Girl's Rite of Passage | National Geographic

Summary

The Mescalero Apache reservation in New Mexico hosts a Coming of Age ritual for 13-year-old Dashina Cois, involving four days of ancient tests of strength, endurance, and character. The ritual, held annually on July 4th, prepares girls for womanhood. Dashina undergoes trials with little sleep or food, culminating in an all-night dance. The ceremony, symbolizing life stages, concludes with Dashina receiving her Apache woman's name, Morning Star Feather, marking her transition to womanhood and her community's acknowledgment of her strength.

Takeaways

• 🏰 **Location and Event**: The Mescalero Apache reservation in New Mexico prepares for a Coming of Age ritual.
• 🗓️ **Timing**: The ritual is held every 4th of July over the course of four days.
• 👧 **Participant**: 13-year-old Dashina Cois is the young girl undergoing the transition to womanhood.
• 👩‍🏫 **Mentor**: Zelda Yazza, Dash's medicine woman, will instruct her in traditional Apache womanhood.
• 🌅 **Symbolism**: The ceremony begins with the rising of the Morning Star, symbolizing a new day.
• 💤 **Ritual Requirements**: Dashina must endure little sleep, scant food, and suppress emotions during the ritual.
• 🌿 **Blessing**: Dashina is blessed with pollen, a symbol of fertility.
• 🏃‍♀️ **Journey**: The girls run towards the Rising Sun, circling a basket to represent the stages of life.
• 🌄 **Final Stage**: On the fourth day, Dashina ascends a hill to pray to the Mountain Spirits for a successful life.
• 🕺 **Dance**: The girls dance all night long, which is a test of endurance and a significant part of the ritual.
• 🎭 **Symbolic Actions**: The girls' faces are painted with white clay, symbolizing the goddess, before wiping it away to mark the completion of their transition.
• 🌟 **New Identity**: Dashina receives her Apache woman's name, Morning Star Feather, signifying her new status.
• 👥 **Community Recognition**: The community gathers to acknowledge Dashina's transition into womanhood.
• 🔄 **Cultural Significance**: As an Apache woman, Dashina represents the renewal and protection of a culture at risk of disappearing.

Q & A

Where does the Mescalero Apache reservation prepare for the Coming of Age ritual?

The Mescalero Apache reservation prepares for the Coming of Age ritual beneath White Mountain in New Mexico.

How old is Dashina Cois when she participates in the Coming of Age ritual?

Dashina Cois is 13 years old when she participates in the Coming of Age ritual.

What is the purpose of the ancient tests that Dashina Cois will pass through?

The purpose of the ancient tests is to prepare girls for the trials of womanhood and to make them women.

When is the Coming of Age ritual held by the Mescalero Apache?

The Coming of Age ritual is held every 4th of July by the Mescalero Apache.

What is the role of Dash's mother, Mallette, in the preparation for the ceremony?

Dash's mother, Mallette, has spent more than a year preparing for the week of ceremony, including helping to feed and care for over 50 guests.

Who is the medicine woman selected to instruct Dash in the ways of traditional Apache Womanhood?

Zelda Yazza is the medicine woman selected to instruct Dash in the ways of traditional Apache Womanhood.

What does the 4-day ceremony represent in the Apache culture?

The 4-day ceremony encapsulates the Apache creation story and represents the stages of life: infant, child, adolescent, and woman.

What is the significance of the Morning Star in the ritual?

The Morning Star signifies the beginning of the ceremony as it rises, and it is also the name Dashina receives as an Apache woman at the end of the ritual.

What does Dashina have to do throughout the ordeal of the ritual?

Throughout the ordeal, Dashina must live by strict rules, which include little sleep, scant food, and the need to set aside emotion, wearing a face of stoic resolve.

What does the act of wiping away the symbolic clay signify?

Wiping away the symbolic clay signifies the completion of their right of passage and the transition from girlhood to womanhood.

How long do the girls dance during the final test of the ritual?

The girls dance for more than 10 hours during the final test of the ritual.

What does the completion of the ritual mean for Dashina in terms of her community?

The completion of the ritual means that Dashina has earned the right to live as a woman of the tribe and serves as a symbol of her culture, renewing and protecting a way of life.