The Book Of Rites-Coming Of Age

by Sítheag Nic Trantham bean Bochanan

There comes a time in the life of each living thing when the power to seed and bear fruit is bestowed. This changing time immerses each one of us in the power and grace of life itself, and plunges us into a new realm of possibility and responsibility not to be taken lightly, but also to be experienced to the limits of our passion and soul. These are years we never would wish on ourselves again, yet years we try to mirror in our search for magic and passion as adults. Truly a liminal time in the progression of each human life, adolescence hold a very special place in the rites and customs of the Celtic people of today and yesterday. For the change from girl to woman and boy to man is a sacred time for mourning the lost child, embracing the productive adult, and revealing to that new citizen the responsibilities that come along with the freedoms of adult life.

Girl to Woman

When a young rural highland maid crosses the threshold to true womanhood, she is said to "come over the knows". In Gaelic, this would mean she has her first "mìosach" (MEE oh sagch) or menstruation. Once a girl begins menstruating, her crossing of the threshold is celebrated by a ceremony called "kertching". During a new woman’s kertching she "comes over the knowes" by having the entire female portion of the clan relate to her the facts of life, how to respond to and understand her flowering physique, and what her new responsibilities will be regarding physical, spiritual, and mental upgrade to womanhood. In olden times, the initiate ‘s girlhood headband was replaced by the white kerchief of womanhood. In modern times it is recommended that methods of birth control, what men and women do when married or in love, the issue of homosexuality, the biological and spiritual function of menstruation, and the honor of one’s body be explained to the initiate. One suggestion is purchasing a moon calendar (for information regarding a suitable moon calendar, see end of paper notes) and letting the initiate color in the moon phase on the days her flow persists with a red marker. This would allow her to become familiar at an early age with tracking her flow so that she becomes more attuned to both herself and the cycles of the moon as they relate to her. Bestowing a white hand knit or lace scarf will announce to the clan her new station as a woman, and though it would only be worn at functions the clan sees needed it would be a mark of distinction, respect, and honor.

Such transition, though painful and confusing to the new woman, is very possibly more painful to the parents in the situation. Their little girl is a woman now, and can date, and be courted, and can get into a slew of trouble. In the Orkneys, a tradition called "bundling" reflected this parental angst quite humorously. Neil Mac Callum describes it thusly:

Bundling was a social device in which the young girl was tied tightly, often by her mother, in a single outer garment believed to be impenetrable. She was then deposited in her sleeping recess or box-bed of her home, and her Lothaire* climbed in beside her.

(Lothaire: a handsome seducer of young women.)

The new woman of the household will also notice a change in her household and civic duties. Not necessarily the daily ones, but a big change in the seasonal ones surrounding feast holidays. For instance, at New Year she will be required to aid her mother with the traditional laundering of all clothes and linens in the house ( as opposed to washing the linens and clothes of her dolls, as she did before). At Samhain she may help bake the bannocks and bread for that feast, on Bealtaine she may participate in the wrapping of the Maypole. Imbolc may see her partaking of goat’s milk, and helping her mother to prepare a bed for Brigid. And Lughnassad may find her competing in dancing, singing, horse racing, or athletic competitions.

In all, the initiate into womanhood learns responsibility, freedom, honor, and how to become a citizen of the clan. On the first day of her first mìosach, she should take this charge:

"I vow as an honorable woman of my clan, to: Respect my woman’s body with the care of a mother and the protection of a father.
Honor my woman’s mind with the challenge of strong thought and firm judgment.
Empower my woman’s spirit with the passion of truth and cultivation of love.
All these things I vow in the names of the gods my clan swear by.
If I am untrue to them, may the earth swallow me up,
may the waters rush over my body, and may the sky come down on my head."

Boy To Man

For the young highland lad, coming of age wasn’t as obvious as a young woman’s first blood. In order to determine when a boy began the transition to man, the father would watch for the tell-tale behavioral changes in his son that would point towards manhood shortly before the sprouting of peach fuzz on the lad and the pleasure and embarrassment he would experience with his first nocturnal (or not so nocturnal) emissions. These behavioral changes manifest themselves most profoundly in the way a young man interacts with his environment. Once again, Neil Mac Callum describes it this way:

"One warm, sunny afternoon in Selkirk in early summer, a boy, about fourteen years of age, stood near the center of a bridge. He was fishing with a light rod, and he had hooked a good sized salmon, which he played rather skillfully. A small crowd of people gathered. By hooking the salmon, the boy had become a poacher, a member of a brotherhood that includes dignitaries of the Bench and of the Church. He netted the salmon and grassed it. The boy unhooked it and lifted it with both hands. Then he placed the fish gently back into the water. He had no use for it, nor had anyone else. Salmon was not a novelty for the table; the sport was the thing..."

Note that, even though the boy was fishing illegally, he did it skillfully and respectfully. This is what impressed the crowd so, and why, from that point forward was considered a man. Once those traits became evident to those around him, a young man may be asked to go on his initiatory hunting trip.

Before going on his first hunt as an initiate, the highland lad underwent a simple ritual for consecration. Firstly, he had to stand barefoot on a spot of earth where no grass grows. Oil of unknown make was spread on his brow, and he was handed his bow. At this point, he was charged by the men of the clan to observe the following rules*:

Not to take life just for the sake of killing
Not to kill a beast lying down, or a bird sitting
Not to kill the mother of a brood, or an unfledged bird
Not to kill the mother of a suckling, or a suckling beast

The only times the rules could be overlooked was in the case of saving the young man from being mauled by a mother or young predatory beast or bird of prey.

In modern times, one could make these rules applicable to both hunting and sex. A sort of "This is my rifle this is my gun" exercise, simply by substituting a few words:

Not to sow seed just for the sake of sowing
Not to take advantage of a person whose wits are not about her
Not to sow seed on another’s mother or wife,
Nor on a person who knows not the consequences.
Not to sow seed on the mother of a suckling babe, or a babe.

This would be a quick facts of life primer for the young boy regarding the responsible use of his budding and beautiful sexuality. It covers all bases quite explicitly, and teaches respect for the sexuality of others, no matter what stage of life. Many of these rules will explain themselves, but it may be necessary to tell a young boy why it is important to respect a suckling mother (it gives her time to heal from childbirth), and why he should not take advantage of people sexually if they cannot understand the consequences, or are too young to protest. If the initiate asks questions this is the time to answer them. Be sure to remind him that he is empowered with the exceptional ability of giving life to the clan in the form of children, and the ability to take life away to protect and feed the clan.

Now the young man is ready for his first hunt, and he will learn how responsibility, triumph, and honor reflect in both his role as provider and lover. In the old times, his weapon or tool of trade would signify him a man. Today, a natural necklace with some souvenir from his first hunt (a chip of antler, a small fishing fly with the hook removed, or a grain or berry dried from his first harvest) would do just as well.

As soon as he is recognized as such, the new man will also be encouraged to participate in new household and civic duties. For instance, he may be asked to First Foot a home on the first hour of the New Year, blessing it with a loaf of bread, a pocket of change, a bottle of Scotch. He can become that dashing Lothaire described in the aforementioned bundling sequence. He can participate in the Games at Lugnassadh, help to wrap the Maypole at Bealtaine, milk an ewe and partake of that milk at Imbolc , and recite tales of wonder to the younger generations at Samhain time. In all, the coming of age to both sexes reveals a new world of accountability and honor, of freedom and passion, and gives a roller coaster ride they will never forget.

*In reconstructionist families that do not hunt, then apply agrarian qualities to the rules for hunting, and instead of a hunting trip, have the young man plant a garden or raise an animal to eat.

Sources:

The Carmina Gadelica -- A. Carmichael

The Silver Bough -- F.M. Mc Neill

Scottish Customs From The Cradle To The Grave -- M. Benett

The Highlands Of Scotland, Their Origin, History, and Antiquities With a Sketch of Their Manner and Customs -- William Forbes Skene

It’s An Old Scottish Custom -- Neil Mac Callum

The Celts -- N. Chadwick

The Domestic Life of Scotland in the 18th Century -- Marjorie Plant

prepared by Sítheag Nic Trantham bean Bochanan

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