ISALC: ESL 411: College Prep. Reading/Writing - Spring 1998
Diversity and Civil Rights in the U.S.

The age of 16 was very special to all boys in our society. We have manhood training when people become 16 and all boys in our society had to have manhood training. We are trained as a man mentally and physically. From that moment, we are treated as man. It was our traditional celebration. However, I did not know exactly how to be a man and what was the significance of being a man. What would be changed if I would become a man? At the age of 16 draws near, I have had expectation and anxiety for the manhood training . I had heard a little about it, but it made me feel nervous, anyway.

That day came suddenly. After I talked to my mother, I went into my house. My view was obstructed, and somebody covered my head with a piece of cloth. I was confused by what happened to me in the darkness, but soon realized that was for manhood training. I was led by someone through the forest. I could not see anything but I could smell the forest which I had always smelled since I was born. It smelled like green which belonged to a grass land. I played in the forest every day when I was child, so I knew that I was not taken far away. The only sound I heard was the beating of my heart, loudly as if it were a drum.

When the piece of cloth was taken off, the sun was so bright that I was dazzled. I saw many boys lined up and a man who was tall and looked strong and the other men who I had known from neighboring villages were standing in front of us. One man was a wrestling teacher. Everybody seemed to be nervous and listened carefully to what the man said. I could not imagine what was going to happen. When we were asked who was gong to be the first to challenge him, I hesitated, because I thought I was going to be killed. But, I gathered up my courage and decided to challenge him. I could not imagine how I could attack him, but I had to challenge him. Every time I made an attack on him, I was flung away on the ground, like a thrown ball. I tried it again and again. I had the taste of earth in my mouth and the air was full of flying grit. I did not feel pain. As I was flung away, my fighting spirit came out. I felt that I didn't want to be beaten. However, he was so strong and tough. It seemed that it was impossible to beat him. I felt that to be a man was a difficult job and I wondered whether or not I could be a man. I was so exhausted after wrestling that I was unsteady on my feet. But, I didn't feel anxiety or fear any more. I gained confidence gradually and I was satisfied with what I had done for manhood training.

After manhood training ended, I realized that something had changed. When I talked to my mother as usual, I noticed that our relationship had changed. We were not parent and child any more and we could never talk as before. I loved my mother very much She had raised me and taught me everything. That was the very moment when I recognized that my life was going to change obviously as I became a man. I saw the sadness in her eyes, too. I felt that I had lost something important in return for becoming a man. When she hugged me tight, I thought it would never happen to me. Being a man has a meaning of independence from parents and I had to live and do everything by myself. On the other hand, I was so excited about my future. I could get my own life and house. I thought I could do anything I want. My new life had just begun and nobody could know that some of us would be caught by white men and be separated from our family. I could not imagine my life was going to change; I just had expected my life would continue going well in to the future.

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Created by: krauss@lclark.edu
Updated: 3/14/98