Web Sites

Explore your world…websites featuring traditional adolescent rites of passage around the world:

Americas              Africa             Asia

Farnham, D. A. (2001). Ritual. Retrieved on May 14, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://www.willinet.net/~dfarnham/religion/ritual.htm
Site developed and maintained by an anthropology professor at Drake University. Site contains links to sites on rites of passage throughout life. Several links are germane to coming of age including information on Korean ritual and on the issue of female genital mutilation as practiced in African adolescent rites of passage.

Americas

Holland, E. (2001). Quinceanera: Latino Sweet Sixteen. Balch Institute. Retrieved on May 13, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://www.balchinstitute.org/rites/latino.html
In Puerto Rico, Cuba, Mexico and other Latin American countries a girl's entrance into womanhood and her eligibility for marriage is celebrated at her Quinceanera (also known as the Quince, or Quince Anos). Traditionally celebrated on a girl's fifteenth birthday, it is often celebrated in the United States as a Sweet Sixteen.

(2001). Unity – United National Indian Tribal Youth. Retrieved on May 14, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://www.unityinc.org/index.html
A national network organization that promotes personal development, citizenship and leadership among Native American youth.

Goseyun, A. E. (2001). Sunrise Ceremonial: An Apache Girl's Coming of Age White Mountain Apache Reservation, Whiteriver, Arizona, 1990.  Balch Institute. Retrieved on May 14, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://www.balchinstitute.org/rites/apache.html
A Rite of passage for Apache girls marking their transition from girl to woman.  Has ancient roots and is still practiced today.

Yupanqui, T. (2001). Apache Puberty Ceremony:  The Sunrise Ceremony Quotes, Becoming Woman, Apache Female Puberty Quotes. Balch Institute. Retrieved on May 14, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://pages.ancientsites.com/~Tika_Yupanqui/apache/apachesunrise.htm
Site contains images from the Apache Sunrise Ceremonial celebrants as well as information on the ceremony, and responses of Apache girls on this rite of passage.  Includes information on the Navajo kinaalda and puberty rites in native tribes. Contains links to sites on Native American coming of age celebrations.

Africa

McCall, J. C. (2001). Rites of Passage in Ohafia. Ohafia, Nigeria. Retrieved on May 4, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://www.siu.edu/~anthro/mccall/children.html
Describes the various rites of passage for boys and girls of Ohafia, Nigeria, Africa.  This site is created and maintained by John C. McCall of the Department of Anthropology at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.

Rasing, T. (1995). Passing on the rites of passage: girls’ initiation rites in context of an urban Roman Catholic community on the Zambian Copperbelt. Aldershot, England: Avebury.
This research work defines information about initiation rites and initiation rites in women’s church groups on the Copperbelt.  There is also a conclusion, appendices, glossary, and bibliography.

Asia

Slyomovics, S. (2001). Mehendi Party: A Pakistani/Indian Pre-marital Tradition.  Balch Institute. Retrieved on May 14, 2001 from the World Wide Web. http://www.balchinstitute.org/rites/pakistani.html
For the modern Indian or Pakistani woman, once a wedding date has been arranged, decorating the bride is the occasion for a special celebration called the mehendi party. A fictional work in which this ceremony is described is Shabanu by Suzanne Fisher Staples.

Samsung Foundation of Culture. (1998). Coming of age rituals “Rites of Passage” Korea Insights.  http://korea.insights.co.kr/passage/psg_b1.html
Discusses both male and female coming of age rite of passage called respectively kwanyre and kyerye. The ritual involves arranging the hair in a special way from a historical and contemporary perspective. Coming of Age Day in Korea is celebrated on the third Monday of May for a person reaching the age of twenty.

 
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This page was last updated 28-May-2001
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