Initiation Ceremony In Australia

The Aboriginal people of Australia are one of the longest-living civilizations on earth and have a history to show for it. The aboriginal cultures have strong views on hierarchy and respect within their communities. Initiation ceremonies are part of the right of passage for indigenous cultures. This is an important stage that turns boys into men and girls into women. The ceremony can bring great happiness to families because of the growing up that takes place. Greg told us that during these ceremonies the families involved all had specific duties to perform. The women would be given the tasks to create entertainment and be in charge of the food for the duration of the ceremony. For the men’s initiation, the boys would be taken and separated from the crowd with the men to perform the circumcision. …show more content…
These test the initiate – if they cannot endure the pain, then they cannot be trusted with the secrets of the tribes” (Mbantua, 2016). It can bring embarrassment and shame to the families that have relatives who cannot endure the rules. Depending on the aboriginal group, there should be an understanding for males who wish to not get circumcised and get another sign of adulthood. In 2008 Morapoi station had a male initiation ceremony that Greg was a part of. He is struggling with the idea of having his sons go through the same initiation that he had because of mixed feelings. Greg wants his children to be part of the same community and maturity, but is uneasy about the pain and risk involving the circumcision, or what the ceremony