According to http://artofmanliness.com/2010/02/21/male-rites-of-passage-from-around-the-world/, an article on rites of passage in different cultures, for a boy to become a man in the Satere-Mawe tribe, they must wear a glove filled with bullet ants for ten minutes without making a noise. (The bullet ants' bites are extremely painful and their venom temporarily paralyzes the boys' arms and leaves them shaking for days.) If they fail, they have to continue to do it over and over again until they succeed.
Although we don't necessarily have any set rituals like that in America, the transition from boy to man is still recognized as being very important and is often signified through informal events, such as going off to college, getting married, etc. As a boy you still grow up observing grown men and desiring to someday be mature and grow cool facial hair like them. You learn the differences between being a boy and a man and how a mature adult should act versus a child. So although there is no walking on coals moment telling me I am a man, I still realize the importance of putting off boyish imaturity and striving to be a good man so I can one day be a good father and husband.
It is pretty interesting that there is a set age for that transition in many cultures. I remember in a program we did in elementary school, writing in my journal pretending to be off on my own as a member of a Native American tribe and having to learn how to fight for myself and support myself as a now-adult. In some ways it's pretty cool, but I think about actually getting shoved out the door like that, and it doesn't sound fun, especially the ants. It does kind of give you a sense of empowerment, though, in one way. After the painful thing is over, you can know for yourself that in your community, your opinion is valid because you have had this rite of passage.
ReplyDeleteThat's actually a good point I didn't really think of at all before. It would be nice to have that validation of knowing that you were accepted as an adult in the community. However, if you don't behave like an adult people will still form their own opinions about you whether you have done whatever ritual or not.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that these coming-of-age rituals are directly linked to what that society views as manly, or masculine, traits. It's interesting how these traits have evolved over time. Being a man used to mean physical strength or prowess, as demonstrated by the ritual above, but recently this has shifted. Instead of being physically sound, men must be financially sound to be considered manly and independent.
ReplyDeleteIn today's world, I feel that it would be easier on men in a sense to know when they are an adult, as Dane said, to know that they are accepted and validated. Because our society does not have such defining rituals, many men have lost their footing, not knowing what is expected of them. I think in the church, a mission is a great way for boys to mature, both spiritually and mentally, into men, even though it is not a specific coming-of-age ritual.
"How can I make a man out of you?" (name that movie) Anyways, I find it interesting how when we talk about the coming of age it's usually the boy becoming a man. We have all these man rituals such as Eagle Projects, the ant glove, etc... but what about initiation for a girl becoming a woman?
ReplyDeleteTraditionally, I guess marriage was the only way women could gain respectable status, but today now its shifted away from that.