Initiation Rites Research Articles

Causes of changes in male circumcision rite among the Ameru of Imenti South Sub-County, Meru County, Kenya (1950 – 2016)

The purpose of this study was to establish the causes of changes from the traditional method of circumcision to the modern male initiation rite of circumcision among the Ameru of Imenti South Sub-County, Kenya. The period considered was between 1950 and 2016. The topic has been difficult to penetrate because of the secrecy of the traditional circumcision rite. The study used Modernisation Theory (MT) as a tool for analysis. Methodologically, the study used a descriptive research design. The study was carried out among the Ameru of Imenti South Sub-County, because of the modern changes in male initiation rite of circumcision. ata was collected from primary, archival and secondary sources. Interview schedules focus group discussions and observation. The target population was 61,091 adult men from Imenti South Sub-County, and the sample size comprised 50 randomly selected respondents. The main research findings were that changes in the male initiation rite of circumcision were caused by urbanisation, formal schooling, the establishment of health facilities and colonisation, all of which were intended to Christianise the operations. This research contributes to the wider comprehension of the male initiation rite of circumcision among the Ameru of Imenti South Sub-County between 1950 and 2016. The study contributes to the Ameru historiography.

A Historical investigation into the changes in male circumcision among the Ameru of Imenti South Sub-County, Kenya (1950 and 2016)

The study aimed to document the changes from traditional to modern methods in the male rite of circumcision in the said community. Male circumcision as a rite of initiation has been a subject of discussion, but the truth about the practice among the Ameru had not been adequately revealed. Researchers have often presented the topic of circumcision among the Ameru as difficult to penetrate because of the secrecy of the rite. This study investigated the changes that have taken place in the rite of circumcision among the Ameru of South Imenti Sub-County, in Meru County, Kenya. The period taken was from 1950 to 2016. The research employed the Descriptive Survey Design. The target population was 61,091 adult men from Imenti South Sub County, and the sample size comprised 50 randomly selected respondents. Research instruments used were mainly interview schedules, Focus Group Discussions and observation, and data was collected from oral, secondary and archival sources. The findings were that between 1950 and 2016, there were changes in male circumcision rite in Imenti South, Sub-County. These changes could thus be traced from the time of colonialism, which started in this community in the 1950s. The changes were meant to Christianise the operations as colonisation and evangelisation went hand in hand. The study recommends that since changes are inevitable, there is a need for the blending of traditional and modern aspects of the male rite of circumcision.

Mapping the Expertise and Understanding of Menarche, Menstrual Hygiene, and Menstrual Health among Adolescent Ladies in Low- and Center-Profit Nations

Mapping the Expertise and Understanding of Menarche, Menstrual Hygiene, and Menstrual Health among Adolescent Ladies in Low- and Center-Profit Nations

Establishing Connections with the Ancestors through <i>Umxhentso</i> Dance

Through the ages, ritual dances have been part of human culture. Although artistic, the umxhentso dance is a ritual dance performed by the Xhosa amagqirha (traditional healers) to establish connections with supernatural beings. During the dance performance, the amagqirha enter a state of trance and connect with the spiritual realm. During this state of trance, they seek guidance and vision from their ancestors. The amagqirha, in all the Xhosa communities, perform these dance rituals at initiation and healing ceremonies. The objectives of this study were to examine the religious and social purposes of umxhentso dance in amagqirha rituals and determine how it assists amagqirha in establishing connections with their ancestors during ceremonies. This study adopted the naturalistic research approach in studying the umxhentso dance during the amagqirha ceremonies. The researchers examined, evaluated and assessed the research participants’ actions and behaviours in a natural setting within a societal and cultural framework.

Kendini Açıklamak: Göbekli Tepe Kültürü’nde Bir Köken Miti Yorumu (Antropomorfik Temalara Alternatif Bir Bakış)

The humans of the Göbekli Tepe Neolithic culture of the Upper Euphrates Basin left behind long-term settlements with surprising monumental structures and a rich set of symbolism. This study puts the various symbolic themes of this culture to its center, and attempts to offer a reasonable interpretation of how the people of this culture and period constructed a “reality” about themselves. When the themes of human head and phallus are positioned at the center of the interpretations of this period’s symbolism, it is possible to claim that the Neolithic people conceptualized/explained themselves through an complex mythological narrative. This paper also hopes to contribute to the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, sociology and history of religions by asserting that the T-shaped pillars of the Göbekli Tepe Culture are the phalli of the ancestors representing these ancestors’ remaining fragment/aspect on “the world,” and thus, are the material representations of the “now” and “this world,” rather than mythological ancestors, supernatural beings or gods. In this context, it is possible to relate the T-shaped pillars with ancestor cult, and also an important part of the anthropomorphic statues and reliefs with the initiation rites in which a person gains status in society. One of the biggest goals of this study is to begin a discussion about what can be the main mythological narrative of this culture.

Social Cultural Norms Associated with Early Marriages among Adolescents: Case Study of Chadiza District, Eastern Province of Zambia

Zambia is ranked 16th among countries with the highest rate of child marriage in the world. According to some studies conducted, child marriage rates in the country stand at 42 per cent of women aged between 20 and 24 years married by the attainment of the age of 18 years old. The main objective of this study was to investigate social cultural norms associated with sexuality and child marriages among adolescents in Chadiza district, Eastern province of Zambia. The mixed method design both quantitative and qualitative was used because it provides the researcher with a more comprehensive view of the phenomena being studied in this case, social cultural norms associated with sexuality and child marriages. A Systematic sampling technique was used where every third household was selected for inclusion in the study sample and 150 respondents from which 100 girls and 50 boys were selected by applying a fixed interval. The study findings indicated that most cultural practices in the study area especially initiation ceremonies provoked a girl child to opt for an early sexual debut and early marriage. On the age at first sexual debut, results showed that the minimum age to engage in sexual intercourse by the respondents was 12 years while the maximum age was 22 years for both genders. The study further unearthed the reality that girls’ initiation ceremonies exposed most girls to risk behaviours. After graduating from initiation ceremonies girls wanted to experiment whether they were really sexually able to handle any man since that is what they were taught in their initiation ceremonies a situation which led to early sexual debut among young girls and subsequently to early or teenage pregnancies and early marriages. The study recommends that the Zambian government through the responsible Ministry should regulate initiation ceremonies that pass on bad cultural practices to the adolescents and girls in particular. While appreciating the role initiation ceremonies play in preparing the adolescents for adult responsibilities, there is need to restructure the curriculum for initiation ceremonies to include sexual reproductive health rights and responsibilities.

‘I don’t know how we can stop ragging’: a qualitative study on the perceptions of staff and work-affiliated individuals at a Sri Lankan University, on the phenomena of ragging

ABSTRACT Ragging in Sri Lanka is a longstanding initiation ritual, similar to hazing and bullying. The severe harassment of new students by seniors has led to adverse consequences including depression, university dropouts and suicide. Although, a significant problem, research on ragging is scarce. This research aimed to explore how staff and work-affiliated individuals at Jaffna University resonate around the phenomenon of ragging. Seven focus group discussions and eleven semi-structured interviews were conducted. Foucauldian Discourse Analysis and Bandura’s Moral Disengagement theory were used to interpret the data. Three main discourses reflected the context: ragging as normal and necessary, insecurity and fear of reprisal, and voices of resistance. Participants often felt unsupported and therefore adapted their moral compasses to survive in this insecure environment. These findings demonstrate a fragmented approach to ragging that not only diminished any efforts towards elimination but affected how staff were forced to adjust their behavior to work in this environment. To address ragging, there is a need to adhere to a consistent strategy focusing on increasing awareness and supporting staff by holding accountable those at all levels of the administrative hierarchy in promoting a safe working environment for all.

“Screen on the Chum”: Social Reconstruction and Mobile Film Propaganda in the North of the Ob region in the 1930s

Drawing on the example of agitation and propaganda campaigns carried out in the north of the Ob region in the 1930s among the indigenous population, a specific tool of the Soviet ideological indoctrination of the Great Break period — a mobile cinema (installations designed to screen silent and sound films to a small audience in open areas and in premises not equipped with stationary film projectors) — has been comprehensively studied. The mobile cinema is considered as one of the varieties of cultural management technologies that are equally characteristic of all states and empires of the modern era, including the USSR, where, due to the existence of state ideology and low literacy of the population, it was even more important than other cultural technologies. The management supported and strengthened the centralized power, serving as a complement to force and coercion. Based on the materials of the State Archive of the Socio-Political History of the Tyumen Region, it has been es-tablished that the first mobile cinema in the north of the Ob region was created under the auspices of the Commit-tee of the North under the All-Russian Central Executive Committee of the USSR, but it reached its fullest flou-rishing in the area during the period when the region came under the jurisdiction of the Chief Directorate of the Northern Sea Route (1935–1938). The repertoire of a mobile cinema was compiled centrally, and it included popular science and feature films, united by a common goal, which was the ideological indoctrination of the audi-ence. For representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North, movie screening itself was the most important experience of joining a new life, akin to the rite of initiation. Indigenous peoples were most interested in movies that narrated about their own daily life: hunting, fishing, travelling. Mobile cinemas were moved around the north by sled and specially equipped boats. The work of a mobile cinema in the north of the Ob region was associated with constant overcoming of a number of problems: the shortage of films, frequent breakdowns of movie cameras, and the lack of qualified projectionists. Nevertheless, mobile cinemas made significant contribution to the mo-dernization of everyday life and worldview of the indigenous peoples of the Ob North.

Frying Pans, Limpets, Donkeys and Becs-jaunes: Thinking about Violence in Late Medieval Universities

ABSTRACT This essay examines the initiation ceremonies to which new recruits were often subjected in late medieval universities. These ceremonies theatricalised and ritualised violence, playing with metaphors and symbols and toying with the fine line between representation and reality. Why draw quite such attention to the notion that one was de-bestialising a new student (in the case of Heidelberg, Avignon, and others), re-clothing a country bumpkin (in the case of Siena, for example), or policing imagined violence by a hapless freshman (Pavia)? It was, I argue, because these ceremonies were engaging with the ways in which universities provided spaces to think about violence. The student perpetrators (both consciously and unconsciously) took aim at the hypocrisy of academic claims to represent a civilising space; they challenged the boundaries between physical violence and cruel words; and they parodied and drew attention to the hypocrisy of university regulations in institutions which in many ways continued to glorify violence. The parodic, subversive ruliness of the initiation ceremonies was a way to engage with ideas about violence.

An Aristotelian Account of Religious Music in Strabo, 10.3

Abstract Strabo, in 10.3.7-23, presents an account of the music performed in initiation rites, according to which such music is used, naturally, to facilitate knowledge of divinity. I argue that, despite appearances, religious music, for Strabo, does not fulfill that function by reflecting the harmonious constitution of the cosmos—a Pythagorean-Platonic (and later, Stoic) idea that Strabo mentions but ultimately rejects. Instead, Strabo’s account is clearly influenced by Aristotelian theory, and it stresses the significance of the emotional effect (i.e., awe or astonishment) generated by religious music, which in turn is useful toward gaining knowledge of the gods, most probably because it motivates audiences to learn about them. Indeed, the affinity between Strabo’s text and Aristotle seems sufficient for Strabo’s 10.3.23, perhaps in addition to parts of 10.3.7 and 10.3.9, to count as Aristotelian ‘fragments.’

Re-imagining Moralities and Masculinities in the Context of Male Circumcision and Marriage in South-Western Kenya Communities

Male circumcision and marriage are significant cultural practices that mark a critical stage in a person’s life in many African societies. Many rites of passage that exist, circumcision and marriage are intertwined. Marriage and circumcision like other cultural themes have attracted wide scholarship of diverse depths. Such studies have underlined, among others, the nature, forms, types and even the place of the two initiation rites in society. What, however, has not received adequate attention are the (re)negotiations and contestations between morality and masculinities in the context of male circumcision and marriage. Based on this understanding, and drawing on the findings of a qualitative study conducted in Kisii, and Homa Bay counties in South-Western Kenya, the researchers in this paper argue that circumcision and initiation determine ones’s masculinity, which as well acts as a gateway to marriage and social wellbeing. Combined, the two cultural practices can be presented as central morality and cultural notions that inform, underpin, and serve as the dominant paradigms that direct the lives and activities of African people from birth to death. The study suggests that despite its significance over decades, the practice of circumcision has changed over time in relation to the importance people attach to it, how it is practiced, and the attention it attracts from the society. The study recommends the need for a critical interrogation of morality in relation to what fits individuals and the contemporary world as they practice the rites of passage, while at the same time maintaining what is morally acceptable in the society.

Old Hispanic pre-baptism initiation rites, chants and processions

ABSTRACT Themes of Christian initiation permeate the Old Hispanic liturgy for the three weeks before Easter, culminating in the Easter Vigil baptisms. Previous scholars have examined the initiation prayers, readings, and sermons in detail, exploring their connections with the writings of Ildephonsus of Toledo (d. 667). In this article, we consider the initiation rituals from the perspectives of liturgical movement and chant. On Mid-Lent Sunday (three weeks before Easter) and Palm Sunday, the themes of these rituals were developed both in the processional chants and the initiation-themed chants that surrounded them. These materials provide a rich source of information about how initiation theology was enacted through ritual movement and sound.

Репрезентация «непройденной инициации» в постмодернистской литературе в романе Дж. Апдайка «Бразилия»

The aim of the study is to determine the peculiarity of the postmodern initiation novel in the national literary tradition of the US. The paper examines the representation of initiation rites in a literary text with an accent on the transformations that can be seen in the novel “Brazil” by J. Updike referring to the myth of Tristan and Isolde and its realisation in the modern worldview. The authors highlight the world outlook strategies, architectonics, mythopoetic reconstruction of the initiation rite in modern US literature. The paper makes a theoretical contribution to the genre investigation: the analysis of the technique of “negative reception” of initiation, presented for the first time, makes it possible to see the specifics of initiation plot representation in postmodern discourse, which determines the scientific novelty of the study. A transformation of the legend of Tristan and Isolde is represented in J. Updike’s work. The novel takes place in the XX-century Brazil, the initiation of the characters involves going from one place to another, discovering the mysteries of the sacred and death, fantastic elements are included in the narrative. The authors conclude that a variant of the “failed initiation” is presented in the novel “Brazil”, since the main male character is unable to cope with the challenges that he faces on his journey. As a result, it has been proved that the theme of initiation, the outcome of which may be negative, is of crucial importance in J. Updike’s novel.

«Женская инициация» в романе Дж. Мартина «Игра престолов»

The research aims to identify the originality of the initiation plot in the fantasy genre. The representation of the initiation rite is analysed in the context of the “genre core”: the female type of initiation, the protagonist’s formation in terms of social predetermination and personal choice are studied. The research focuses on a heroine who embodies an individual-personal principle, but at the same time she is a representative of a family clan, a bearer of traditions. The process of initiation can be seen in a modern American novel created in the fantasy genre. This paper makes a theoretical contribution to genre studies: it is the first time that a female character whose initiation has its own specifics becomes the object of analysis, which accounts for the scientific novelty of the research. G. Martin’s novel “A Game of Thrones” presents a special type of the initiation plot, but this plot type correlates with the traditional genre form at the level of the character system (type of hero), plot construction (“stages” of plot development), poetics of motifs. As a result, it has been proved that the theme of the hero’s formation, his awareness of his identity plays the plot-forming role in the series “A Song of Ice and Fire”, which is associated with the study of sociocultural and family contexts.

The Roots and Routes of African Religious Beliefs in the Atlantic World

This article analyzes how historians have framed and studied the relationship between slavery and religion in the Atlantic world from the fifteenth to the nineteenth century. In surveying the historiography, it becomes readily apparent that historians are far more interested in writing about Christianity among the enslaved than the religious histories of African-descended peoples' diverse belief systems. It has been more common for historians to study how cosmologies in Africa became religions in the Americas because of the basic ideas that structure history as a discipline. Historical scholarship with a thematic focus on religion has a long tradition of examining how various heterogenous religious systems became incorporated into Catholic and Protestant orthodoxy. By contrast, African religions that display parallel belief systems, eclectic incorporation of multiple cosmologies, religious authority not tied to a text, secret and undocumented initiation ceremonies, and a stubborn disregard for time as a linear process have made it difficult to analyze their customs, traditions, and belief systems through a historical framework. Consequently, African and neo-African religions in the Americas such as Santeria, Candomblé, and Vodun continue to draw the attention largely of anthropologists, whereas historians are more comfortable working within the change-over-time model and a narrative structure of Christian creolization.

GORONTALO WOMEN’S BE’ATI (BAI’AT): The Perspective of History, Culture and Islamic Law

This paper discusses the tradition of Bai’at (be'ati) or initiation for a teenage girl after the arrival of the first menstruation in the traditional culture of Gorontalo. Through field studies by interviews, observation and study of documents, this research shows that the procession of the initiation ritual ceremony (mome'ati) is conducted in six stages, including: molungudu (sauna bath with traditional herbs), momonto (putting a red mark on the forehead), momuhuto (bathing with traditional herbs), mopohuta'a to pingge (stepping on a plate), mome'ati (initiation ritual) and mohatamu (completing the recitation of the Qur’an). The six be'ati rituals are loaded with moral values as a living guidance for the teenage girl. In the perspective of Islamic law philosophy, molungudu and momuhuto are aligned with the principle of benefit as they emphasize physical health and personal hygiene. In the fiqh category, both are included in the discourse of thahârah (cleanliness). Meanwhile, momonto and mopohuta'a to pingge emphasize the identity of the Muslim personality and the attitude of being careful in treading the teenage life. Both are included in the category of Islamic morality, since they are loaded with moral messages. Whereas, mome'ati emphasizes the practice of the pillars of Faith, the pillars of Islam, and obedience to both parents. As for mohatamu, it emphasizes the love for the Holy Qur'an. All stages in the be'ati ritual show the acculturation of Islam with the local culture of Gorontalo. Even, the be'ati tradition is the implementation of Islamic teachings through culture and customs ('urf).

Мультикультурность романа инициации в современной литературе США: путь героя

The aim of the study is to determine the specifics of the multicultural novel of initiation in the national literary tradition of the United States. The representation of the initiation rite in a literary text, the correlation of individual and social discourse in the formation of the protagonist’s character and the influence on his fate, the type of a hero who is both a bearer of a deeply individual principle and a representative of an ethnic group and clan are studied. World outlook strategies, architectonics, and mythopoetic reconstruction of the initiation rite in the American novel of initiation at the beginning of the XXI century are highlighted. The research makes a theoretical contribution to the study of the genre: a comparative analysis of selected novels, presented for the first time, allows us to draw a conclusion about the specifics of the multicultural issues representation in the novel of initiation, this determines the scientific novelty of the study. Different types of protagonist initiation are presented in the novels “Middlesex” by J. Eugenides and “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” by J. Díaz, but they are connected by multicultural issues, the type of a hero, and the “steps” of plot development. As a result, it is proved that in the modern literature of the United States, the theme of the formation of the hero, his awareness of his identity, associated with the study of socio-cultural and family contexts, plays a plot-forming role.

Suggestive techniques in modern social advertising about road safety: socio-cultural aspect

The authors discusses the suggestive possibilities of new digital technologies in the dissemination and popularization of socially significant knowledge about traffic rules and safety. The modern Russian and foreign experience of social advertising about road safety is analyzed. It is shown that with the use of new technologies in social advertising on the topic of road safety, the role of suggestive influence based on the use of artistic metaphor and documentary naturalism increases. The author's typology of suggestive techniques used in modern social advertising to increase the persuasiveness of content and to enhance the socio-psychological effects of social advertising is proposed. There are such visual suggestive techniques carried out with the help of new technologies as special effects of transformation (including animation, changing the environment, changing the body) and the effect of presence (carried out through transmedia and interactivity). These techniques are complemented by a concise verbal presentation of the rules of the road in the imperative mood. The socio-psychological mechanisms of the impact of these techniques based on their special combination are analyzed. It is shown that the selected visual suggestive techniques are based on causing varying degrees of discomfort to the audience: from mild to completely unconscious – to shock, which becomes a favorable ground for the suggestion of a verbalized idea in the audio track and the credits of the video. It is shown that suggestive techniques in modern social advertising about road safety, carried out on the basis of new technologies, lead to the mental construction of the image of the city in the spirit of archaic fairy-tale models and initiation rites, and thereby largely ensure the effectiveness of such advertising. The results of the study can be used in socio-cultural practice related to road safety in a modern city.

Исторические корни традиций инициации в пожилом возрасте

Introduction. The article examines the issues of historical and modern significance of initiation rites. It is noted that initiation rites should be considered as a tool for overcoming psychological barriers before entering old age. At the same time, there are no traditions of age-related initiation aimed at removing barriers of fear of transition to old age. Materials and methods. The research methods were historical and psychological analyzes of the theory and practice of using initiation rites in the history of mankind. The study was carried out based on the study of normative materials and materials describing initiation traditions in different cultures. Results. It is shown that in the history of mankind, the traditions of age-related initiation were developed mainly in childhood, adolescence and youth. Attention is focused on the fact that in Russian culture rituals of initiation into old age have not yet been formed, although there are traditions of honoring elders, although they are not always implemented. Particular attention is paid to the issue of initiation technologies in old age. The practice of initiation in old age, tested in some countries, is considered. It is noted that age-related initiation makes it possible to solve such socio-psychological problems as testing one’s readiness to endure the difficulties of a new age stage; removing barriers of fear before a new age period; introduction to spiritual values; continuity of human existence, etc. Conclusion. Specific proposals have been made for the implementation of rules and approaches to initiation in old age. In particular, it is proposed to coincide the initiation ceremony with the Day of the Elderly. In addition, it is proposed to rename the day of the elderly to the day of honoring the elderly, as was done at one time in Japan.

Rituals of Initiation and Consecration in Premodern Japan: Power and Legitimacy in Kingship, Religion, and the Arts. Fabio Rambelli and Or Porath, eds. Religion and Society 87. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2022. xxiv + 506 pp. $103.99.

Rituals of Initiation and Consecration in Premodern Japan: Power and Legitimacy in Kingship, Religion, and the Arts. Fabio Rambelli and Or Porath, eds. Religion and Society 87. Berlin: De Gruyter, 2022. xxiv + 506 pp. $103.99.