Each culture has their own rites of passage in which a child becomes an adult. In Western society, some might consider graduation from high school as one of such passages. For others, a child becomes an adult when they are legally allowed to drink. Within the Western world, there exists cultures in which the right to call oneself an adult is a much more labour-intensive process. This is the case with the Native American Apache, who live throughout “Arizona, New Mexico, and Northern Mexico” (Eck, 2016). Every year, young adolescent girls who experience their first menstruation are subjected to a physically and spiritually intense process known as the “Sunrise Ceremony” (Apache Girls' Sunrise Ceremony, 2009). This four-day ceremony consists …show more content…
Pollen is spread across the girl’s body as a way to represent fertility, which is the mark of a woman. She is then blessed, along with other sacred items such as her ceremonial dress and musical instruments before the physical tasks begin. A sunrise dance is preformed by the girl and her sponsor, with musicians providing music and chants. The chants retell the tale of the White Painted Woman’s life. This dance and chant is meant to evoke the spirit of the White Painted Woman and by doing the dance, the girl will take on her spiritual powers. Next, it can be seen why this rite of passage is considered a community event. She is covered with a sacred mixture of cornmeal and clay to represent the White Painted Woman (Yupanqui, 1999). After the girl receives the spiritual powers of the White Painted Woman, she is believed to have special healing powers. Those who are sick within the community are then blessed by her as a way to cure their illness. While the community supports the initiate on her journey to womanhood, she in turn helps heal the community. This ceremony is mutually beneficial for all …show more content…
The girls spend hours dancing and singing, participating in running rituals, and often go with little sleep (National Geographic, 2007). Throughout the ceremony, the girls seem to be constantly moving. This is meant to test their endurance and their strength as they move into womanhood. Their emotional and mental strength is also tested as the girls are instructed to keep their face devoid of any expressions. They cannot show that they are tired or excited. The number four also seems to hold a special meaning throughout the ceremony. The ceremony itself is four days. The running ritual is done in four. The girls run towards four different directions. This might represent the four stages of Apache life: infancy, childhood, adolescence, and womanhood (National Geographic, 2007). By doing everything four times, it can be assumed that within each trial, the girl is taken on a journey that by the end, she has proven herself worthy to be called a