Apache Girls A Rite Of Passage

Apache girls go through a rite of passage. The ceremony last for four day. This rite of passage is to build strength, endurance and the character of a woman. The ceremony takes place on the fourth of July. A lot of money, time and energy is spent on preparation for the ceremony. Preparation for the party gives added importance to the ceremony and prepares the girl mentally for what is going to happen and gives her time to clarify her responsibilities. The ceremony starts with the rise of the morning star. During the days of the ceremony, the apache girls have to live by rules, such as no smiling. They also are restricted to how much they will sleep and eat. Psychological development is created when the girls have to hold their emotions in and keep
a straight face. Their cognitive development grows with the ceremony creation story or the story of different stages of life. Apache parents have to pick a medicine man to teach the girls the way of womanhood; this is another way that an apache girl can grow cognitively. The medicine man will show the girls the expectations of an Apache woman, giving the girl structure and identity as a woman. The next part of the ceremony is to bless the girls with pollen.
Pollen is known for its fertility. Next, is the building of the sacred teepee, where the girls spend most of their time. The teepee represents their culture and beliefs, along with the morning star and pollen. The girls start their mornings by running toward the morning star and around a basket of ceremonial items, four times. The four times represents the four stages of life infancy, childhood, adolescence and adulthood. Spirituality is a an important part of the Apache culture. Going through the ceremony, the girls identity to her culture, believes and norms are enhances and she has a clear idea of her religious identity. The next step, in the ceremony is for the girl to go to the mountain top to pray for a long and successful live. Lastly, at night the girls have to dace around a fire and in their teepees, all night long. This helps prepare the girls for the trials of womanhood or the long nights with future children. After, ten hours of dancing the girls ceremony is over, she runs around the basket the last time with their face painted with white chalk as a symbol of a white goddess. As they go around the basket the last time, they wipe off the clay, the teepee goes down and the girl receives their Apache woman
name. Giving the name helps to hold on the identity of a Apache woman.