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Male Initiation Rituals. Collective Male Initiation Rituals of the Sambia The
transition of a boy to a man is very important to the Sambia, of New Guinea. ...
... Through the commencement of the initiation, the male youth are immediately taught
to ... From ages ten to fifteen the initiation rituals become violent and painful ...
... Stone Age emerged, it was thought that she needed a male partner. ... kinds of rituals
would be performed from hunting and fertility rituals to initiation rituals. ...
... far as to assume initiation and celebration rituals similar to those of Native American
culture. The larger group, including feminists and male liberationists ...
... Kung culture, the formalized separation during the male initiation ceremony of Choma,
demonstrates the structure found universally in most rituals of social ...
Submitted by oppapers on May 12, 2002
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Collective Male Initiation Rituals of the Sambia
The transition of a boy to a man is very important to the Sambia, of New Guinea. This transition consists of an initiation ritual, which has 6 stages and takes between 13 and 20 years to complete. The first 3 stages are collectively focused, which I will discuss, and stages 4 through 6 are individually focused. This ritual helps to introduce the boys to male society, prepare them for adult responsibilities and is used to transmit culture (Nanda 2002: 132). The beliefs of the Sambia show a "warriors conception of manhood where men should be strong, brave, and unyielding in the pursuit of all tasks" (Herdt 1981: 50).
The first stage of initiation is called Moku and occurs between the ages of 7 and 10. The second stage is called Imbutuand occurs between the ages of 10 and 13. The third stage is called Ipmangwi and occurs between the ages of 14 and 16.
In the first stage of initiation the boys are taken from their mothers homes and taken to live at the men's clubhouse. Here boys are given a ritual sponsor who is usually in the third or forth stage of initiation (Herdt 1981: 55). Early in the first stage is the stretching right. "The stretching rites are the initial stimulus to spur masculinity" (Herdt 1981: 223). In the stretching rites the boys are carried off into the woods by their ritual sponsor and sticks or switches are rubbed against the bodies of groups of boys by the elder males. The boy's skin is rubbed and perforated. This is said to remove "sweat and the fine down of the boys cheeks, arms and legs" (Herdt 1981: 222) which are contaminants caused by close contact with their mothers. After this dangerous ritual their sponsor must carry the boys back to the men's clubhouse.
One of the most important rituals in the first stage initiation is nose bleeding. This act is the most painful preformed on the initiates (Herdt 1981: 224). In this rite sharp blades of grass are...
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