The Quinceañera: A Latin American Celebration of Womanhood

1. Click to advance to the next page La Quineañera ~Señora Prouty~ primavera del año 2008

2. La Quinceañera • The Quinceañera or Quince Años is a Latin American girl’s 15th birthday. • This celebration is much more important than other birthdays because it commemorates a girl’s right of passage into womanhood. • “Fifteen was the age when many young women left their family home to become wives and then mothers, and almost as though passing through an invisible door, a Latina enters her Quinceañera as a child, but emerges as a young woman with new responsibilities. Those who know and love her will see and treat her differently from that day forward.” Panchita Davila, dressmaker and planner of the traditional Quinceañera in “Quinceañera- A celebration of Latina womanhood” Voices the Journal of New York Folklore Let’s compare this to U.S. traditions

3. U.S. birthday traditions • In the U.S., the 16th birthday is one of the most important birthdays. • We call it “Sweet 16.” • 16 is traditionally the age when young people get their driver’s license. So, that in itself is a right of passage into adulthood because it comes with such responsibility. • Sweet 16 may be celebrated as just another birthday or at least a little more special than others in most families. • However, in some cases, a family throws a really big party in a hall and the birthday girl (usually a bigger deal for girls than boys) can invite lots of friends to party the night away.

4. Contrasting U.S. “Sweet 16” with Latin American “Quinceañera” • Many Latin American families spend most of their life savings on the Quinceañeras of their daughters. Sometimes they even take out $50,000+ loans to pay for them (parents spend the rest of their lives paying back the loans)! $$$!!! • Sweet 16 parties usually cost less than their graduation party in the U.S. Only the rich upper-class would have a wedding-sized budget for their kids’ Sweet 16 parties. Ready to take a quiz?

5. Click on the correct answer… Why is Quinceañera so important to Latin American families? a. It signifies their daughter’s marriage. b. It is their children’s Sweet 16th Birthday party. c. It is a celebration to show their daughter is growing up. d. It is a Catholic “spiritually coming of age” ceremony called bar mitzvah.

6. Let’s review the definition of a Quinceañera again No, Incorrecto

7. Click here when you are ready to take the quiz. La Quinceañera • The Quinceañera or Quince Años is a Latin American girl’s 15th birthday. • This celebration is much more important than other birthdays because it commemorates a girl’s right of passage into womanhood.

8. Let’s read more about HOW Latin American families celebrate Quinceañera Sí, Perfecto

9. Quinceañera traditions… • Most families start planning the 15th birthday party as soon as their daughter turns 14. Some even earlier! • The planning seems more like a wedding than a birthday party… • they book a hall, a DJ and usually a traditional band/orchestra too! • And reserve their family church (remember Latin Americans are mostly Catholic, of course they would include the church in any celebration!) • choose a bouquet and flower arrangements for the church & the hall • decide on a caterer, set the menu, order the cake & desserts • ask her friends to accompany her (usually around 7 girls [damas-ladies] and 7 guys [caballeros-gentleman] and her boyfriend/friend escort!) • find the perfect dress & dresses for her damas (then go to endless fittings to get the dresses tailored just right) • decide the guest list of family & friends(can’t invite the whole school!) • and send out invitations Ready to take a quiz? Re-read this page if necessary • and many more details!

10. Which is Click on the statement… NOTtrue a. The quinceañera girl chooses girlfriends & guy friends to “stand-up” in her party, like bridesmaids and groomsmen and one boy to “escort” her. b. The family books a hall, a church, and a DJ for the event. c. Most Latin American families include extra details such as party decorations, flowers, and a bouquet for the birthday girl. d. Families don’t like to spend more than they can afford, so they usually don’t feed the guests dinner. Instead, they just serve cocktails.

11. Let’s review the Quinceañera traditions again. This time, take the time to read every line carefully before moving on to the next page. On the quiz, you are choosing the statement that is NOT true. No, Incorrecto

12. This statement is untrue. You remembered that families spend more than they can afford and a lot of money goes to cater the event. Let’s read about differences in Latin American countries’ Quinceañera celebrations Sí, fantástico

13. Of course, different countries have additional traditions. Click on a country to learn about their Quinceañera traditions Once you’ve read all of the links, be ready for a quiz. You can go back & re-read them if you need to before your quiz. When you’re ready raise your hand for the paper quiz.

14. In Peru, the major differences in traditions include… • The quinceañera goes down a staircase while a song she had chosen is being played. At the bottom, 15 boys await, each with a rose or other flower, while 15 girls await with candles. The quinceañera then takes a flower and blows a candle until she has gathered all the flowers and blown out all the candles. • Then, she goes to the dancing area, where she dances a waltz with her father, godfather and/or grandfather. Then she may dance with her boyfriend, her date, to a waltz or song of her choice.

15. In Cuba, the major differences in traditions include… • The Quinceañera used to be just for the wealthy, who could afford to rent luxurious halls at country clubs or 5-star hotels and to hire choreographers. Now, lower-income families have parties too. They just cannot afford the same display of wealth. • The Cuban Quinceañera usually includes a choreographed (designed & practiced) group dance, in which 15 couples waltz around her, led by one of the top dancers or her boyfriend.

16. In Hispanic families in the United States, the major differences in traditions include… • Many family members and the Padrinos (Godparents) of the quinceañera contribute funds for the special day. • “The Changing of the Shoes” is unique to the U.S. a symbolic act showing the transformation from girl to woman. • “For the ceremony in the church, two little kids are chosen to carry the pillows. The boy carries a pillow with the shoes, her first high heels, and the little girl carries a heart-shaped pillow with the crown. The girl’s father switches her shoes, from the flats she arrived in, to the high heels she will leave in.” Panchita Davila, Voices the Journal of New York Folklore • and of course at the party they dance the waltz!

17. In Puerto Rico, the major differences in traditions include… • Taking classes at the church before her birthday • promising to wait until marriage to have sex. “On the day she is to become a woman, Monica Reyes sits in front of the church for Mass. The priest urges her to live as a daughter of God, reminding her of the lessons she learned in the four-week class leading up to the event. The classes combine Catholicism 101 with a strong pro-chastity message. Near the end of the service, Reyes lays a bouquet of roses before a statue of the Virgin Mary. Then she steps through the worn, wooden doors of St. Joseph’s, a Roman Catholic parish for generations of poor farm workers and into a 20-seat white Hummer limo that rents for $150 an hour headed to her big party.” Eric Gorski in “Hispanic girls get a huge party and a chastity lesson”The Journal Gazette in Denver, • and of course at the party they dance the waltz!

18. In El Salvador, the major differences in traditions include… • A name change, instead of Quinceañera, they call it “Fiesta Rosa” because the birthday girl wears a pink gown • The traditional waltz is first danced solely by the quinceañera and her father. • Then all of her damas dance around her date showcasing the center of attention. • For the third dance, she may choose somebody special (such as a brother, cousin or friend), or throw a bouquet, in which case the boy who catches it may dance with her.