Jones Reading 10: Frederick Lamp

Though this reading evoked a lot of brain storms, I had to try really hard to relate it to our class.

This reading made me think about Rites of Passage in America and question weather the ones that we had could be improved to promote a more focused and successful generation of youth, especially in urban areas.

It was kind of difficult for me to pin-point rites of passage in this country. I feel that the closest thing would be the graduation from middle and high school, attending proms, and marriage. Most of our rites are associated with educational institutions. That being said, I reflected on how a disproportionate amount of students in economically deprived communities are not fortunate to be associated with reportable high schools and/or lack proper family support to follow through with those unofficial rites.

I feel that a solution to the effects of the results of the described conditions would be to develop a rites of passage program of sorts to organize the community around. Rites of passage could be incorporated into programs like Big Brother and Sister.

I also noted some parallels and contrasts between the ceremony and African American religious culture. “The men and women move in a circle in a counterclockwise fashion". This is similar to how the ring-shout is performed. Its also interesting how the serpent represents regeneration and life per its skin shedding unlike with Christianity where the serpent is prepresentative of evil and Satan.

While water is a central motif as a medium of transition in both male and female initiation and regarded as the origin of life, we move in class is if we are passing through viscous liquid.