Re: Black Rites of Passage Ceremonies
 

Back to the original discussion:

I think we do, especially for the youth who aren't guided or mentored as they grow up.

Everything from business sense to emotional intelligence, culture and history and spiritual development.

Helping them move into the next phase of their life, which may not be college, but working into adulthood. Though I think adulthood comes around 22-25 nowadays.

I am soooo late
 

the Association of Black Social Workers for the University of Pennsylvania had a "rites of passage" ceremony for the recent graduates (there were about 20 of us (yeah, we're a minority)) and I wasn't planning on being in it but a friend of mine made me.

Having been through it, I realized how significant it was for me. It was themed around Harambe and included poetry, dancing and a ceremony where we knocked on the door to enter the land of graduates.....libations were had etc. It was wonderful. So yes, I'd have to agree that we need to do this for our young people and add that we also need to do this more for ourselves!

IC

Greetings everybody,

I am new to this so I hope that I am doing it right....

The conversation is quite interesting and informative. I believe that all young people need and deserve a time when everyone stops to pay special attention to them to recognize their accomplishments and to instill in them a sense of pride in themselves, a sense of responsibility and a sense destination for their futures. I am currently working on the development of a Rites of Passage Ceremony and would love to locate the book that CrucialCrimson mentioned (Orita?). Please post any information that you might have.

CrimsonD, eh? *shrug* GC is such a different place these days.

My church has a rites of passage program. I was a "student" in the very first "class" waaaay back in 1991 or 92.

I had a Nutty Professor moment. "Right to pass it? I'll give you the right to pass it!!"

Rites of passage can be wonderful or they can be muchtadoboutnuthin. It really depends on the who, what, when, where, and why of it all. The symbolism won't matter to everyone.

Jack and Jill used to do one here. However, just like the Links Deb Ball it was really nothing but a fundraiser. Unlike the Deb Ball it only lasted four years, because it never gained the "status." (Yes I am guilty, mini-me was a Deb.)

What happened to being a Debutante (or now Beau)? The Cotillion has traditonally been the coming out/presentation into society for young people.

How is that different than a ROP?

I'm sure she learned from that experience.

Some rites of passage serve to get an organization's name out there more than they serve the people being ritesed to passagededed.

My former chapter (Baltimore County Alumnae http://www.bcacdeltas.org/) includes a ROP portion of its BeauCo program. The entire program lasts about 6months of the year culminating in a coming out ball.

I was a BCAC Deb in 2005!

Same difference depending on sponsoring org.