Top 3 Initiation Rites

           When I googled "painful initiation rites" I found the first website was "10 Incredibly Painful Rites of Initiation," and the first two initiation rites found on the page were "Sepik Scarification" (cutting back to look like a crocodile) and "Naghol - Land Diving"(bungee jumping from the tower). This may or may not be one of the reasons why these two traditions were told so often in class. 

           The "bullet ant" initiation was told the most numerous times over the three day period. The third website listed as a result of the search was titled " Paraponera - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, and had the description "The pain caused by this insect's sting is purported to be greater than that of any other... The goal of this initiation rite is to keep the glove on for a full ten minutes." Considering the assignment was to choose an initiation practice that was painful, I can see why a person might choose this tradition due to the convincing website description. 


Beyond these speculations, I would like to look closer at the myths themselves. The bullet ant and the sepik scarification are both extremely painful, and unique. The scarification is very interesting because it creates the a look of a crocodile, that is deemed desirable in that culture because the process leaves the young man behind, leaving the man.  This is surely an example of the transformation that comes with initiation. This sort of rite seems to be practiced in modern cultures....the age for an individual to get a tattoo on his/her own in Montana is 16. And interestingly enough, today, some people are using this form of cutting to produce tattoos. 

The bullet ant initiation, besides being incredibly painful in a surprising way, is captivating because the initiates actually hunt the ants and sedate them so they may be woven into gloves. Then the gloves are worn for 10 minutes, all the while the initiates are to show no sign of pain or agony. Although this may seem unproductive, this rite allows boys to pass from boyhood to manhood. If I were to consider a right of passage for young boys, I would never be so creative as to think of this. It is thrilling to think of how this came to be so important in their culture. 

As for the land-diver myth, this is so relatable to us today because of the prevalence of bungee jumping. Rather than being for fun; however, this is for the dignity of men and the tribe, and is high-stakes, since the divers can lose their lives. The high-stakes elements of this initiation right, as well as other high-stakes activities, makes it thrilling, frightening, and interesting.