Rites Of Passage
When an individual experiences movement, or a change from an affixed
position in society to another position, that individual can easily describe
their change as a passage into a new realm of living. A new realm of living is
the way in which the individual and society views, acknowledges, and proceeds
with their life. Their changes are monumental not only for the individual, but
for his/her society as well. Many changes take place during the span of a
persons life. They become rites of passage and rituals of initiation-which are
more than just simple changes. A plethora of come with these rites and are found
in all corners of the globe. Going on vision quests, by the plains Indians ...
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of Australia have an initiation rite for the sons of married
men in their perspective villages. Within a section by A. W. Howitt, in Eliade's
book, From Primitives to Zen: A thematic Sourcebook of the History of Religions ,
a ceremony known as the "Showing the Grandfather" is described(Eliade, p. 288)
In this initiation the Kurnai have a formal way of bringing a man's son into the
highest, and most secret realm of their religion. By incorporating the use of
the father and son relationship, this particular ritual involves the revelation
of the central meaning, or "mystery" of their religion. The men and women are
separated. Secrecy is one the most important traditions in this initiation. The
initiation is not revealed to the women, or anyone else not of their society.
The sons, or "novices" as Howitt calls them, are taught the proper religious
traditions that they need to know for the ceremony, and for the rest of their
lives, as this initiation will conclude their step into ...
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men took spears, cocked them back over their shoulders,
and pointed them at the Novices. Such a hostile act was used to instill the
feeling they would have if they ever revealed the secrets of the initiation, not
to mention a cold rush of intense fear. From there the ritual is ended and the
novices play the Tundun.
Unlike the secret nature of the Kurnai ceremony the Shashoni's of
Central-Western Wyoming offer a more open and artistic ceremony for their
initiations. During puberty, the boys, by their own motives, participate in the
traditional "Sun Dance", as pointed out in a section by Ake Hultkrantz in Byron
Earhart's book Religious Traditions of the World, the ...
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Rites Of Passage. (2007, January 7). Retrieved April 24, 2024, from http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Rites-Of-Passage/58335
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"Rites Of Passage." Essayworld.com. January 7, 2007. Accessed April 24, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Rites-Of-Passage/58335.
"Rites Of Passage." Essayworld.com. January 7, 2007. Accessed April 24, 2024. http://www.essayworld.com/essays/Rites-Of-Passage/58335.
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