"Boy who followed the Spartan code: He captured a live fox and intended to eat it. Although boys were encouraged to scrounge for food, they were punished if caught. The boy noticed some Spartan soldiers coming, and hid the fox beneath his shirt. When the soldiers confronted him, he allowed the fox to chew into his stomach rather than confess, and showed no sign of pain in his body or face. This was the Spartan way." - History Whiz
Ok, so I have to admit what originally sparked my interest for the way the Spartan society raised their boys into male citizens was the blockbuster film "300." As horribly over CGI'd and testosterone injected and historically inaccurate as the film is, it did cause me to want to research the subject and it did result in some very interesting evaluations on the way coming of age traditions were handled and the priorities of the Spartan society.
At the age of 7, a spartan boy is taken from his family and sent to live with other boys and learn how to be independent and fight as a soldier. This experience would toughen them enough so that when they turned 20, they would be able to pass the test to graduate from their military training and become citizens of Sparta. They would stay as a full time soldier till the age of 30 and after that they would still train till the age of 60.
The key to Sparta's legacy and fame among other Greek nations and even in today's society comes from their focus in society of physical strength and incredible elite army. All of this knowledge that was passed down orally and through greek records speaks to the way Spartans always made strength a priority. The coming of age test in Spartan society is the key to deciding the strength of a Spartan. The actual test was to send the Spartan man-to-be out in the wilderness without food or water and have him show he can use is abilities to fend for himself. This coming of age ritual is similar to the Native American ritual where the boy is sent out to the wilderness without resources to find there spirit animal, although most of the time this was just a hallucination due the lack of eating and drinking for long periods of time.
The coming of age tradition in Sparta is a type of folk knowledge that we practice today although of course not to that extreme. I personally am on my own quest to show I can be independent and fend for myself. I am not finding a spirit animal, but I hope to come closer to my savior Jesus Christ and also find my own identity, educationally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The folk knowledge of practicing the tradition of sending ones child off to become a man is practiced in many cultures, and they are all trying to do what the Spartans were (minus the soldier part in most cases). The practice of sending a boy to become a man in Sparta is interesting because of its extreme measures, but it also provides an example for societies to come, such as our own.
I do think it's important to know that at some point we have to set out on our own, for ourselves. I've heard stories that even into several years of college, some parents are calling or visiting their children's professors to complain about grades... which really shouldn't happen too often at our age. So, though I agree with you that the Spartan "coming of age" method is extreme, I also believe that we should recognize when we need to take charge of our own life.
ReplyDeleteAlong those same lines, it seems that many cultures have some kind of 'manhood' or 'coming of age' tradition, at least in their historical past, but we really don't do anything too much like that that I can think of. Maybe the new non-emphasis on rites of passage has led to things like the 'hovering college students' parents' syndrome - we just aren't sure when it's time to move on anymore.
Wow, the Spartans were pretty intense. Especially all that about hiding the fox under their shirt and letting it chew on them without showing pain? I'm sure the Spartans would win the TV show "Silent Library" hands down. I'm glad none of the coming of age rituals I'm familiar with today are that extreme. I don't know about there being any manhood coming of age rituals that exist today, but I am quite familiar with one for womanhood. In the Mexican Catholic religion, when a girl turns fifteen, she has a Quinceanera, a celebration of her becoming a woman. This is traditionally the first time the girl can wear make-up and have her hair cut. While one of my friends actually waited until she was fifteen to do these things, the rest did not. It is a huge deal where I live and usually costs as much as a fancy wedding. My little sister is so excited because one of her good friends invited her to be one of the damas, or one of the fourteen girls that escort her and are part of the quince.
ReplyDeleteSpartans, haha! Awesome post, Andrew. Anything about these guys captures my attention. The other day in my American Heritage class we were discussing ancient liberty; in Sparta, at age thirty, males became full citizens and joined the popular assembly. Between this time and age forty-five, they were expected to marry. Males who failed to do so were fined and ordered to walk naked through the marketplace on a certain winter day every year, singing songs about their shame, and it was justified because they had broken the law. Haha, Sparta expected a lot from its citizens. I don't know if we are sent off an a rite of passage at BYU because we are all expected, or at least persuaded, to marry early on, but it is true that like the Spartans, college students are sent to college so they can learn. In the words of the ancient Greek philosophers, "Know thyself." We do not live in a world that is as harsh as it was in Sparta; nevertheless, it is a cruel world, full of disappointment and oftentimes heartbreak. However, I thoroughly enjoying coming to know myself at BYU, because I know that I'm doing it in the context of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeleteSam noted on how our culture doesn't really have anything like a "growing up" test. Our "Sweet Sixteen" is the closest comparison that we have things such as Quineaneras. So, that may have faded a little bit within our society, but how about within the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I don't think anybody would argue that a mission is your "coming of age" party and rite of passage in the church. Every missionary, good or bad, is labeled as an RM and the blessings just seem to flow : ) I would say that serving a mission is one of the strongest folk knowledge applications there is. We grow up singing "Called to Serve" and "I Hope They Call Me on a Mission". We grew up writing letters to our siblings or friends who were serving missions, just waiting for our name to be called so that we could join in the fun. RM's come back so "grown up"...they transform from 19 year-old boys to 21 year-old MEN. I can't remember ever having a certain moment where I decided that I should go on a mission. It was just the "tradition"...my brothers served missions. My Dad served one too. So, it just seemed like the thing to do. I think that fits perfectly with fold knowledge.
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