Rite of passage

A rite of passage is a ritual that marks a change in a person's social or sexual status. The term was popularised by the French ethnographer Arnold van Gennep (1873-1957), in the early part of the twentieth century. Further theories were developed in the 1960s by Mary Douglas and Victor Turner.

Related Topics:
Ritual - Ethnographer - Arnold van Gennep - Twentieth century - Mary Douglas - Victor Turner

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Rites of passage are often ceremonies surrounding events such as childbirth, menarche or other milestones within puberty, weddings, menopause, and death.

Related Topics:
Ceremonies - Childbirth - Menarche - Puberty - Wedding - Menopause - Death

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Such rites include:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Coming of age
• First haircut
• Circumcision
• Gembuku (元服) among the samurai
• Prom/Graduation
• Pederasty
• Russ in Norway
• Backpacking (travel)
• Religious and magical Initiation rites
• Baptism
• First Communion and First Confession (especially in Catholicism)
• Confirmation
• Bar mitzvah and Bat mitzvah
• Upanayanam amongst some Hindu castes.
• Dream quest(?) for aboriginals
• Rumspringa among the Amish
• Vision quest in some Native American cultures
• Other Initiation rites
• Walkabout
• Freemasonry rituals
• Naval (military and civilian) crossing the equator
• Armed forces rites:
• U.S. Marine Crucible
• U.S. Army Victory Forge
• In the Spanish military service, new conscripts are subjected by "veterans" to practical jokes, ranging from taking advantage of their naivety to public humiliation and physical attacks.
• Soldiers and sailors may also be hazed again (e.g. in the stocks, paddled, bloodpinning...) on obtaining a promotion, a pilot getting his wings, etcetera
• Academic circles (dorms, fraternities, teams) and other clubs practice hazing, ragging or fagging
• Entrance into Medicine and Pharmacy (University) :
• White Coat Ceremony
• In Spanish universities of the Modern Age, like Universidad Complutense in Alcalá de Henares, upon completion of his studies, the student was submitted to a public questioning by the faculty, who could ask sympathetic questions that let him excel or tricky points. If the student passed he invited professors and mates to a party. If not, he was publicly processioned with donkey ears.
 
Rite of passage: Other ►