Reflection # 5

As humans we create our own path by choosing our own culture, beliefs, and theory's. Rite of passage allows us to learn threw a learning cycle. Back in the day's people us to go through rituals in order to become from nothing to something, from one role to another higher position, even to become from a little boy to a man. Some of the things they had to do in order to reach their goal were just too crucial for my taste. Like the reading "The Sambia" said, little boys went through a stage of initiation having to be homosexual with other older males. This ritual was set so that they can prove and learn to become strong males and produce lots of semen, for the purpose to create his own family and have his own wife in the inner future.

On the other hand, for girls ripping off their clitoris was a sign of childhood to adulthood. The young girl must not show any signs of fear while preparing her for this special ceremony. That's just insane to me; I think I would be crying my eyes out from beginning to end. They even had a special dance and song called, Mambura.

Therefore, men and woman from birth were born with a purpose, which was developed through these kinds of ceremonies. Ceremonies to them were the high light in their life where they are placed in a stage of higher learning and understanding.

For us now in days, our high school graduation was the high peek we tried reaching all of our lives; what led us to the real world and prepared us for what is to come. Also, it could even be the celebration of a Bar Mizpha, what makes a boy transform into a young man. Even the celebration of Quincianera, which in Spanish means 15's. In my culture it's the celebration of a little girl transforming into a young lady. These rituals are what prepare us mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Cultural is the center piece of all rite passage, like I said in the beginning, it's what we believe in and follow.