The classis work on rites of passage is by Arnold
Van Gennep, Rites of Passage, 1909
- rites which reaffirm a status in society
- e.g., confirmation in the Christian church
- e.g., renewal of marriage vows
- e.g., Hajj -- pilgramage to Mecca, one of the five "Pillars of Islam"
- a ritual performed to mark a change in status from one life
stage to another of an individual or group
- e.g., Quinceañera, celebration of a girl's 15th birthday
- e.g., Bar and Bat Mitzvah -- Jewish rituals
- e.g., graduation ceremonies
- e.g., scarification
- e.g., wedding
- e.g., white coat ceremony in medicine and pharmacy
- e.g., funeral
- phases often include:
- separation
- initiate is separated physically, socially, or symbolically
from normal life
- transition ("liminal
phase")
- person is no longer in the previous status, but is not
yet a member of the next stage
- often involves the learning of specialized skills that
will equip the person for the new status
- reintegration
- initiate emerges and is welcomed by the community in
the new status
- differences in the distribution of puberty rituals for boys
and girls are thought to reflect the economic value and status
of males and females within the society
- most societies have some form of puberty ceremony for
boys, but puberty ceremonies for girls are less common
- this is related to the mode of production and gender
division of labor
- in societies where female labor is important and
valued, girls have elaborate (and sometimes painful) puberty
rites
- female puberty rites often function to socialize
the female labor force
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