Death Rituals

Death Rituals: 

Africa: One death ritual recognized by African cultures is one in which they believe that only a correct burial will bring peace to the newly departed. In this ritual the family of the recently departed will begin by moving the body through a hole that was made in the side of the home. The people then take the body out through this hole, and make sure that they remove the body feet first in order to keep the spirit from finding an easy way back into the home. When they get the body to the destination where it is going to be buried, the people place thorns and sticks along the path that they took in order to cover it up, and confuse the spirit. The people take these precautions in order to keep the spirit from disturbing the living, while others try and make it easier for their loved ones spirits to find their way back. In this culture it is also common to sacrifice an animal along with the person who just recently passed to help escort them to the land of their ancestors. It is believed that no one truly dies until there is no one left to remember them. 

Jewish: In Jewish cultures the way that they perform their rituals is based upon their families customs, but most rituals are based upon events from the bible. When a person passes away in a Jewish culture, the family and friends of that person are expected to not leave that person alone, until they are taken to be buried. In this culture, when news of the person passing is heard, the Jewish people tear off a piece of their clothing. This process is called "rendering", and it symbolizes the loss that they are going through. Sometimes this act isn't performed until the actual funeral is held. During the preparation for their burial, men and woman's bodies are prepared differently. Men are wrapped in their prayer shawl, while women are wrapped in white. 

Similarities & Differences: Both cultures share the fact that family members or close friends prepare the body for the burial, and these people are the ones to get things ready. The differences between the African culture and Jewish culture are much more evident. The way that each culture goes about preparing the bodies,and the measures they take show how different that they are. In the African culture, they heavily believe in spirits, and making sure the newly departed doesn't disturb the living, while in the Jewish culture, they are more concerned about performing traditional customs and simply just burying and purifying the body.Each culture has a unique way of honoring and preparing the recently departed.  These differences show how each culture has its own distinct things about them, and it shows how the African culture is more spiritually based, and how the Jewish culture follows more of what has always been done. 

Marriage Ceremonies

Marriage Ceremonies: 

China: In Chinese cultures during a marriage ceremony, the bride will first go through her Bridal Sedan. A Bridal Sedan is where the brides "good luck woman" will lead her to a sedan chair and perform certain rituals that they believed to ward off evil. The bride is then picked up from her home, and taken to the grooms home where they are to do there ceremonial bows to heaven and earth. After they complete these bows, they then have to bow to the grooms parents, and finally to each other. While at the grooms home the bride makes tea and offers it to the grooms family. Acceptance of the tea that the bride made shows that the family has welcomed her into the family. 

USA: In American cultures during a marriage ceremony, brides will typically get ready with their sisters and mother, and bridesmaids if she has any. A bride will usually wear and all white gown, and a veil covering her face. It is said that the reason that women wore veils during their wedding ceremonies was to hide from evil spirits that were trying to ruin the wedding. In American cultures we have another superstition that if the groom were to see his bride before they are married that it will bring bad luck to them. During an American wedding ceremony, people typically get married in a church or at some sort of venue gathered around by both the brides and the grooms family. When the bride comes down the aisle, it is a tradition to have her father "give her away" to the groom to symbolize that she is no longer apart of their household and in a sense belongs to the groom. The ceremony is ended with vows and a kiss by the bride and groom to officially show that they are married. After this initial ceremony, there is usually a party to celebrate the newly married couple. 

Similarities & Differences: 

Both Chinese and American cultures have many unique aspects about them. The similarities that these two cultures share are their superstition of evil spirits. Both of these cultures have certain things that helps them ward off this "evil" and helps protect the bride. These cultures also share their aspect of having gatherings with their families and celebrating the newly married couple. Although the gatherings of the family's vary from each culture. The differences that these two cultures share are that of the Chinese bride having to get more of an acceptance and approval from the grooms family, while that of an American culture, we don't heavily rely on the grooms or brides families "approval", but having the family there does show the support that they have for the new couple. The Chinese traditions and customs show that they are more closed minded and heavily rely on their traditions. In the American culture, there are some traditions that are still held, but for the most part the culture is much more open minded and marriage ceremonies have there own little aspect to them, depending on the person. 

Coming of Age Ceremonies

Coming of age ceremonies:

Japan: In Japanese culture, they celebrate "Seiiji-no-hi" which means coming of age day. In Japan, the legal age that young adults reach their "adult hood" is when they turn 20. At this age the young adults are able to vote, smoke tobacco, and purchase alcohol. Although these young adults reach this age at different times, the local government holds, "Seiijin-no-hi" to mark their rite of passage. The ceremony is held to promote the young adults to become independent, and self sufficient. Within this ceremony there are usually speeches held, along with other fun activities to keep the younger generation entertained. The clothing warn for these ceremonies are suits by the young men, and a traditional furisode (special type of kimono with extended sleeves and designs) by the young women. 

Hindu Girls in Durban: In Durban, once a young girl has her first menstruation cycle, she is secluded from everyone for a week until her tumeric bathing. A tumeric bathing is one in which the young girl has other women help her bathe. During this time a priest comes to the young girls home to ordain whether or not it was during a good or bad time to when her menstruation cycle started, which will thus determine the good or bad luck she will have. During this period of time, the girl is said to be impure. The final part of this is the ceremony, The Manjal Neerattu Vizha. These functions are normally held at the house of the young girl, and both female and male friends are invited. On this day , the girl wears her first sari, which also indicates that she is young women ready to be married. 

Similarities & Differences: Within both cultures, they both share a coming of age ceremony for a young adult. Both cultures have a big group function to celebrate their transition into adult hood and have specific practices that they partake in. Within the Japanese culture, it seem much more open and the ceremony is for a mass majority of individuals, rather than being closed off like for the Hindu culture, where they are only celebrating one young women. In the Japanese culture, the ceremony is promoting self sufficiency and celebrating the young people, while in the Hindu culture, they are just celebrating a girls passage to women hood, and preparing her for her next step which is marriage. The differences show that the Japanese culture is much more open and promotes self dependence, while the Hindu culture is much more traditional and reserved.