First, I'd like to say that your week 5 blog comments are very well-written and interesting to read.
Next week's topic has to do with how different cultures around the world celebrate rites of passage; that is, a formal event/ritual/celebration that marks a transition/change in a person's social status. While most Americans probably don't think about it, there are, in fact, a number of rites of passage here in the U.S. Examples include baptism and confirmation (religious), graduation (coming of age), and the African-American tradition of giving a child their first haircut on their first birthday (also coming of age), to name a few.
Think about the rites of passage performed in your culture. Describe one important rite of passage in your country. Make sure to explain who, what, when, why, and how.
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I read about rites of passage which was perform in ancient China for boys and girl who were becoming 20 years-old. It is a long lost tradition, people tries to bring back. I, however, have never had a chance to witness one and I cannot think of anything that can be considered rites of passage, either. Nevertheless, if this counts, I did give a traditional celebration party for my daughters when they turn one-year-old. This celebration party are more popular in Taiwan than the rites of passage. In the party, usually a banquet, family’s close relatives and friends are invited. Those guests give the birthday child a red envelop-Hongpao which contains even-numbered money that implies that such celebration will come again and again. That is, the child is blessed to have good health and longevity. In the banquet, the parents set up a place with 10 or more different new toys which the birthday child had never played with and those toys represent different carrer. For example, chalks represent teaching, a calculator- businessman, an instrument-musician, and a stethoscope-doctors etc.. After banquet, the birthday child is brought to the pre-set up place that full with new toys. The parents will let go their child and let the child pick whatever he wants. The first picked toy represents what the child’s future career will be. I can tell how predictable this activity will be in a couple of decades. Stick around! Maybe you will know the answer, too.
ReplyDeleteAs far as i concern, in Thailand has one tradition which most of men who believe in buddism usually do when they are 20 years old. This tradition is to be a monk. Actually, it is depend on person that they want or not. But most of men in Thailand usually do it for compenstating their parents. Normally they will become a monk around 2-4 weeks. In fact, to become a monk could make their parents feel pround of their son because old people in Thailand believe that if their son or grandson used to be a monk, it could help them to stay in the heaven when they are pass away.
ReplyDeleteI can't think about something other things than the same as Onnicha. We have a buddism tradition, which is go being a monk when we are 20 years old. In my case, I had already done that before I came to U.S. It was a very good experience at that time. However, from this event, our family and friends will come to celebrate and join the ceremony.
ReplyDeleteIn my country "Japan",the important event is comming of age. Japanese think 20 years old is enough to the adult.Therefore, every year in January, each prefectures have ceremony for the people who are 20 years old. 20 years old people are wearing traditional Japanese clothes "kimono". After the ceremony, they talk and hung out with friends.
ReplyDeleteI have a same idea with reina,I mean important rite of passage is coming of age in Japan.People who is 20 years old celebrate and can drink alcohol and smoke,on the other hand they have to have responsibility by themselves because they are already adults,for example they have the right of the vote and if person who is over 20 commits a crime,the peson's name is announced by media like newspaper or TV.
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ReplyDeleteI have same ideas as reina and ai. We have the rites to celebrate aging 20 years old in my country. Most of people who got 20 dress the traditional dresses. Men dress "hakama", on the other hand, women dress "furisode". However, men have weared the suit recently. They attend the ceremony to celebrate in January. After the ceremony, they have some parties and meet old friends such as in junior high school, in elementary school and in high school. The parties remind them of many memories. They recognize that the time passed and what is to become adult. In fact, I will not be able to perform this rites. However, before came here, I dressed the furisode and took pictures with it as the mementoes. Actually, I hate dressing the Japanese traditional dresses, but this experience helped me to think how I live in the future.
ReplyDeleteAs Reina, Ai and Hiromi said before,in Japan,the coming of age is the most inmortant rite for people,especially for young people and their parents. They said about the basic information of the rite already,so I want to talk about my prefecture's coming of age. The celemony is held in each city,so young people,who become 20 years old,usually go back to their hometown and celebrate with old friends. The style is depends on the city or town, so there are some speciality. For example,in my prefecture, there is a city which name is Ushibuka-city. In Ushibuka-city,they have the rite in summer,because, in summer,young people can go back to their hometown easier than winter.In addition,they don't wear 'kimono'but'yukata'.Yukata is an informal kind of kimono,and it is easier than kimono to wear.So people usually enjoy wearing yukata for summer festivals. Ushibuka's coming of age is so different from my city,so it's interesting for me.
ReplyDeleteWe have a celebrate rite when babies become 1years old. this rite is 'dol'. In this rite, parents put a bunch of thread or money or note or pen on the table and babies choose one of them. thread means that baby will have a long life and money means that baby will be rich note and pen mean that baby will be a science or scholar. Another is adult's celebrate rite. if someone become 20years old, they recive a bunch of rose, a perfume, and kissing from their partner. Unfortunetly, I didn't have a this celebrate rite.
ReplyDeleteComing of age is one of the famous and important rite of passages in Japan. Every year in January, people who become 20 years old get together and celebrate. during the event, they wear traditonal clothes such as Kimono which is for women and Hakama or suit for men. people who become 20 years old are regarded as one of the adults in Japan.
ReplyDeleteThere are to many rites in Tajikistan which are very interesting and funny, we have tradition as stealing the bride by groom and circumcision of infants(male). Basically our rites rely on our religion.For example, when male and female are getting married they must do in front of at least two witnesses to give their agreement to be married and with parents' bless. Groom has to give a gift to bride in amount either money or gold. This rite serves as a legalization of marriage in front of God.
ReplyDeleteMen who is Korean have to go to the army for 2 years. If before someone finish his army service, other guys hit the guy for celebration. It depend on army. On the other hand, other guys give their wage to him who before finish his army service in the marine corps. It depends on troops.
ReplyDeleteIn Saudi arabia, we don't celebrate in a certain age, and we dont belive in these things. The most important age when the teen becomes a reliable and he can be responsibil of his house and his family. To illustrate, the boy should show his family that he can depends on him self.
ReplyDeleteAs my classmate Faisal said, we don't have any celebration about these things. The boy becomes an adult when his family can depend on him in every thing instead of his father. The family becomes happy when they the boy take care of his father job. For example, taking his family to the place that they want to go to, and taking care of the house stuff. On the other hand, the girl becomes an adult when she start to cook and take care of her little brothers and sisters. After that she is ready to get married and be independence from her family.
ReplyDeletethere is no important rites back home as faisal and moha said. boys just feel they are adults when they can take care of themselves and their families such as go shopping for his house instead of his father or his oldest brother. girls can be adult when they start doing parts of their mothers' chores like doing laundry or doing the dishes or cooking. therefore we don't celeprate rites or do other stuff for chinging in a person's social status.
ReplyDeleteThere is no important rites back home as my friends said. It`s just about the dad can depend on the kid anything he ask him to do. For example to take care of the house and the family while he`s gone. On the other hand, the girl becomes an adult when she star to do the home work that her mother use to do and help her mother with it.
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