We went to several High School Graduation celebrations here. It made me think of all the rituals we participate in, from family traditions to cultural rituals that have been passed down for generations. Some are worthy of repeating and others...... It probably should be qualified by the purpose and intent in which we perform them. Some, which have symbolic meaning, have been lost through laziness in keeping of the tradition and not passing on to younger generations the meaning, purpose and value of them. I find the Hawaiian culture is consistent in keeping of the traditions of their culture and remembering their heritage and the rituals performed by ancestors. They celebrate, -in a big way- the First birthday of a child because of the joy in nurturing a child that has lived past the first fragile year of life, and then the graduation from High School because of the few who persist and endure through the process to the end. It is a great accomplishment. It also reminds you of the deep roots of family and all members in contributing to the raising of a child to an adult.
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(The Money Dance-to pay for the party!)
(The Graduation table-whole roasted pigs and all.)
(Tongan rug given by families to graduated student)
If a tradition brings a sense of family or a ritual (like the Sacrament) brings you closer to, or reminds you of Christ, then it is worthy of participating in. Many things can also remind us of Christ, if we look for and see Him in all around us. But like the example of the sacrament, unless done with prayer, pondering, remembrance and true intent when performed, it is just bread and water. A rock is just a rock~ till you see God in the beauty and the skill in it's creation and your thoughts, then in turn, remind you of Him.
In generations past, people participated in the ritual of putting a penny in their shoe to "remind" them every time they would feel it. The growl in our stomach when we have fasted and skipped several meals is to remind us of "why" or the intent of our fast. To even desire or want for any food is replaced by another higher purpose. If no purpose is presented at the beginning of the fast, you are skipping meals and starving for no reason. There is no purpose or meaning and desire is lost.
In a ceremony for elementary graduation, many dances were performed and the highlight for the ceremony was a dance performed by a young girl about the culture here. I found myself unexpectedly brought to tears as I watched how she danced with beauty and grace in her movements and the story she told with music and dance. It was a moving expression of tradition filled with symbolic meaning that was being passed to the younger generation, not to be lost.
I find it is easier to "be still" here, the pace is slower. To see him in the beauty around me, in the people, and in all things. I am learning and developing traditions and worthy rituals. I hope there will be things that I teach and pass on to my children and others that has purpose, symbolic meaning and brings them closer to Christ that will be a treasured tradition.
