Education

Transitioning from childhood to the adult world is a time to be celebrated and introduced to a new way of BE-ing for both girls and boys… a practice not commonly emphasised in Australian culture. There is perhaps no other time in one’s life that such a significant change takes place, not just within the magnitudes of physical and mental planes but also in societal status. At 18 we are officially considered adult, but many Australian adolescents at this age would describe their experience as being far from ready for adulthood and the responsibility that comes with it.

But ‘Coming of Age’ rituals are a distinguished part of life around the world, stretching across many years for multiple cultures… the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania mark this period of life for boys with an initiation where the new “warrior class” stepping into manhood sleep outside in the forest the night before ceremony and awake at dawn for a day of singing and dancing. Is this a crucial missing element in our society for the successful transitional passage of a youth leaving their child self behind and entering into adulthood? Louise Flaherty thinks so, listen here as we chat about what she is doing to help Adelaide youth get deeper in touch with their personal power and enable them to become strong, contributing members of our society.

Image by: Julia Caesar on Unsplash