Bullet Ant Initiation

One of the most significant and memorable moments for someone has to be their transition from childhood to adulthood, or as people call it, “coming of age”. Different cultures around the world have their own coming of age customs, like the Jewish Bar and Bat Mitzvah, the Sateré-Mawé Bullet Ant Initiation, or the sweet 16 in the United States. Similar to the latter, in Latin America we celebrate quinceañeras or quince años. As little girls we dream of reaching the age of fifteen to transition into young women and celebrate this big day. Three and a half years later it is nearly impossible for me to forget the preparation, the actual celebration, and more specifically, the dance of my quince años.
To my family and I, this was the one day in

which absolutely nothing could go wrong, so for a party this big of course there was some preparation involved. What I was most excited about was choosing the dress I would be wearing on the big day. Oh, that huge, beautiful, and quite heavy, purple dress! It took long weeks of modifications before we finally got the perfect fit, and the result was well worth the wait. After checking the gown off the list, we had to choose what music we would like for our guests during the event and we settled on banda during the first four hours, and a sonido, or DJ, for the rest of the night. All that was left was deciding on which party hall we wanted the party to take place, however, my brother-in-law had already taken the initiative and scheduled “La Hacienda” for June 29th. Certainly, there was a lot more to the preparation for the quince, but these are the things that I remember the most. Having everything ready, all we had to do was patiently wait for the big festivity, which was a few months ahead.
Finally the big day arrived after much anticipation, and we were all ready for the immense celebration ahead.

I clearly remember being woken up by Ma at five-thirty in the morning so I could take a shower and proceed to getting ready. Several hours later, after having my hair and makeup finished, and having put on the dress, we were ready to head out. I didn’t dare catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror until I was ready to leave, and I remember feeling something cold run swiftly down my spine as I stared into the reflection of a girl I could hardly recognize. Still astounded by that encounter, we walked to our local temple for a brief ceremony before heading to “La Hacienda”, where family and friends were already waiting for us. The moment I stepped into the vivid garden of the venue, the world around me came to an abrupt stop. I inhaled the fresh floral scent that completely filled my lungs, and what was left of my consciousness could only distinguish specks of silver and purple from the decorations. When I returned from the trance, I was welcomed by the clapping hands of our guests as the banda played “Las Mañanitas”. We steadily walked over to our table and after getting set up we made a toast and proceeded to having our meals. This was just the beginning of a very long day, as later on in the evening we would begin the dance, which was very special to me in many

ways.
The baile, or the dance definitely has to be one of the most memorable moments of my quince años.

It started off with the waltz as the banda began to play a steady beat that my dad and I danced to while everyone gazed. During this precise moment, I studied my father’s eyes and noticed a sparkle I had never before seen in his usually cold stare. It was such a heartwarming sensation I have not felt since then, and I could totally understand why many girls get emotional while sharing this moment with their paternal figures. But we had to move on, and after my dad it was my godfather’s turn to dance with me, followed by uncles, aunts, cousins and friends. I got to spend a few minutes with the people I care so much about, and they all took this time to demonstrate their unconditional love and support. After roughly two hours, the waltz came to an end, but the fun was just about to begin for us and our guests when the DJ began playing some norteñas to commence the night. As soon as “Los Tigres Del Norte” emerged from the gigantic speakers, everyone left their seats and rushed to the dance floor, showing off their best moves. People danced like there was no tomorrow, from norteñas and huapangos to cumbias and pasito satevo. And what better way to bring this stunning night to an end than by doing our favorite line dances! We could definitely not leave “El Payaso del Rodeo”out of this one! We all enjoyed this night to the fullest, and without a doubt this was going to be one to

remember for as long as I live.
Coming of age traditions are quite meaningful and memorable, as well as unique, for each individual. As of today, my quinceañera has been one of the most unforgettable experiences I’ve had. My family and I wanted to make sure the day went by as smooth and easygoing as possible, thus we spent quite a lot of time taking preparatory measures. When the day finally arrived, it was already special since the moment we stepped on the party hall accompanied by all our loved ones. Last but definitely not least, how could I possibly forget the baile towards the end of the day? It was the most amazing moment I had experienced at that time and if I could, I would definitely do it again. I most certainly look forward to let my daughters live this wonderful experience once they reach fifteen, when they become quinceañeras.