Imini emandi kuwe! (Happy Birthday)
Birthday Traditions In Africa!
Where In The World Is Africa?
Africa is
- located underneath the continent of Europe
- next to the continent of Asia
Africa is
- a very large, warm continent known for its exotic animals.
Group Birthdays?
In Africa, an initiation ceremony is held for a group of children rather than one child. This teaches the young African children unity, since they each have to help. with their own birthday parties.
African Boys
Masai boys around thirteen years old to seventeen undergo a two stage initiation. The first stage lasts about three months. The boys leave their parents' homes, paint their bodies white, and are taught how to become young warriors. At the end of this stage they have their heads shaved and they are also circumcised.
African Girls
The girls are initiated when they are fourteen or fifteen. They are taught by the older women about the duties of marriage and how to care for babies. Soon after that they are married and lead a life similar to that of their mothers.
Both
When both the boys and girls reach a certain designated age they learn the laws, beliefs, customs, songs and dances of their tribes.
Presents and Gifts
- All gifts that are exchanged are usually handmade of handcrafted.
- This represents that all gifts are heartfelt and sincere.