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Rites of Passages

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Negative Rite of Passage:
Infibulation
1. Who? Some 5 million isolated inhabitants of Somalia. Children from four to eight years old.
2. What? a mulative procedure in which the vagina is partially closed by approximating the labia majora in the midline.
3. Where? In the arid, poverty-stricken "Horn of Africa".
4. When? The operations are often done on Sunday, a working day for Moslems.
5. Why? The custom is deeply rooted in the country and has been performed since remotest time on all social classes in both the interior regions and in the few coastal towns. The operation would certainly make the woman less sexually active, since satisfactory coitus is almost impossible after infibulation.
6. How? Since the population is largely nomadic, most operations are carried out in local villages. Infibulation as practiced in the bush is carried out on one child at a time by a "gedda" or matron of the village. Only women are allowed to be present at the ceremony which is carried out in secrecy. The matron squats on the floor of the family hut while the child is held in a lithotomy position by female relatives and friends. Again, the clitoris and labia are excised, but no anesthesia is used. Before the wound is closed, the mother and all the other women are allowed to inspect and palpate the wound to be sure the procedure has been properly performed. Then the wound is generously sprinkled with myrrh, a resinous material extracted from a native tree. Instead of sutures, thorns from an acacia bush are often used to close the wounds, and in addition, the girl's legs are tied together with rope for about two weeks. After that, the restraints are removed and the child is free to run about again.

Positive Rite of Passage:

Baptism

1. Who? Most Christians, such as Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Lutherans. They are often done to babies and young children whose parents make the decision of baptizing them. Adults and Adolescents who wish to become part of the Catholic, Eastern Orthodox or Lutheran church are also baptized as part of their initiation ceremony.
2. What? The Sacramental act of cleansing in water that admits one as a full member of the Church.
3. When? Baptisms are often celebrated on Sundays (the holy day of Christians), even though there is no rule against them being practiced any other day. They are done during an specific baptismal mass.
4. Why? Some Christian groups assert baptism is a requirement for salvation and a sacrament. Christian baptism is about forgiveness, identification and declaration.
5. Where? The baptismal service can be held in a river, a dam, at the beach, in a swimming pool or in a church baptistery. If the person being baptized cannot get into any of these places, or wants a different form, sprinkling or pouring is acceptable.

6. How? The baptism usually is part of the normal church service, or it may be a specially organized service. It is normal for the person being baptized (if it is an adult) to tell the story of their journey to baptism as part of the baptism, usually before they are baptized. The baptismal service can also have a key mentor in the person’s life pray for them as they come up out of the water and/or receive them with a towel as they come out of the baptistery. Once the minister and candidate are in the water, the minister stands next to the candidate and asks her/him questions relating to their belief. Once the confession is made the minister puts one hand behind the neck and one hand on the folded hands of the candidate and lowers her/him full length into the water immersing everything. The candidate then bends her/his knees and stands up. However, if this is done to a baby only the baby’s head is inserted in a bowl of holy water. Then, the minister does the sign of the cross in the baby’s forehead and dries his/her head with a towel.

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