Before You Call Him a Man Trivia Quiz

Answer:

A Jewish boy celebrates his Bar Mitzvah when he is twelve or thirteen years old, depending on the sect of Judaism that he follows. During the ceremony, which is led by a rabbi, the boy may read passages from the Torah and then chant the Haftarah, a reading from the Old Testament prophets that relates to what has just been read. He typically also leads prayers during which he is now allowed to wear the tefillin, a small leather box that contains scriptures from the Torah; Jewish men may wear it on their heads and arms during some prayer times as a reminder of their commitment to God. In addition, parents may speak, and blessings are recited. The significance of the ceremony is that it symbolizes that, as an adult, the boy is ready to take on the responsibilities of adulthood and plans to live according to Jewish laws and traditions. Above all, he is now responsible for his own transgressions. The rite of passage is celebrated in different ways, but even if there is not a big event planned, a boy still becomes an adult after the milestone birthday.

Aboriginal males in Australia traditionally participate in a Walkabout, which symbolizes their transition from childhood to adulthood. Many consider it to be a survival test, as it is completed alone. The young man must prove that he is able to live off the land in much the same way that his ancestors did. This involves finding food, as well as shelter. Men do not typically stay within a certain radius of their homes. The journey can take place over hundreds of miles, and is very dangerous considering the hot weather and snakes found in Australia. During this time the boy must tend to his own injuries- if there are any - with natural methods that are available. The Walkabout, which can last as long as six months, is also a time to connect with the group's spiritual beliefs.

Genpuku was a rite of passage for young men when they were sixteen or seventeen years old in the Samurai warrior class in Japan during the Nara Period (710-794 AD) and the Tokugawa Period (1603-1868). During the ceremony, the child was given both an adult name and an adult hairstyle, like a topknot, and was dressed in adult robes. Participation in the ceremony meant that the boy was ready to take on adult responsibilities, especially the duties of a Samurai.

The Hamor Tribe of Ethiopia requires that young men - when their fathers feel they are ready - must run accross the backs of seven to ten castrated bulls as part of their rite of passage to adulthood. And they must do this four or five times until they have displayed their bravery and agility. If one falls too often, he has to wait until the next year to try again. Once he is successful, a young man has earned the right to marry, have children, and own his own cattle.

Land diving, an event that dates back an estimated fifteen centuries, takes place in Vanuatu as a rite of passage to initiate boys into manhood, and as a harvest ritual to ensure a plentiful crop of yams. In April or May, villagers begin building different wooden towers, with the tallest reaching at least 100 feet. A vine that is a specified length is tied to the platform, and, after attaching it to their ankle, the boys take turns diving headfirst off the platform. The goal is that the boy's shoulders touch the ground, while he is left unharmed during the fall. Younger boys may also participate in land diving, jumping off lower platforms and working their way to the highest over the years. The higher the leap - the manlier the man!

The use of the Crypteia in ancient Sparta continues to spark conversation among historians today. It's not that ancient historians did not write about it - because they did. According to their accounts, however, it appears that the Crypteia served a number of purposes, including an important rite of passage for young Spartan men. It is well known that the Constitution of Lycurgus outlined the methods of military training; boys were taken from their families at age 7, and after that they were taught the skills necessary to become a Spartan soldier. When they were eighteen, in order to graduate from training and to be recognized as a man in the Spartan community, it appears that the Crypteia rite of passage had to be completed. Young men were given a knife, told to kill as many helots as possible, and were expected to return to the school unharmed. It was a way of terrorizing the helots, the enslaved people, in order to keep them in line.

Many Native American groups historically used a form of the Vision Quest as a traditional rite of passage for young people, however, the Kiowa's rite of passage was traditionally for males only. After being taken to a place that was sacred to the group, the individual fasted for four days and nights and prayed, hoping to find 'dwdw', his sacred power, which could be personified by animals, the sun, moon, or wind. If the male successfully completed his Vision Quest, he obtained a guardian spirit; this was important as it was believed that a man could not be successful in life without one. The guardian spirit would then give instructions on how to paint the face and make special amulets; it would also indicate whether the man would have powers related to his future role in the community - either through war or curing. The power gained during such a quest was not announced, but rather demonstrated.

The Satere-Maue Tribe in Brazil uses a ritual called the Waumat which involves bullet ants - like the one seen in the picture - as a rite of passage that takes one to manhood. Bullet ants, said to have the most painful sting in the insect world, are taken by the Elders and put in a herbal solution that renders them comatose for a time. The ants are then woven into a glove that is made of palm fronds, with their stingers carefully positioned to the inside of the glove. When the bullet ants wake up, they are mad! The young man must wear a glove on each hand for a least ten minutes - some sources vary as to the time and number of sessions required - and endure the subsequent stinging without any show of pain. If the Elders are unhappy with a person's performance, he may have to try again, but it is really best to find a way to bear the pain. Scientists say that it can take two weeks for a person to recover from just one sting. The effect of wearing a glove of the stinging ants for a longer period of time is said to render a person's arm paralyzed and leaves the body convulsing for days.

The Upanayana is a spiritual rite of passage for boys in the Hindu religion, and can take place between the ages of five and twenty-four. Also called the Sacred Thread Ceremony, the boy's head is shaved to symbolize cleansing, and he is given a new set of clothing. He will wear the sacred thread on his left shoulder and under his right arm throughout the rest of his life, and change it when necessary. This ceremony is important because it means that the boy has been accepted by a guru, and will now become a student in a school of Hinduism. It is the first of sixteen purification rites, but is considered to be the most important for males who belong to the upper varnas in Hindu society. In modern times girls have also been allowed to participate in this rite of passage.

Massai warriors have several rites of passage to experience while growing up, however, the ceremony that takes them into manhood is called the Emuratare. The ritual, which only takes place every ten or fifteen years, initiates a new warrior class into the tribe. All Massai people gather at the ceremony, where boys between the ages of 10-20 are initiated. It is a time of festivity, however, the rite of passage concludes with boys typically around the ages of 12-16 participating in the Emuratare, a ceremony of circumcision. When they are circumcised by the elders, boys are not to show any sign of fear or pain. After the circumcision heals, the boys are considered to be men, warriors, and protectors of the village. They spend the next ten years in a warrior camp learning how to take care of animals and how to fight. They have one more step to complete before they are considered to be senior warriors and have the right to marry.

The Bat Mitzvah is for Jewish girls at age 13, while the Quinceancra is held for Hispanic girls when they are 15. Apace girls celebrated their coming of age with the Sunrise Dance. The Dipo is a ceremony for girls in the Krobo group in Ghana. A girl's passage to womanhood is marked by the Rumsasara ritual in Sri Lanka.