An Essay On Rites Of Passage

Rite of Passage A Rite of Passage is something that everyone experiences in their lives at some point. Some may not recognize that they are going through it, but will affect them greatly. It could be a moment that is special or life changing. Anthropologists have found that across different cultures, rites of passage follow a three-stage process that can be said to be universally human, arising from the core of human nature to contact with Mother Nature. We call these stages severance, threshold, and incorporation. Understanding them will be helpful in preparing for an undertaking a rite of passage. Severance stage there’s a change in the individual’s social status or a detachment from their current social status. It can mean a new wardrobe, change of location, and or a ritual cleansing. “Ceremonies whose essential purpose is to enable the individual to pass from one define situation to another”. (Van Gennep, A. 1960) It …show more content…
In different societies or cultures is considered the scared one of all the stages. "Every culture has its own unique rituals and rites of passage to adulthood" (Larson & Martin, 2012:v20n4) Every culture will try to provide a positive experience when they enter the adulthood , there are some circumstance that it might not be a good experience. The individual going to the stages try to follow the example from their parents or their mentors when going thru the rite passage that has been chosen for them. In each culture the older adults are the teachers for the new generations of their culture and try to lead them in the correct rite of passage instead of choosing the wrong one , and becoming the outcast of their society or culture. The Chambri believe that their dead will travel to a place where no living has visited. They believe that the dead and the living with engage in each other affairs