Courious rites

Loosly looking on the Book of Rites (one of the three main or "sacred" bo=
oks
of the Hangkerim religion, besides the Book of Myths and the Book of Life=
),
I found some courious rites that should be performed when a child is grow=
ing
up.  Many of the Rites are performed only by very religious people, but m=
ost
of them are somehow followed by almost all Hangkerimian family --even
Christians or followers of other cults--.

The first tooth:
  When a baby gets his/her first tooth must be given a bath with some
special herbs and the tooth and gum must be rubbed with vumkarimu (which =
is,
IIRC, one sort of sweet resin).  The child is stopped nursering.

The first word:
  When a child pronounces his/her first word must be given a bath with so=
me
other special herbs --it seams the Book of Rites has a good compendium of
special herbs--.  Next noon must be formally presented to the Guardian of
the day (the Sun) and next full moon must be formally presented to the
guardian of the Night (the Moon).

The first fallen milk tooth:
  The tooth must be rubbed with vumkarimu and stored in the little box
buried in the center of the house.  A little more of vumkarumu is rubbed =
on
the gum.  The child must be given a bath with some special herbs.

All other fallen milk teeth:
  Vumkarumu is rubbed on the gum, the teeth are set in the same box as th=
e
first one --a prayer most be prayed when buring out and in again the box-=
-.
(most modern families never bury the boxes.)

First menstruation:
  The young lady must be given a bath with some special herbs.  All women=
 in
the household are present in the bath (modern city dwellers with smaller
households usually invite the aunts and the granmother and the older syst=
ers
for the ocation).  Next full moon, the lady make a flower offrend to the
Guardian of the Night.

These rites are familiar ones, and are not social events as the birth,
naming and passage --which are also covered by the Book of Rites--.

The Book of Rites describe those and many other social and private rites.
The book even explain what to do before and after having sex for the firs=
t
time or any other time --including special Rites for purification after
having sex with a married woman or premarital sex--.

The Book of Rites is just a compendium of rites and has no direct judgeme=
nts
on morallity --which are left for the Book of Life--.

But, then, are there any curious rites in your concultures?

-- Carlos Th
                                      o_o
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3Dw=3D=3D=3Dw=3D=3D=3D=3D#######
   Chlewey Thompin                              ## ####
   http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/9028/     ## ## ##
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   - =BFPor qu=E9 no?
   - No tiene sentido.
   - =BFQu=E9 sentido?  El sentido no existe.
   - El sentido inverso.  O el sentido norte.  El sentido com=FAn, tal ve=
z.  O
sin sentido, como aqu=ED.
    (-- Graeville 2)