Rites of passage
are defined as rituals that mark the passage of a person through their own life
cycle. First described by Arnold Van
Gennep in his 1908 work, Les rites de
passage, the term evolved from Gennep’s observation of various existent
life crises (Scheer and Blumenkrantz 2007).
Amidst major life changes, such as birth, the onset of puberty, illness,
and death, situations are often emotionally charged (O’Neil 2007). According to Van Gennep, all societies
contain outlets for coping with these sensitive moments—and these include rites
of passage, or ritual ceremonies to designate the transition of life phases.
Cultures practice a range of passage rituals
with various meanings. The ritual may have
social or psychological implications—for example, a graduation ceremony may
designate manhood or womanhood. Often,
the ritual has a religious and spiritual context. In the Catholic Church, baptism symbolizes
rebirth, confirmation denotes strength, while matrimony further approves a
man’s completion of church duties (Prevos 2001). Without the completion of these rituals, one
cannot be Catholic. It is worth noting
that some rites may be less ceremonial.
Birthdays and funerals do not signify initiation, but the psychological essence
of these rites is still apparent (Prevos 2001).
Regardless of the
particular passage ritual, Van Gennep identifies unifying characteristics among
passage ceremonies. In an initial
separation phase, the subject is distanced from their initial identity
(Tzanelli 2007). This separation may be
both symbolic and physical—and the physical component may include removing
clothing or body parts (Prevos 2001). Following
this phase, the participant undergoes what Van Gennep then describes as a
liminal (threshold) phase (Tzanelli 2007).
Here, the process of adapting one’s new identity begins. One must learn the future obligations of
their new role, and a sponsor is often given to the candidate for guidance and
protection (Prevos 2001). Ultimately, a
reaggregation, or final phase, reinstates the member in society to their new
status (Tzanelli 2007). The threshold
has been passed, and the participant may receive tangible items such as
jewelry, tattoo, or clothing for earning their new role (Prevos 2001). A public statement may also be made to
vocalize the initiation (Prevos 2001).
While most rites
involve these core ideas, every ritual has its unique components. It is these distinctive practices that define
a society’s culture—as passage rites help characterize a group’s norms, values,
and mental maps of reality. If rites of
passage are eliminated, culture is lost—and such an issue has originated amidst
an era of globalization that fosters ‘cultural imperialism’ (O’Neil 2007)). In Kenya, a Masai women’s group practices
genital cutting amidst a coming of age initiation, and recent efforts by
European and North American social groups have sought to eliminate the practice
(O’Neil 2007). While an etic perspective
views the procedure in a harsh, barbarian context, a more emic perspective
within the Masai culture sees the practice as a cultural necessity. Furthermore, it is worth noting that within
many tribal societies, initiation rituals are required. On the other hand, in more secular
proceedings, ritual participation may be voluntary—as marriage is optional in
postmodern Western society (and need not be an elaborate ceremony), and one
need not be buried formally. All in all,
cross-cultural analyses of passage rites raise ethical concerns. A specific analyzes of unique rite of passage
procedures is to be analyzed in a subsequent blog.
Bibliography
O’Neil,
Dennis. “Rites of Passage.” Last modified January 08, 2007. http://anthro.palomar.edu/social/soc_4.htm
Prevos,
Peter. “Initiation and Rites of Passage.” Last modified February 6, 2001. http://prevos.net/humanities/sociology/ritual/
Tzanelli,
Rodanthi. 2007. “Rite of Passage.” Blackwell
Encyclopedia of Sociology. http://www.sociologyencyclopedia.com/public/tocnode?id=g9781405124331_yr2011_chunk_g978140512433124_ss1-70#citation
Schleer, Scott and Blumenkrantz, David. “Rites of passage during adolescence.” The
Forum for Family and Consumer Issues.
12(2). http://ncsu.edu/ffci/publications/2007/v12-n2-2007-summer-fall/scheer.php
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