Reflection # 7

The Rites of passage was interesting to read about and in my opinion I think the rites of passage to be important. These rites describe the rituals, beliefs, and the customs of different cultures as they are passed on through each generation. Everyone has a different culture in which they follow. For instance, I have a friend who is Arabic and she follows a different religion as me in which it’s a custom to fast for an entire month. They also follow our rituals like when getting married they paint on a henna tattoo on there hand containing patterns symbolizing that they are Arabic. I actually find it fascinating how people have different customs they follow. Every culture is unique in its own way.

On the other hand, after reading Facing Mt. Kenya, The Sambia and Sitting Quietly, I have to disagree with the Rites of Passage. The idea of children getting abused is not something I agree with morally wrong for young kids to be harassed into having to perform oral sex on older male teenagers. As in the passage of The Sambia I think what the fellatio and fellated process in which take on these youngster in doing these things is appalling. How can these people do these types of things to these poor children. This kind of practice is totally wrong, harmful encourages unsafe sex leading to deadly disease that can be sexual transmitted. In the passage of Facing Mt. Kenya: Initiation of Boys and Girls, it talks about promoting circumcision, or trimming of the genital organs on both males and females. However it’s still a form of child abuse. I remember when my little brother was born and they asked my mother if she wanted to have the baby cirumcised and she said yes. I honestly don’t understand why should they have to go through that horrible pain when back in the old days that was not done. I guess it all about customs and traditions.

In conclusion, in relation to a formal education and the Rites of Passage, I believe as a college student our graduation is a representation of the Rite to Passage. It’s like a ritual we all go through to receive that diploma. Therefore it’s the change that takes place in form of us becoming college graduates. Overall, I found these rites to be very interesting and learning of them gave me an insight of how people express themselves through there rituals, belief and culture.