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Coming-of-Age Traditions From Different Cultures

Coming-of-Age Traditions From Different Cultures

The process of transitioning from childhood to adulthood takes place over time, but many cultures mark the change in a singular moment with a rite of passage. Throughout history and around the world, different societies have had their own ways of recognizing and celebrating children reaching adulthood. Learn about a few coming-of-age traditions from different cultures here.

1. Receiving Special Objects

During one traditional coming-of-age ceremony for the Han Chinese people, called the Guan Li (for boys) or the Ji Li (for girls), a young man receives a cap and a young woman receives a hairpin. These objects mark the young person’s ascent to adulthood, and they accompany changes in the young person’s life, such as receiving an adult name.

Some cultures use jewelry to represent a young person’s change. In historic Norse culture, arm rings made of gold or silver were significant for many reasons, marking Norse boys’ transition to manhood.

2. Going on a Journey

Some cultures require young people to go on literal journeys to represent the journey from childhood to adulthood. Perhaps the most famous of these comes from Australian Aboriginal tradition. The walkabout, also respectfully termed “temporary mobility,” is a rite of passage for males between the ages of 10 and 16. Boys on walkabout survive on their own in the challenging environment of the Australian outback. They can live in nature for up to six months, walking miles and surviving physical and spiritual challenges. When they return, they have a greater understanding of their home and of themselves.

3. Body Modification

Another example of a coming-of-age tradition from a different culture is body modification. For example, young women of the Indonesian Mentawai tribe get their teeth reshaped with a rock and chisel and then sharpen their teeth to points with a file. This beautification process acts as a rite of passage into womanhood.

In New Zealand, young Māori men and women historically received facial tattoos; this practice is seeing renewed popularity. In Māori culture, the head is the most sacred part of the body. A man can receive these sacred tattoos over his entire face, whereas a woman typically wears them only on her lips and chin. The tattoo designs represent virtues such as courage.

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