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Bis Burunko/Gender and Age: Difference between revisions
→Youth
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====Youth==== | ====Youth==== | ||
Once a child fully enters puberty (usually after a female's first menstruation and male's first ejaculation), they will undergo a public initiation into youth, which includes the assigning of gender and the giving of an adult name. | Once a child fully enters puberty (usually after a female's first menstruation and male's first ejaculation), they will undergo a public initiation into youth, which includes the assigning of gender and the giving of an adult name. This is a period of growth and learning, in which people of certain classes or bound for certain roles are often fostered by another of the same gender. | ||
Assigned females are now called '''''madash''''' 'girl, lass', males are called '''''goi''''' 'boy, lad' and middle gender '''''poda''''' 'youth'. | Assigned females are now called '''''madash''''' 'girl, lass', males are called '''''goi''''' 'boy, lad' and middle gender '''''poda''''' 'youth'. | ||
Adult names ('''''gyo''''') are composed of two elements, chosen according to a person's gender and designed to give a sense of a person's talents or personality. The elements might consist of animal or plant names, natural phenomena, landscape features, weapons or war-related words, positive adjectives and titles. Some families might use one element in the names of all their children, often taken from one of the parents' or grandparents' names. | Adult names ('''''gyo''''') are composed of two elements, chosen according to a person's gender and designed to give a sense of a person's talents or personality. The elements might consist of animal or plant names, natural phenomena, landscape features, weapons or war-related words, positive adjectives and titles. Some families might use one element in the names of all their children, often taken from one of the parents' or grandparents' names. | ||
An individual's adult name replaces his/her ''gyomi'' as their public name, although childhood names are often retained as nicknames within family and friendship groups. It is usually considered disrespectful to use an adult's ''gyomi'' in a public context, or for strangers and acquaintances. | |||
====Adulthood==== | |||
Adulthood is generally reached about the age of 17, although this varies according to the personal development of the individual. The timing is usually decided by parents, elders and the individual. Another initiation ceremony marks official entry to adulthood, after which the person is legally free from their parents, able to marry as they wish and forms a fully fledged member of society. | |||
The specific words for adults are '''''xoz''''' 'woman', '''''gyong''''' or '''''gis''''' 'man' and '''''búrus''''' 'adult ''haya'''. | |||
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