The bishop put his hands onto the boys forehead and marked him with the seal of the holy spirit. After this, the “child” is now an adult in the eyes of God. This was further symbolized by a confirmation name, that of one of the saints, which was added onto their Christian name. At the one I witnessed, the chosen name was Andrew. At this church, the person being confirmed also had a sponsor. This person was someone who was close to them and signed away as the spiritual guide during the process. The person chosen for the boy I watched was his aunt. Once the ceremony was finished, church went on as usual and the boys role was minor after his honor of being confirmed was complete.
I went to my synagogue, Chizuk Amuno, to experience a coming of age ceremony, known as a bar (boys) or bat (girls) mitzvah. I have been to many of these ceremonies before, but never as an observer interested in the rituals from a scholarly perspective. This led me to have a different connection with what was taking place, that I had never had before. The main sanctuary is a grand room. The one where I was bat mitzvahed and where I watched another young girl take the bimah for her special day, holds about 1,800 people. A room this large can be nerve racking for anyone, especially a 13 year old with a thousand eyes on them. The service started with the normal Shabbat rituals. The hazan or canter, Emanuel Perlman lead the congregation in prayers coming from the sidor (jewish prayer book). As the service goes on as usual, the bat mitzvah girl sat on the bimah nervously waiting her turn to take the podium and recite her torah portion and haftarah portion. This section of prayer is given based on the week and what place the synagogue is at within the torah. Each week, the section changes. After about an hour of the service, the rabbi took out the torah and handed it to the bat mitzvah girl, who carried it through the sanctuary as the congregants kissed it. It is an honor to hold the torah. Once she made her way around, the torah was brought to the podium and she did her Aliyah. An Aliyah is another honor that goes out to different congregants. There are a couple of them and that is the prayer that one must say before they recite from the torah. She recited hers then began chanting her portion. Once that was completed the torah was placed back into the arc, and she told a speech about the portion she was given. At my synagogue, whoever is being bar or bat mitzvahed writes a speech relating their portion to something in their lives. They read this to the congregation, showing their understanding of the text. After the speech was completed, it was time for her to do her haftarah. This is the most important part of the ceremony. The haftarah is different from a normal torah reading as it is only done on sabbath and is in a different trope and comes from a different book. Before the haftarah can be chanted, there are ritual blessings that go along with it, like an aliyah, but for the haftarah. She chanted her blessings then completed her haftarah. After the haftarah is completed, she must sing the closing blessings. From experience, the closing blessings are the best part of the ceremony. It is like a weight lifted off your shoulders knowing that you have successfully become a bar or bat mitzvah and are an official member of the Jewish community. The entire time she was at the podium, hazan Perlman was by her side for comfort. Once the closing blessings are done the congregation sings Simen Tov, a ritual song to congratulate someone on a milestone. Also, it is tradition to throw candy at the bar or bat mitzvah upon completing their ceremony. Once the candy was thrown at the bat mitzvah, she took her seat as an official woman and member of the Jewish faith.
|
Rayna VerstandigFor my class, Community and Solitude, I had to have 6 different religious experiences. This blog discusses my experiences. The unifying concept throughout all of my experiences is coming of age. ArchivesCategories |