The concept of initiation is common to all eras and cultures. Derived from the Latin verb initiare (“introduce,” “induct”), it denotes induction into an office or admission to a social status or a group. It denotes both an initiation ritual and the totality of initiation rites (Ritual). It is often used as a synonym for rites of passage, but the terms overlap only partially.
Since the late 19th century, the initiation rites of indigenous and non-European peoples have especially interested sch…