Rite on Time
1 Doljabi
At a Korean baby’s first birthday, guests gather to watch as the child crawls toward a table of symbolic objects — for instance, a pencil for scholarship, thread for longevity or a ball for athletic success. In this charming tradition, the item the child chooses is believed to predict and bless their future, says Sunyoung Park, associate professor of East Asian languages and cultures, and gender and sexuality studies.
2 Agrahadig/Atamhatik
To celebrate a baby’s first tooth, Armenian families sprinkle boiled grains of wheat (symbolizing teeth) on a veil held above the child’s head. In a similar manner as Doljabi, the child then selects from special objects to prophesy their future. These traditions symbolizes a fruitful and fortunate life for the child, says Shushan Karapetian, director of the Institute of Armenian Studies.
3 Quinceañera
Widely celebrated across Latin America, this lavish party is thrown on a girl’s 15th birthday to mark her transition into womanhood. It also serves to strengthen family and community ties. “Among immigrants in the United States, godparents often sponsor key elements — such as the cake — symbolically joining the family in the process,” says Xochitl Ruiz, lecturer in anthropology.
“Through ritualized rites of passage, a community witnesses the transformation of the child to adult or the unmarried to the married. Such social events help solidify each new identity as we age.”
4 Polterabend
On the eve of a German wedding, guests gleefully smash porcelain — a ritual originally meant to bring good luck and scare off bad spirits. The couple’s job? Sweep up the mess together. “Breaking pottery and then joining forces to clean it up symbolizes the cooperation and shared effort that will define their marriage,” says Tok Thompson, professor (teaching) of anthropology.
5 Kanreki
In many East Asian countries, reaching the age of 60 is considered a symbolic rebirth as it marks a return to one’s birth sign in the Chinese zodiac’s 60-year cycle. In Japan, this milestone is celebrated as “kanreki.” A red vest worn by the honoree is meant to ward off evil, as well as evoke the complexion of a newborn. Friends and family offer toasts for longevity, says Jason Webb, professor (teaching) of comparative literature and East Asian languages and cultures.
6 Golden Anniversary
This term can be traced back to medieval Germany, when husbands presented their wives with a golden wreath to celebrate 50 years of marriage. In the West, 50th wedding anniversaries hold special significance, both for their rarity and for the symbolic weight of the number 50 in our base-10 number system, says Thompson.
