Rites of passage: cultural significance and meaning

Rites of Passage: Traditional and Modern

Rites of passage exist in almost all primitive as well as modern societies. The only difference is the manner in which they are celebrated. We first need to understand why rites of passage are important? Rites of passage help a person make the transition from one phase of life to another more clearly and distinctly. When a person is undergoing a major life changing moment, it is important to celebrate it in a proper manner in order to allow the person to register that change in life and to allow easier transition. In the Encyclopedia of Religion, edited by Mircea Eliade (1987), rites of passage are defined as:

Rites of passage are a category of rituals that mark the passage of a person through the life cycle, from one stage to another over time, from one role or social position to another, integrating the human and cultural experiences with biological destiny: birth, reproduction, and death. These ceremonies make the basic distinctions, observed in all groups, between young and old, male and female, living and dead." (p. 380)

In this paper, we shall focus on one of the most important rites of passage connected with adolescence. This is a crucial period in the lives of both girls and boys. In many cultures of the world, rituals connected with adolescence have been common since ancient times. People celebrate the onset of adolescence to allow boys and girls to come to terms with this new phase in life.

Rites of passage in adolescence are a cross-cultural phenomenon. They have existed throughout human history and may be a significant factor in the development of a stable adult personality. Broken down into its most basic elements, a rite of passage involves (1) a separation from society, (2) preparation or instruction from an elder, (3) a transition (in the case of adolescence, from child to adult), and (4) a welcoming back into society with acknowledgement of the adolescent's changed status." (Delaney, 1995)

The celebration in most traditional societies occurs in the form of a ceremony that marks the transition. In societies where no specific ceremony exists, people usually gather for special prayers to announce a person's entrance into adulthood. In this regard, we shall now discuss the rites of passage of adolescence that exists among the Okiek.

Okiek is a traditional tribe that exists in Kenya. The rites of passage also called initiation are the same for both girls and boys in Okiek tribe. Though the initiation ceremony takes place separately for girls and boys but they do have ceremonies for both girls and boys aged 14 to 16. "The initiates are first ceremonially circumcised or excised. After this, they live in seclusion from adults of the opposite sex for four to 24 weeks. They paint themselves with white clay and charcoal in order to appear as wild creatures (cemaasiisyek). Certain secret knowledge is imparted by same-sex elders. The most important knowledge concerns the cemaasiit - a mythical beast that haunts the initiates during their time in seclusion."

The roar of the beast plays an important role. The roar must be heard by the adolescent and when he has learned to handle the instrument and can produce the roar himself, the ritual is considered complete. Similar rituals are also found in other primitive societies such as the Iria. Iria is rite that is performed for the girls who enter adolescence in the same Okiek tribe.

Girls from the ages of fourteen to sixteen enter into "fatting rooms" where they are fed rich local foods to make the body "come out." They are taught by the elderly women of the egbelereme society to sing the traditional Iria songs. It is believed among these people that young girls form romantic attachments to water spirits. Before they are considered marriageable and allowed to receive mortal suitors, they must first free themselves from these attachments. This is accomplished by the coming together of the girls at the river on successive dawns to sing the songs they have learned. On the final day, the initiates return to the riverbank and the water spirits are expected to attempt to seize the girls by force. This can be prevented by the Osokolo, a member of owuper society (the male counterpart of the egbelereme). He strikes the girls with sticks, driving them back to the village, ensuring both their safety and future fertility." (Delaney)

These rites of passages play an important role in the life of adolescents. Sadly in our modern society, such rites have lost their significance and these important phases of life are either neglected or celebrated in meaningless ways. celebrating the entrance into adulthood by awarding high school diplomas, giving robes on graduation day etc. are all our ways of celebrating this new phase in life. But do they have the same impact as traditional rites?

In modern America, laws regarding child labor and mandatory school attendance, and also the organization of the educational system into age grades have served to isolate adolescents from the rest of society. The obligation to spend the day together in a scholastic environment has led to a strong tendency for adolescents to socialize among themselves during their leisure time." (Delaney)

It is believed that the entire high school entry system and when the person is actually with his peers in high school, it serves as an important rite which is similar in significance to the rites of passage. Students are surrounded by peers their age, teachers treat them differently and they are constantly reminded of their high school status. This results in psychological growth where child comes to term with his growth and understands that he is moving to a new phase in life.