From child to adult in just one party From child to adult in just one party (March 04, 2005)

Coming of age in three different ways

By Nikki Pritchard

Have your friends ever blown you off because they were rehearsing for a coming-of-age party like a debutante ball, bar or bat mitzvah or Sweet Sixteen celebration? All of these traditions require lots of planning and a big time commitment. But there are reasons why those days are so important and time-consuming.

A couple traditions, such as debutante balls and Sweet Sixteen parties, are just for girls.

The debutante tradition, as we know it in the United States, has its roots in England. (However, the word "debutante" derives from the French word "debut," which means to lead off, to appear for the first time in public or to begin something new.) The belief that a girl should be formally presented to society when she becomes a woman stems from an era when women were treated like auction items to be married off to the highest bidder.

Nowadays, debutante balls are drastically different. These parties are meant to celebrate an 18-year-old girl becoming a woman and taking on a woman's responsibilities and freedoms.

There are many formal traditions connected to the debutante ceremony. From the grand entrance to the waltzing and the unique bows, this ceremony is planned and choreographed to perfection, as are many coming-of-age parties.
Sweet Sixteens

Sweet Sixteens have been celebrated in the United States for a very long time to acknowledge the transition from child to adult. And now there's a reality show on MTV all about these galas.

But it's not clear where the tradition comes from -- the Mountain View Public Library doesn't provide much history.

What I really want to know is why the age of sixteen? Because sixteen is considered the age of maturity in some European countries? Because sixteen is the driving age here? Because "Sweet Sixteen" is a term used in the NCAA College Basketball Tournament?
Bar and Bat Mitzvah

A coming-of-age event for both girls and boys is the bar or bat mitzvah.

The words "bar mitzvah" mean "son of the commandment." When a boy becomes a bar mitzvah, he is seen as a man in the Jewish community and is responsible for his actions. But before he goes through the ceremony, he must know what he is getting into. The religious training consists of studies in Hebrew language and literature, the history of the Jewish people and other courses in Jewish culture.

The actual ceremony is usually part of the morning services. After readings from the Torah, speeches, and congratulations, there is a banquet. The event is traditionally held on the first Sabbath following the boy's 13th birthday but it is no longer unusual to find a man of 30, 40, 50 or even older formally celebrating his bar mitzvah for the first time.

Before 1922, women were not considered by some to more than childbearers and housekeepers in the Jewish community, and they did not have bat mitzvahs. It took a long time for bat mitzvahs to become equally important as bar mitzvahs because of the perceived superiority of males.
Nikki Pritchard is a freshman at Mountain View High School.
Sources: "Coming-of-age: traditions and rituals around the world" by Karen Liptak "Bar mitzvah" by Howard Greenfeld "Bar mitzvah: a Jewish boy's coming of age" by Eric A. Kimmel
Quinceaneras: Better than a car

By Karina Fuller

The quinceanera is the most important celebration in a young Mexican or Mexican-American girl's life. Most girls start to plan their parties, which stem from Aztec and Catholic traditions, from the age of five.

For me, having a quinceanera was the greatest thing my family could give me. They gave me a choice -- a quinceanera or a car -- and they wanted me to choose a car. But I thought to myself, you can get a car anytime in your life but you only turn 15 once, so I said I wanted a quinceanera.

The planning was stressful, but the outcome was great. My mom and I still miss my friends coming over to practice the waltz; we used to have so much fun.

Quinceaneras date back to the age of the Aztecs when most young women were married by the age of 15 or 16 and were considered society's experts in domestic affairs. Older women used to train or teach them their future roles as young women. During the girls' rite of passage, the community would thank the gods for the future wives and mothers, and the young women would vow to serve the community.

When the Spanish conquered Mexico in 1521, native and Catholic traditions combined. The age of 15 became a time of decision for young women who would decide whether to join the church or get married. The event became a personal agreement of faith and a pledge to become good Christian wives and mothers. That is where the whole idea of a church ceremony for a quinceanera came from.

The current ceremony keeps some of the old traditions and adds some new ones. For example, instead of a husband for an escort, a girl has what is called an honor escort. This male family member or close male friend keeps the quinceanera company from the church ceremony to the reception.

The court of honor consists of 14 girls and boys; each couple represents the 14 years of her life and the court can be made up of close friends and family. Sponsors or godparents represent a Mexican custom of honoring close family members and friends, and these adults help with the costs of the celebration.

When in church, the girl receives gifts from the close friends or family members she asked to be the "madrinas" or "padrinos," or sponsors. These gifts consist of a tiara which symbolizes that she is a princess towards the eyes of God; she has triumphed over childhood; and she has the ability to face challenges ahead.

She also receives a scepter which symbolizes authority and responsibility; a cross which symbolizes her faith in God, herself and the world around her; and a ring and bracelet which symbolize the unending circle of life and emergence of the young woman's abilities and future contributions to society. The quinceanera also receives a rosary and a Bible to signify that she will keep God and religious faith in her life.

After the church service, the quinceanera and her court of honor arrive at the reception. It's customary that the band or the DJ announces the court, the quinceanera and her honor escort. They dance a waltz, and then her headpiece is changed to a tiara and her shoes are changed from flats to heels. Usually the waltz starts with the girl dancing with her father and then with her court. Then in the toast, the quinceanera's family thanks everyone for coming and participating.

My advice to future quinceaneras is, don't worry about dieting the month before your party; you'll barely be eating from all the stress and excitement. Don't stress so much -- everything will come out great. Just have fun and remember that it's your day to get lots of attention and gifts! You'll get to feel like a princess!
Karina Fuller is a sophomore at Mountain View High School.
Sources: www.quinceaneralocation.com www.hallmark.com

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