January 16, 2002

KNOW YOUR RITES

Exploring Coming-Of-Age Ceremonies Around the World

Grades:  6-8,9-12

Subjects:  Language Arts, Social Studies

Related New York Times Article
"The New Adults: Don't Be Fooled by the Kimonos, By HOWARD W. FRENCH", January 16, 2002

Overview of Lesson Plan:: In this lesson, students examine ceremonies in cultures around the world that celebrate young peoples' entry into adulthood.

SUGGESTED TIME ALLOWANCE: 45 minutes - 1 hour

OBJECTIVES:
Students will:

1. Explore the concept of "rites of passage" and reflect on the various life changes marked by ceremony or tradition in various cultures.
2. Examine the ways in which the Japanese Coming of Age Day reflects a changing society by reading and discussing "The New Adults: Don't Be Fooled By the Kimonos."
3. Investigate how various cultures and religions mark one's coming-of-age.
4. Create chapters for a class book about different ceremonies and traditions celebrating the passage into adulthood.

RESOURCES / MATERIALS:

• student journals
• pens/pencils
• paper
• classroom blackboard
• copies of "The New Adults: Don't Be Fooled By the Kimonos" (one per student)
• resource materials with current and historical information on coming-of-age rituals around the world (global history, religion, and geography textbooks; encyclopedias; periodicals; computers with Internet access)
• 9x12 card stock or construction paper, scissors, glue sticks and markers (for each small group)

ACTIVITIES / PROCEDURES:

1. WARM-UP/DO-NOW: Students respond to the following in their journals (written on the board prior to class): "The term 'rite of passage' describes any ritual, ceremony or life event which marks a change in a person's position in society. These life changes include birth, puberty, initiation into social and family groups, marriage, childbirth, and death. Write down these six examples, and for each, list as many types of ceremonies associated with it as you can, either from your own culture or from others." Allow students a few minutes to jot down their answers, and then have them briefly share their responses. Examples may include baptism, bar mitzvah, wedding, baby shower, and funeral, among others. You might also address the notion of "unofficial" rites of passage, such as the acquisition of one's driver's license at sixteen in most parts of the United States.
2. As a class, read and discuss the article "The New Adults: Don't Be Fooled By the Kimonos," focusing on the following questions:
   1. What holiday did 20-year-olds celebrate in Japan on January 14, 2002?
   2. How did these young adults dress to take part in this celebration?
   3. Why, according to the article, were their outfits uncharacteristic of their everyday lives?
   4. How did this year's ceremonies differ from past celebrations?
   5. According to the article, how might Japan's changing economy affect traditional social roles?
   6. How do the young women interviewed in the article differ from the women of past generations?
   7. What is a "freetah"?
   8. How might "freetah" Yuya Yamamoto's outlook on his career differ from the men of his father's generation?
   9. How does the changing "Coming of Age Day" ceremony reflect the changing attitudes toward authority in Japanese culture?
3. Divide students into small groups of two or three. Explain that because "coming-of-age" ceremonies like the one featured in this article are among the most common rites of passage in most societies around the world, they will serve as the focus of this activity. Each group will research a different ritual or ceremony to create a class "coffee table"-style book of coming-of-age celebrations around the world. These rituals may be of a religious, social, or cultural nature. Examples may include Quinceanera (Latino "sweet sixteen"), bar and bad mitzvahs, confirmation, debutante balls, as well as others (including "pseudo" or "unofficial" rites of passage) students might have listed during the initial class activity. Be sure that each group selects a different ceremony as their focus. Using all available classroom resources, each group should investigate the following (written on the board for easier student access):
   • the history of the coming-of-age tradition
   • a description of the ceremonies or rituals involved, including the ritual items and symbols used and their significance
   • a "case study" of how this coming-of-age is practiced today
4. WRAP-UP/HOMEWORK: Once groups complete their research, they should create a two to three page "chapter" for the class's book. Chapters should include all information gained in research, plus any photographs or illustrations and any other interesting items they wish. As a class, groups compile their chapters into one comprehensive volume. You may wish to have students organize not by country or continent but by year (i.e., the ages at which children are considered adults in different religious or cultural traditions).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

• How have other coming-of-age ceremonies you know of been altered to reflect changing societies, the way that Coming of Age Day in Japan has?
• What do you think of changing long-held traditions to better fit with modern times? Why do you feel this way?
• In your opinion, what makes one "officially" an adult in your society?
• Have you ever taken part in a "rite of passage"? If so, what type of ceremony or celebration was included, and what about it was special to you?
• Why do you think the transition to adulthood is often considered more important than birth or death in some societies?
• Some would argue that monetary and vocational achievements, rather than traditional life changes, are the new rites of passage. Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?
• Do you think there could ever be a culturally universal rite of passage? Why or why not? If so, what would it be, and why?

EVALUATION / ASSESSMENT:
Students will be evaluated based on their initial written journals, participation in class discussion, participation in group research and creative chapter contributions.

VOCABULARY:
filing, ornate, kimonos, lamé, painstakingly, beaming, gravity, beckoning, dignitaries, hooliganism, snappy, frivolous, nose-to-the-grindstone, dourness, counterparts, dominance, superpower, wanes, quaint, wrenching, postpone, forego, breadwinner, conjugal, modishly, prodded, reliant

EXTENSION ACTIVITIES:

1. Since some of the world's coming-of-age rituals stem from heterosexual or patriarchal social traditions, homosexual youths have often found themselves alienated or excluded from celebrations. In recent years, some gay adolescents have organized dances and ceremonies as alternatives to traditional ones. Research and write an investigative report on the challenge of "coming of age" as a gay teen.
2. The article mentions the contrast between traditional Japanese garb (kimonos and suits) and symbols of modernity such as cell phones. Can you think of other cultural examples of "traditional versus modern"? Using examples from print media, make a photo collage illustrating this theme.
3. How do contemporary television shows deal with the subject of "coming of age"? Chart five or six primetime shows over the course of a week, and write a detailed analysis of the ways in which television reflects this concept.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CONNECTIONS:
Civics- What does it mean to be legally "of age"? Research the concepts of "majority" and "minority" under United States law to present to your class. Why are the ages 18 and 21 of particular significance?

Economics- Japan's unemployment rate is at an all-time high, and the country's economic role in the world is changing rapidly. Make an economic/employment timeline charting the changes in Japan from 1999 to the present. Include information detailing what may have caused these changes.

Science- Official concepts of adulthood vary according to cultural, religious, and legal standards. But how does biology treat adults? Make a chart illustrating the changes one's body goes through as it reaches adulthood. Some questions to consider: When do we stop growing? How does our eyesight or bone density change with time? What significant hormonal changes occur? Alternately, investigate the stages of life in other living things, and create a chart comparing and contrasting the reaching of adulthood in various species.

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Copyright 2002
The New York Times Company