Adolescent Identity Formation and Rites of Passage: The Navajo Kinaaldá Ceremony for Girls
Author(s)
Markstrom, Carol A.; Iborra, Alejandro
Abstract
Psychosocial and anthropological conceptions of adolescent identity formation are reviewed relative to identity formation of American Indian adolescents. The Dunham, Kidwell, and Wilson (1986) ritual process paradigm, an extension of van Gennep’s (1908/1960) tripartite rites of passage model, is presented as a useful approach to examine identity transformations embedded in pubertal coming-of-age ceremonies. The rich array of rituals that constitute rites of passage ceremonies are argued to lead to optimal identity formation as delineated by Erikson (1968, 1987a). To illustrate a synthesis between psychosocial and anthropological approaches, the Navajo female pubertal coming-of-age ceremony called Kinaaldá is described and analyzed using the published literature, observations of two ceremonies, and discussions with experts on the topic. It is concluded that through a series of complex rituals, an identity is ascribed to the young woman that connects her and transforms her into the primary female supernatural being of the culture.
