♥

While Martin was getting our birthday-gift for his uncles birthday, i stayed in the car with two tired kiddos and a radio-program about pre wedding traditions (i think, i might be mistaken!) by the ancient Native Americans. They were rituals of becoming adults to get married. Since i was easily distracted, i didn't get it all: The girl had to perform a 6 hour lasting dance in which she was not allowed to cry or to get angry or emotional, since that would indicate her being that way in her married life later on. After 6 hours she would be massaged and had to dance again. The boy was sent to the woods to find a revelation that would guide his way through life. Usually in a form of an animal or a bird this would appear (out of exhaustion and hunger the reporter said). Bits and pieces from what i heard.

What got me thinking was, that the girls journey to adulthood was a social one in my opinion, as a dance is a performance. How well she can do in a social situation, under pressure, under everyone's eyes? The boys ritual was more about nature and a man's place in it. 

Martin pointed out that men are hunters, but i disagree in this case, since the boy is not going hunting to bring something back, which would be a social thing to do, something for the community, but is there for his own growth and self-realization. I think it's different.

Many questions arise in my mind thinking about it. Dividing men and women into different categories is not very sensible nowadays. Or better said,  it's not very modern. 

Anyways.