What would our country be without the freedom of religion? Would common day Americans lose not only their chance to worship their chosen religion or would cultural aspects begin to fade as well? Quinceañeras are just as common in American as a traditional Sweet Sixteen’s and are often compared to one. However, unlike an American Sweet Sixteen party, Quinceañeras are much more than just another birthday party. Both cultural and religious aspects of the people that celebrate it influence them. In this essay I am going to elaborate on what a Quinceañera is and how they came to be. This topic makes me reflect on how it would be like to live under another government and how much nature and the idea of an ultimate being have an effect on cultural events like this one.
There is a lot of history behind how Quinceañeras came about just like there is for several other cultural inspired events. The Mayans and the Aztecs first celebrated this event. What happened was that on a girl’s fifteenth birthday they were looked upon as a woman and ready to marry and have children. After her fifteenth birthday she would learn how to cook, clean and care for a house and children. If a woman did not end up marrying after her celebration then she would become a nun or stay home and take care of her parents. Women were looked highly upon and were valued and respected for their ability to bear children. Today, however, the celebration is more symbolic of adulthood and gaining responsibilities and opportunities to date and learn more about their culture and religion.
This cultural event also had a religious meaning and ceremony that went along with it. Like traditional ways, the birthday girl has to attend a special Mass that includes her close friends a...
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...ymbolism and presents God as a main aspect of this event. This topic helped me reflect on how this event would differ or cease to exist if our government was different, the role of nature and the concept of an ultimate being presented in this event. It is amazing how life can be turned upside down by reflecting on the freedoms and nature that we have now and how life and even cultural events such as this could be so different if our concepts and attitudes towards things were what they are now.
Works Cited
Conger, Cristen. "How Stuff Works "How Quinceañeras Work"" How Stuff Works. N.p., 25 July 2011. Web. 09 May 2014. http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/cultural- traditions/quinceanera3.htm .
"Quinceañera Celebrations." Quinceañera Celebrations. N.p., N.d. Web. 09 May 2014. http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/latinos/quince-celebrations.htm .
He begins Chapter One with the explanation of the main points that will be discussed within the book. Chapter Two discusses the people of Lima’s reasons as to why they believed and feared this tragedy was caused by God’s fury.... ... middle of paper ... ... His articulation of the disastrous and catastrophic event was detailed, strong, and emotionally invoking.
I shouldn’t have a quinceanera , what’s so important you turning fifteen having a huge party having a big dress , food , make-up , and hair done . every one turn fifteen and some people don’t make a huge party and go all out just for you turning a age , it’s not a big deal turning fifteen you still a teen you're not an adult yet , your still a kid.
Moore investigates the attitudes, behavior, and perception of Americans regarding their respective individual sacred and secular lives. He is interested in the roles of popular culture and religion and in addition, how popular culture affected the shift in boundaries between sacredness and secularism, particularly how these practices shape American religion. We live in a complex society and social structure that is structured with norms and values that they themselves structure the way we interpret and interact with others.
Envision stepping into the room, seeing your guess smile and talk quietly, the atmosphere of the room glowing, and feeling the warmth grow inside your chest as you know you planned a successful Quinceanera. The day a girl of the hispanic culture turns 15, is the day her fantasies come to life; and she becomes a women. Quinceaneras carry lots of quarks, small details, and ideas; but with these simple steps it can be perfected.
In the free verse prose coming of age poem “Quinceanera” by Judith Ortiz Cofer, the reader comes across the dramatic narrative of a young girl who is getting ready to celebrate her Quinceanera where she is starting to come in touch with the harsh reality of having to mature. It seems that through Cofer’s use of diction, imagery, and similes the reader is capable to analyze how the poem conveys the despotic actuality of life as one has to grow up and take on heavy responsibilities that ultimately mark our entrance into adulthood.
this celebration. She has to pick a partner which is known as an escort, along
Do I even want to have a sweet sixteen? I’ve never seen myself as the quintessential “princess”, in a flowing dress and mile high tiara. I could just wait until my eighteenth, then I’d be considered an adult, at least in American society. Do I even want a Quinceanera? It revolves around the church so much it’s practically the sun and the earth. Besides, could I even have a Quinceanera? My family would have to travel all the way to Mexico.
With sounds of youthful laughter, conversations about the students’ weekends, and the shuffling of college ruled paper; students file into their classrooms and find their seats on a typical Monday morning. As the announcements travel throughout the school’s intercoms, the usual “Please stand for the Pledge of Allegiance” becomes no longer usual but rather puzzling to some students. “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, indivisible, with liberty, and justice for all.” Confusion passes through some of the student’s minds. With the reoccurrence of “God” in the backdrop of American life, the relationship between church and state has become of little to no matter for American citizens just as it has with American students. While congress makes no law respecting an establishment of religion, the term “freedom of religion” presents itself to no longer be the definition of “free”, while also having its effects on debates today. According to Burt Rieff, in Conflicting Rights and Religious Liberty, “Parents, school officials, politicians, and religious leaders entered the battle over defining the relationship between church and state, transforming constitutional issues into political, religious, and cultural debates” (Rieff). Throughout the 20th century, many have forgotten the meaning of religion and what its effects are on the people of today. With the nonconformist society in today’s culture, religion has placed itself in a category of insignificance. With the many controversies of the world, religion is at a stand still, and is proven to not be as important as it was in the past. Though the United States government is based on separation of church and state, the gover...
The second family that I interviewed was the Lyles family. Both Bro. Scotty, the father, and Mrs. Yolanda, the mother, participated in the interview and three of their children were in the room. Bro. Scotty was born and raised in Alba, Texas on the very same tree farm that he owns and operates today; he is also a deacon at our church. However, Mrs. Yolanda was born and raised in Guatemala. As a child she was raised Catholic, and is part of a large and growing family. She is one of eight children. Their family as well as anybody else in that culture celebrated their daughter’s 15th birthday with a Quinceañera which marked the transition from childhood to young womanhood. This was traditionally the first time the girls would wear make-up, nice
Religion in the United States; this chapter was written for a Dædalus conference on American
The Quinceañera is a celebration in Latin America that is very comparable to our Sweet 16 celebration, also know as the fiesta de quince años. The origination of the word comes from the feminine term of fifteen-year-old in Spanish. The overall celebration marks the transition from childhood to becoming a young woman. In earlier times this celebration was meant to be a teaching point for young women to learn how to cook, weave, and the art of becoming a mother. Depending on the family specifically, some can carry a religious tone, and some can be more traditional and casual.
Ever since I was young I wanted to have a Quinceanera. I always wanted to wear a long and fluffy dress and a shiny crown on my head. I always saw many girls on t.v or family members have their own Quinceanera, so I decided that I wanted to have mine as well. Quinceanera are family traditions, in Mexico it’s when a young girl is about to become fifteen years old they have a Quinceanera, which represents that you are turning into a young woman.
All birthdays are special. Birthdays celebrate life and the passing of time. In a young Mexican girl life, there is no birthday more important then her quinceañera. The quinceañera is a celebration of a girl’s journey into womanhood. The story of my fifteenth birthday is contributed for a better understanding of how special it is to celebrate a girl’s transformation into a lady, and how it differs from any other birthday she celebrates.
The Latinos make up close to 16 percent of the total American population, thus becoming the 2nd largest ethnic community. Just like many other migrant populations, the Latinos seek to keep in touch with their Hispanic traditions and cultures. As Alvarez puts it, children born in the US are thus taught certain cultural events and values so as to maintain their lineage. The most common one as discussed by Alvarez in her book is the quinceañera. This refers to a girl’s celebration as she reaches fifteen. This day of celebration is supposed to mark a girl’s transition from being a child to an adult woman. Among other traditional symbols, these parties are huge and include choreographed dances and ball gowns.
This puts the event into perspective. While it is only a small event, it is related to the whole world that shows its importance.