Ceremony for being adult~Human Environment~

Culture Introduction

Takatoshi AKAI

JOCV/JICA

KWS Malindi Marine Park

Outline• What is the aim of ceremony for being

adult?

• Ceremony in developed countries

• Test one’s physical strength

• Ceremony or survival test?

• Most pitiless ceremony in the world…

Aim of ceremony for being adult

• This ceremony is sacred activity for being adult.

• There are various kinds of ceremonies all over the world, depends on its locality.

Ceremony in developed countries21 shots in New Zealand21 shots in New Zealand

Seijin-shiki (Seijin-shiki ( 成人式成人式 ) in ) in JapanJapan

Test one’s physical strength

Honey Hunter Gurung Tribe in NepalIn the majestic Himalayas has up to 2000 meters, and

there are big bee named “Apis laboriosa”. This big bee up to 2cm.

Honey hunters use only rope & ladder to clime down cliff.

This honey use for medicine and food and export.Therefore, this honey is important income for them.They get honey by team play, during 1 team burn plants to emit smoke, another team clime down cliff to get honey.

Nepal

Native customs in Sumatra• Jump over stone, much higher than own

height.

• Once the youth succeed to jump over, he/she allowed to be an adult.

Bull jump of Hamal Tribe

This ceremony for male of Hamal Tribe in Ethiopia.Put cow dung on the body, then walk

on the back of 10 cows.

Ceremony or survival test?

Papa Hunterin Papua New Guinea

Once a boy succeed to hunt down a shark without any tool (maybe only harpoon),

he will be acknowledged as a man.

They have to get shark, otherwise a boy never acknowledged as a man.

Republic of Vanuatu

Every April and May people in Vanuatu harvest yam.

At the same time, they createa tower up to 30m for ceremony.

Some young men bungee jump,to show braveness for god of

harvest and become a male.The man of closest to reach the ground will be the most brave.

Australia

Vanuatu

Masai Tribe in Kenya

Once male Masai became 13~17 years old,

he has to go to savanna and hunt down lion.

Otherwise, tribe do not allowed him to

participate any meeting.

Veracruz in Mexico

• Hanging head down 30m above ground, then spin him 13 times.

• If he come back safely, people treat him as an adult.

Most pitiless ceremony in the world…

Pole・・・

Mandan Indian tribe in America

• In early 19th century, they practiced this ceremony to become an adult.

• Hung a man upside down from a tie beam in the house, without food and sleep.

• Then turn him until, he gone off

into a faint.

Conclusion• There are various kinds of ceremony

for being adult all over the world.

• To know about different culture is very important for broaden own horizons.

• I hope, you have got some interest toward the world.