Menarche Celebration

Welcoming those who have had their first Moon Time. Celebrating this potent threshold in the lives of young women by honoring them, telling stories of our first blood, and giving them pampering and permission to rest.

On Mayday weekend of 2013, I held a Welcoming Women ceremony for my daughter and her friend, both members of our Pink Tent circle. This was a celebration to welcome the girls to womanhood by honoring the arrival of their menses.

In our home, we began the day by taking Martina into our Temple and keeping her isolated, within the bosom of her matriarchal lineage, all morning. My mom, my older daughter and I were all there with Martina for the morning. We hand fed her, treating her like an infant, on her way to being born into womanhood. We coddled and massaged, did fingernails and brushed her hair. Then, when the arrival of guests was imminent, we walked her inside to dress in her red clothes, with a circlet of flowers for her hair.

For the ceremony, the Red Tent mothers gathered around a fire in our back yard. Each woman brought a gift--a basket of red or pink items like fingernail polish and lip gloss, or whatever gift the giver deemed appropriate. Along with the gifts of things, each woman offered a gift of words--welcoming or advice on being a women or a reminder than though they were now officially women, to remember that they were still young and should continue to enjoy the gifts of youth. We sang. I read a poem to each of them. The girls were the stars at the center of a circle of women, all dressed in symbolic red, who focused on just those two for the duration of the ceremony.

Meanwhile, the men and younger siblings were preparing the Maypole and feast! When the women's circle opened, we all went inside to congratulations and welcomes from the adult men. We feasted.

Some of the helpers had gotten the Maypole, a large pine tree, rigged with a frame and enough ribbons for all. After the feast, we all went outside to weave the tree.

We spent the afternoon enjoying the company of friends, chatting and laughing and nibbling on leftovers from the feast. It was a beautiful day and, I hope, a small thing that will help empower girls to love themselves and their bodies.
Thanks, Suzanne, for many of the pictures.
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