Coming of Age is a very important ritual in some cultures. Many cultures believe that you need a coming of age ritual to do exactly what it says; come of age, which if u analyze, may mean be of age to produce children. Most coming of age rituals take place around puberty, between the ages of ten and thirteen. Of the ones I have found, they all involve a big celebration of some kind including the whole family. Coming of age rituals may involve boys becoming men, girls becoming women, or both. Of the ones that celebrate both, they may stress more on one sex then the other. The Navahos, the Aruntas, people who study the religion of Judaism, and the Yanomamis are all cultures that have rituals for coming of age.
             The Navahos of the mid-west united states celebrate both the boys and the girls coming of age, yet they stress the girls a lot more then the men. The men go simply on a vision quest by themselves to find a lifelong helper and guide. The women's rituals are more complex. They celebrate the Kinaalda, which translates to "Changing Woman", which is a 4 day ritual for them. The "Changing Woman" is said to bring fertility and long life to other women of the tribe. A major part of the kinaalda is the traditional run towards the sun's rays, which symbolize life, truth, beauty, and goodness. After the run is completed she will grind corn; which symbolizes the sun to the Navahos, for a cake. At the end of the fourth day they place the cake over a fire for the night. While the cake is baking everyone of the family stays up all night singing and praising, until the break of dawn when the sunlight's rays touch the girl. They sing one final song and then the ceremony is over.
             The Aruntas, and aboriginal tribe of Australia, celebrates the boys coming of age around the age of ten or twelve. This celebration gives the boy power and approval by the ancestors. First he is taken away from girls and made to marc...