Culture and Identity What is culture How does

Culture and Identity What is culture? How does culture shape identity?

What is culture? • Culture is a system of values and beliefs that all societies produce and teach. • It is comprised of elements, including: » » » Language Art Rituals Roles Economic and political structures history

What does this graphic illustration say about culture?

Identity • Identity = our sense of self and place in our social world » » » Physical appearance Ideas of gender Social status Role in society Values Beliefs

Culture and Identity • Our identity is our beliefs about our self and others, which is influenced by our culture • Because these cultural beliefs are shared by a great majority, we often think of these as “truths”. • What are our some of our own cultural assumptions? • How can we become aware of these

Rite of Passage

Introductory Questions • How do different cultures mark the changes in the cycle of life? • What ceremonies have helped you move from one stage of your life to the next? • What is ritual and why is it important to cultures? • When did you become a ‘teen’? How was this occasion marked? How is such a ceremony important?

Rite of Passage • Ceremonies that mark a person’s transition from one role, phase in life or social status, to another • Usually mark significant life changes: birth, puberty, marriage and death • The change is marked by a transitional period, usually involving specific rituals – symbolic activities

Stages of Rites of Passage • Rites of Passage usually involve 3 stages: 1. Separation – removal of individual from society (often includes isolat 2. Transition 3. Incorporation & Reintegration •

Stage 1: Separation • The individual is temporarily removed from society (often just symbolic) • Some rituals involve cutting (rope or ties) or breaking something • Example: Graduation – the graduates are removed and sit apart from their families and teachers • Example: Wedding – bride and groom are separated before wedding and isolated from eachother

Stage 2: Liminal / Transition Stage • Initiate is in the state of transition between the old and the new • Individual is temporarily isolated for a period of time • Usually normal social contact is suspended • Often involves some symbolic journey – walking from one place to another • Example: Graduation – graduates walk across a stage or platform – rep. transition from student to graduate • Example: Wedding – Bride walks down isle towards groom – sometimes bride and groom walk together in a circle or towards eachother

Stage 3: Incorporation • Readmission into society in the newly with public recognition of new social status • Usually involves some symbolic joining of things together or receiving some token • Example: Graduation: Graduates receive a certificate • Example Wedding: Bride and Groom are joined through placing a ring on each others fingers

Purpose • Rites of passage provide society with a way to acknowledge and inform the community about changes in social status of individuals • With change in social status comes change in expectations for behaviour • Example: Graduates – you will be useful and productive (get a job) • Example: Bride and groom – sexual fidelity

Examples of Rites of Passage • Birth ceremonies (baptism, naming, showers) • Birthdays Graduation • Wedding • Death

Coming-of-Age Ceremonies • Rites of passage that mark our transition from childhood to youth to adulthood • These can be formal or informal, public or private, pleasant or painful • They help us to become functioning adults

Examples Informal: • Acquiring drivers license • 16 th / 18 th / 19 th birthday • Dating (we remove ourselves from friends) Formal • Bar / Bat Mitzvah • First Communion • Confirmation • Vision Quest