rites of passage

The Samburu tribe out of Kenya have a rite of passage for their boys. They send them out on their own when they think they are ready around 12-14 years old. They live off the land isolated from their village. They return when they think they are men. In former days this included killing a lion. The return can be from 3 months to several years. The future leader of the tribe is the boy who gravitates toward leadership in a group they send out.

There is a circumcision (ouch) ceremony when the boys return. For girls it is different. The women are in charge of the village and so girls are trained in their responsibilities, before they are declared women. When they are deemed ready, there is a clitoridectomy (ouch again!) ceremony.

What are rites of passage for the American tribe? Depending on cultural or religious background, it can be anything from confirmation to bar mitzvah to a Quinceañeras. However there is a cross cultural American rite of passage. It is called a “DRIVERS LICENSE.”

Our daughter just got her license yesterday and it was not a trip to the wilderness or, heaven forbid, surgery, but it was definitely a milestone. She can now go out to the wilderness of the LA Freeway system on her own. When I got out of the car and the test instructor was ready to get in, I slipped a Samburu bracelet on her wrist. This was a gift from my friend Buzz who had just visited the Samburu in December. After she passed the test, I got the bracelet back, along with a new driver in the family. The power of our tribe has expanded.

Jambo!!