By Nicole Ouellette and Chase Leuenberger 5th Hour
El
Quince
Años
celebración-
also
known
as
Fiesta
Quinceañera, Quinces or Fiesta Rosa – es una tradición muy popular en la mayoría de los países de América Latina. The Fiesta Quinceanera marks the right of passage from girlhood to young womanhood. Each country and/or community has a slight variation of the celebración, but it generally consists of una gran fiesta with the Quinceañera as the focus of the event. For this special day, the girl wears a very elaborate dress, usually in a pastel color. Most parties also include a waltz, que la chica baila con su padre, el hermano mayor o otro familiar varón.
Nowadays, many girls want a less formal party and some even take a trip with family and/or friends as an alternative to the traditional "quince".
La Quincea単era: a celebration of budding womanhood The transition from childhood to womanhood is a significant passage for adolescent girls in almost all cultures. In Mexico, it is marked with the celebration of the Quincea単era, or 15th Birthday. From a north-of-the-border viewpoint, it may be seen as a cross between Sweet Sixteen and a debutante's coming out party. The
celebration is a way to acknowledge that a young woman has reached sexual maturity and is of age to get married. The most important component of the celebration is a Misa de acción de gracias (thanksgiving Mass). The birthday girl arrives in a fancy full-length dress. Next to her are her padres (parents) and padrinos (godparents), she is specially seated at the foot of the altar throughout the service. She may be accompanied by up to seven damas (maids of honor). At the end of the mass younger sisters, cousins and friends pass out bolos (commemorative favors) to those in attendance, while the quinceañera deposits her bouquet on the altar honoring the Virgin Mary or Virgen de Guadalupe.
Los orígenes de las celebraciones de quinceañera de México siguen siendo desconocidas, aunque las raíces bien puede estar en la época de los aztecas. Regardless of how the tradition originated, the celebration of the quinceañera remains as one of the rites of passage that keeps the bonds of the Mexican family strong. Its fancy frills and frosting abide as rich ingredients for a niña's dulces sueños.
References: http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/3192-la-quincea%C3%B1era-a-celebrationof-budding-womanhood
http://www.explore-hispanic-culture.com/hispanic-traditions.html http://www.quinceanera-boutique.com/quinceanera-traditions-pg-6.html