Rites of passage are the ritual landmarks that show the proper
way of observing important events of life. They mark both the
transitional period and initiation into a different religious
and/or social standings. The purpose of these rites is to
promote social harmony by integrating the values and traditions
of a society or religion into someone who is or will be a full-
fledged member. Rites of passage occur primarily at the major
points in life: birth, puberty, marriage, and death.
There are inumerrable expressions, variations, and
manifestations of these rites in cultures and faiths all around
the world. Here are few examples: baptism, circumcision (male and female),
Edin Toa (Akan baby naming ceremony, from Ghana), body-piercing,
First Communion, Confirmation, Bar-Mitvah/Bat-Mitvah, Sweet
Sixteen, graduation from studies, vision quests, Sunrise
Ceremonial (Apache), Seijin-no-hi (a girl's coming of age in
Japan), Quinceañera (Latin American equiv. of Sweet Sixteen, at age 15), Mehendi party (Pakistani pre-marital
tradition), betrothal, hand-fasting, weddings, baby showers,
wedding anniversaries, birthday celebrations, divorce, Last Rites, and
funerals.
Many modern cultures are putting progressively less emphasis on
religious rites of passage, but echoes of religious tradition
are still found in the more secular traditions of today (
especially weddings and funerals).
Other rites are purely societal, such as graduation, turning 21
(legal drinking age in America), getting a driving license,
joining a university fraternity/sorority, baby showers, losing
one's virginity, wedding anniversaries, retirement parties, and
birthday parties.
In contemporary life, many of the old traditions have lost their
power, but we still feel the need to celebrate a growing number
of transitions in an increasingly complex society. Ways of
honouring these moments might be as simple as the custom of
opening a bottle of champagne, blowing out candles on a cake,
going out to eat at a favourite restaurant, or dancing with joy
upon receiving good news.
These rites of passage collectively are a reflection of the
cycle of life, those events which are common to us all, while at
the same time encouraging us to rejoice in the breadth of individual experience.