Marking the passages of birth, boyhood, manhood, eldership and death are common among tribal people...

 

From the wisdom of your life, what is the teaching you bring?

Marking the passages of birth, boyhood, manhood, eldership and death are common among tribal people. Using the elements (earth air fire water nature) , the body, even touch are essential components in ceremonies to name these significant transitions. As queer men these passages are seldom built into our tribal experience.

In Bali the custom (used to be) to honor the Divinity of a new born for 110 days with gifts,flowers and having the mother hold the child; never touching the earth during that period. Then on 110th day another celebration of the Humanity of the child happens with more gifts and the child touching the earth for the first time.

Many tribes have initiations from about age 11-30 years old that involve manhood. Ritual cleansings in numerous African tribes that may pierce the body are used to leave behind boyhood. One tribe, the Etoro even use oral sex with the an elder to draw his life-force of manhood as part of the initiation. (The Etoro believe that they each contain a certain amount of life-force, the highest concentrations of which are contained in semen. This life force passes to others through sexual relations. Women are seen to waste the life force if they do not get pregnant after sexual intercourse. As people get older, and their bodies weaken, this is attributed to a depletion of their life force).
Eldership is the recognition of a man's gifts in tribe for some spiritual role or leadership. These ritual often have a vision quest and community celebration to mark him "taking his place" in the community.

How would you create a ritual to honor your queer boy, queer man and queer elder? Let us know. Share on the NING site what your rituals might be like.

On Saturday Oct 19th we will do a (No, smile,we won't be doing what the Etoro tribe does) followed by a potluck themed around Taking our place as Elders.

If attending this event, muse on a brief ritual using touch and elements of earth, air and water etc that will affirm you in these queer passages.
Take a moment and consider -What do you need to experience, what might you need to hear or feel that will validate you in the our tribe/community of gay man?
Touch will guide us in playing with these life passages and roles as gay men. Touch is powerful, healing, pleasurable and transformative when shared with love, intention and agreement. Come bring some attention and intention in this fun sacred space with men on a journey. If you wish bring a picture of yourself as a boy or man that might speak to the time you wish to honor. Also you have elements you may want to use in your ritual like flower petals, a sacred object or some memorabilia feel free to bring them.