Reflection Paper#5: Rite of Passage

Embryo! Fetus! Infant! Toddler! Teenager! Man. These are the stages as a human male develops into an adult man. That is just the way it is, stages cannot be skipped nor can they be switched. In various societies and cultures paths or rites of passage are a way of life. If it is not done then society will shun that individual. There are things that must be accomplished or achieved by that individual for them to take their place in that society. For some the rites are a bit unorthodox to the western societies. One must remember to be open-minded as far as viewing and understanding something that is not the norm in yours.
A mother that teachers her child to cook that homemade macaroni and cheese, which is then passed down from generation to generation. When a grandmother tell her grandchildren of her history, of where they are coming from as a family. She tells them about the 200 year old home that they now live in, the Jews who circumcise their sons and the Jamaicans who must have that Christmas rum cake and sorrel for Christmas are all traditions that are followed by people of the particular culture. Likewise, are the rituals and rites of passage of some cultures being past on. Even though some these events for the rites of passage might be seem brutal or inhumane, it lies on the premise of ones perception of right and wrong.
To go through an initiation of rite of passage ceremony one will conform to that culture. That will say to the members of that culture that you are in agreement or that your family is in agreement and that these traditions will be passed on from generation to generation. Some cultural rites of passage are sexual in nature; they perform these rites as young boys in preparation for the time that they finally “graduate” to be with the ultimate, the woman. The young boys are taught by other men what to do, as they learn these rites they pass it on to the next generation and continue the tradition.