Finally, participants would endure a grueling race around the village called “the last race,” with weights and skewers still in place, to determine who among them was the strongest.
Those finishing the ceremony were viewed as being honored by the spirits; those completing the ceremony twice would gain everlasting fame among the tribe.
The last Okipa ceremony was performed in 1889. According to sources, the Mandans were the first people to suspend humans by their skin and are responsible for many of the suspension methods people presently use.
2. Sati: A Woman Immolates on Her Husband’s Funeral Pyre (India)
3. Day of the Dead: Picnicking at the Gravesite (Mexico)
Scholars trace the origins of the modern Mexican holiday rite to indigenous observances dating back hundreds of years and to an Aztec festival dedicated to the goddess Mictecacihuatl.
4. Cleansing Rite: Stabbing the Tongue, Inserting Reeds into the Nose, and Sticking Wooden Canes into the Throat (Papua New Guinea)
The diver crosses his arms over his chest to help prevent injury to the arms. The head is tucked in so his shoulders can contact the ground. Therefore, the diver risks a number of injuries, such as a broken neck or a concussion. During the dive, the jumper can reach speeds of around 45 mph. Right after a dive, other villagers rush in and take care of the diver.
The tradition has developed into a tourist attraction.
6. Human Sacrifice: Cut a Person Open from Throat to Stomach and Rip out Their Heart as an Offering to the Gods (Aztec)
Because the objective of Aztec warfare was to capture victims alive for human sacrifice, battle tactics were designed primarily to injure the enemy rather than kill him. Slaves could also be used for human sacrifice, but only if the slave was considered lazy and had been resold three times.
7. Santeria’s Initiation: Sacrificial Blood and Other Potent Substances (Caribbean)
To become a full-fledged Santero or Santera (Priest or Priestess of Santería), the initiator goes through what is called a cleansing ritual. The initiator’s godfather cleanses the head with special herbs and water. Once cleansed, there are four major rituals that the initiator will have to undergo.The first initiation ritual is known as the acquisition of the beaded necklaces. The elekes necklace is bathed in a mixture of herbs, sacrificial blood, and other potent substances for the initiated, and they serve as a sacred point of contact with Orichás.
The second important ritual is the creation of an image of the orichá Eleguá, a sculpture that is used to keep evil spirits away from the initiator’s home.
The third ritual, known as the “receiving of the warrior,” begins a formal and lifelong relationship that the initiate will have with these Orichás, as the orichás devote their energy to protecting and providing for the initiate on their path.
The last ritual is a process of purification and divination whereby the initiated becomes like a newborn baby and begins a new life of deeper growth within the faith.
Once the initiation is completed there is a year-long waiting period, in which the newly appointed Priest and Priestess cannot perform cleansings and other remedies. It is a time when they must follow a strict regimen of wearing all white and avoiding physical contact with those who have not been initiated. Once the waiting period has been completed there will be an end of year ceremony, which will enable the Priest or Priestess to consult clients, perform cleansings, provide remedies, and perform initiations.
The origins of the tradition are unknown, but it is said to cleanse the babies of original sin, ensure them safe passage through life, and guard against illness and evil spirits.
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