Essay On Quinceanera

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In most Latin countries, family and friends get together to celebrate the rite of passage of an individual on their birthday or at most times a day within their birth month. This celebration is known as a quinceanera. As stated in Guest’s book, the rite of passage is “a category of ritual that enacts a change of status from one life stage to another…” (Guest, 370). In a quinceanera, the teenage girl becomes a woman once she turns fifteen. She is now expected to withhold responsibilities. All Latin countries, like Mexico, Ecuador, Cuba, and Peru have the same concept in celebrating a girl’s coming of age; however, they all have particular details in how to celebrate the ritual. Although, I have experienced a Mexican quinceanera multiple of times, this is my first time I have paid attention to every detail. In a quinceanera, there are two parts: a religious ceremony and a reception.
In the religious ceremony, a priest conducted a private mass for the quinceanera. Close family members and the quinceanera’s court of honor participated in the mass. The guests were dressed formal and appropriate. The mass started with the entrance of the cross and the priest, afterwards the quinceanera entered and she was accompanied by her chambelan de honor (trans: escort of honor). In group of twos, the quinceanera’s court of honor entered right after. When everyone was seated, the priest received us with the sign of the cross. The quinceanera was seated in front …show more content…
When asked about the difference between a quinceanera back in her time and the quinceaneras today, the quinceanera’s aunt said that “the quinceaneras today are obviously modified; the American culture is more intertwined than before.” I somewhat agreed with her, it is more modified; however, the only addition of American culture is the music. Although the English music was aimed for the young people, there was still older people dancing to the
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