Earning Your Stripes Trivia Quiz

Answer:

The term rite of passage was first used by the Dutch-German-French ethnographer Arnold van Gennep in his 1909 work 'Les rites de passage'. He stated it as a universally-observed truth that each society has internal subdivisions related to their place in the society's functionality, and went on to discuss some of the ways various groups recognise an individual's change from one status to another. This change could be one of the ones marking progress within one's own culture through life's stages (such as birth, adulthood, marriage, death) or it could involve a change in relation to another culture (such as emigration/immigration). He focussed his work on the former, identifying three common aspects of the ceremonies used to mark an individual's progress through life. These he described as separation from the earlier status, transition to the new status, and incorporation into the new status. Each stage may have ceremonies associated with it, although not all cultures celebrate the same life events. The correct answers in this collection are all ceremonies associated with reaching adulthood.

The debutante ball, or début, was a marker of an aristocratic (or later simply wealthy) female reaching adulthood (and, more importantly, marriageability) that was common practice in a number of European societies starting in the 18th century and continuing, in a modified form, into the 21st century. The French term début means introduction, and the debutante ball was a way of presenting the young lady (or ladies) in whose honour it was held to society. There they mingled with their prospective husbands, all carefully vetted to be single and looking for a wife. To be ready for the ball, women needed to polish their dancing skills, as well as being made familiar with the proper etiquette of social interaction. There was often a season (several months during the spring and summer) when all the debutantes were presented, attending each other's balls and having a chance to keep meeting their prospective husbands. Ideally, they would finish the season affianced to a suitable man; if not, they might attend the balls a year later, although they would not have a second debut of their own.

Quinceañera is the celebration of a girl's 15th birthday, common in Latin American societies, which developed in Mexico during the 19th century. The celebrations are a combination of Catholic traditions from the Spanish settlers and those of the pre-Columbian indigenous people of the region. The ceremony has evolved over time, and even more as it radiated from Mexico into other Spanish-speaking groups. In essence, the girl is presented to society as a virgin, suitable for sacrifice or marriage (I know which I'd pick). Potential suitors (originally, and sometimes still) offer suitable gifts, which will form her dowry, as signs of their interest. The elaborate ball gowns and formal dances reflect the court of the Second Mexican Empire, and European courts of the time. There is usually a Thanksgiving Mass at which the quinceañera is escorted by a selected group of young men and women who are referred to as her court. This is followed by the formal reception, which is (in theory) the first time she will appear in public wearing makeup and jewellery, as well as the first time she dances in public view. Both the mass and the reception have ritual details which vary from place to place.

The dokimasia was a process used in ancient Athens to determine whether someone was qualified to exercise the role of citizen. Primarily, it was a check that they were of proper ancestry - descended on both sides from Athenian citizens. Their physical fitness for military training was also ascertained. This examination was required as a prelude for an adolescent male joining the epheboi undertaking two years of military service in preparation for full adult citizenship.

Genpuku was a Japanese coming-of-age ceremony, which was practiced by the aristocracy from the early 8th century through the middle of the 19th century. The actual age at which it occurred, and the details of the ceremony, varied significantly across time and place, but celebrants were usually in the 10-20 age range. Since it recognised adulthood with its concomitant rights and responsibilities, the standard age was older during eras of widespread warfare (so the youngster would be strong enough to fight) and younger during peaceful times (because marriage and the production of children was only sanctioned for adults). The transition to adulthood involved significant changes to the individual's clothing and hairstyle - genpuku literally means "head wearing", as a male would be given an appropriately symbolic headwear, depending on their exact role. The ceremony also involved the designation of an adult name to replace the childhood name being left behind. In preparation, children engaged in studies of etiquette and religious doctrine from the age of three or four before moving on to learning the skills needed for success in court life.

Kinaaldá is a Navajo puberty ceremony, specifically celebrating the inset of menstruation in a girl. The four-day ceremony is celebrated either during her first menstrual period, or within a few weeks of its occurrence. The rituals are based on the Diné story of the deity Changing Woman, renamed White Shell Woman following her kinaaldá ceremony. The preparatory days involve rituals to ensure the development of an active body and strong family ties, as well as abstinence to sharpen the senses. The ceremony on the fourth night involves the singing of a number of songs (led by a medicine-man); during the evening the girl's hair is washed and dried with cornmeal before she sets off on a run accompanied by the younger children, after which she is released from her abstinence as the community eat a large corn cake that has been prepared during the leadup to the ceremony by the women of the family.

Scarification, or body modification, is widely practiced as a coming-of-age rite, both on its own and as part of larger rituals. It is most commonly practiced in African, Australian and Melanesian cultures, where the acquisition of the appropriate scars is an important indication of adult status. Sometimes the scarification is the only rite, sometimes it is part of a larger undertaking such as the Australian walkabout. Walkabout is not, as it has often been portrayed, a random wandering off. Rather, it is a process of regaining close communion with the land, and requires the development of appropriate survival skills before it can be successfully undertaken. Scarification has also sometimes included rubbing ink or ash into the open wound, producing a tattoo. Where this is practiced, an adult's tattoos become essentially their autobiography, for those who know how to read them.

Kurdiji, which means shield, is a complex set of initiation ceremonies practiced by the Walpiri people of Central Australia. The references is to the wooden shields that are decorated to represent the 'dreamings' (song and dance cycles) which are involved in the process. A number of boys, aged roughly 12-16, are initiated at once, learning their traditional songs and dances over a lengthy period of time. The first stage involves painting their bodies with red ochre and taking them on a journey to visit other communities and gather people to attend the ceremonies. Once the boys have been taken from their mothers, they remain in seclusion even when they are back in the general camp, as they learn the traditional songs and dances that tell their history, and learn the men's business ceremonies. There are a number of all-night ceremonies, in some of which the younger boys as well as the men participate along with the initiates. The final ceremony involves the initiates demonstrating to their mothers their mastery of the secret knowledge, before the women and children leave and the initiates are circumcised, producing the final mark of adulthood. Their ritual seclusion and instruction in sacred rituals may finish shortly after this, or it may extend for several months.

The Bar Mitzvah is a Jewish ceremony recognising that a male child has reached an age where they can take responsibility for their own actions, and their parents no longer bear that responsibility. They are therefore recognised as adult members of the community, with the consequent privileges and responsibilities. It happens at the age of thirteen, but (in most congregations) only after the candidate has completed the requisite preparation. This may be as simple as attending a certain number of Shabbat services, or undertaking community service; it may require the memorisation of lengthy scriptural passages of scripture and/or of Talmudic precepts. While the Bar Mitzvah ceremony is a deeply religious one, it is commonly followed by a massive party - similar to the secular 21st birthday celebration common in Western society. The intention is that this process will lead to continued active participation in the congregation's activities. The Bat Mitzvah is a similar celebration of a female reaching adulthood, although the religious activities in which they can then participate are more limited.

Rumspringa (which literally means running around) is a tradition of the Amish people in which the occasional rebellious behaviour of adolescents is acknowledged as a normal stage of growth, and not punished as severely as it is in adults. It is the time when young people are engaged in deciding whether or not they wish to commit themselves to the Amish life. It usually begins at the age of 16, and continues until the young person makes a formal decision to either be baptised or to leave the community. During this time some individuals may actually leave the seclusion of their community and gain exposure to the wider world, but most just take advantage of the relaxed rules to develop their own personal set of behavioural guidelines.

Shinbyu is a Burmese term for the ceremony in Theravada Buddhism marking the novitiation of a boy under the age of 20 (since an adult over 20 will be fully ordained) who has become a samanera, one of the main rites of passage in their religion. The ceremony marks the parents releasing their son from family responsibilities, freeing him to stay in a monastery and immerse himself in the teachings of Buddha, at least for a time. He may or may not continue the monastic life, but this is the major break from childhood into adulthood, however long it lasts. The evening preceding initiation is party time, with dancing and sweet treats. The initiation itself involves a procession to the monastery that includes the entire family, before the ritual shaving of his head, and the bestowal of a set of saffron robes and an alms bowl, along with the pronouncement of his Dharma name.

The incorrect options are also rites of passage, in that they recognise significant life events. Baptism is a rite of initiation into the Christian faith, while completion of the Hajj is expected for Muslims who are able to do so. Okuyi is a rite of passage among several Bantu groups in western Africa, performed at various ages of a child's development as well as at weddings and funerals. Many martial arts recognise the proficiency developed by practitioners by allowing them to wear belts of various colours, and black belt is commonly one of the highest levels. Graduation ceremonies mark educational milestones - their origin is in universities, but with the spread of compulsory public education in recent centuries they are more widely participated in as the end of the formal schooling - high school, or its equivalent.