Quinceañera

Recently Shelby and I took a walk down the main street of Chula Vista, which is located seven miles north of the border with Mexico.  We didn’t have to walk too far to figure out the main business in this older section of downtown: weddings and quinceañeras.

Quinceañera means “one who is fifteen” in Spanish.  It is a tradition in Latin American countries to celebrate a girl’s fifteenth birthday with a party to announce that the girl (referred to as the quince) is transitioning from childhood to womanhood.

If the girl is Catholic, the celebration begins with a Thanksgiving Mass.  The quince wears a formal dress--traditionally white or light pink, although that has changed in recent years.  During the mass, she is given a tiara (to symbolize that she is a princess to her family and a princess before God). She usually receives a gift of a rosary or a locket depicting the Virgin of Guadalupe.  At the end of the mass, the quince may leave a bouquet of flowers for the Virgin Mary.

Next, the birthday girl, accompanied by her parents, godparents, and a court of her peers, arrives at a celebration.  In downtown Chula Vista there are banquet halls to rent for such occasions.    

Two symbolic events occur before the meal and dancing.  First, “La Ultima Muñeca” which means “the last doll.”  Based on a Mayan tradition, the girl receives a doll as a birthday gift.  The girl rejects the doll, signifying that she is finished with dolls and one step closer to adulthood.  The second custom is the changing of the shoes.  During the reception, the girl’s father changes her shoes from flats to heels.  Again, this symbolizes her growing maturity.  

Traditionally, the quinceañera also marks the first time the girl dances in public.  Back in the day, the quince would also wear makeup for the first time to her party. However, in today’s society, it’s likely this is not the first time the girl has worn high heels or makeup.  

In a society where girls seem to grow up so quickly watching the bad behavior of  the Kardashians and reality-celebs from the Jersey Shore, it’s affirming to see that there are traditions that acknowlege the rite of passage from childhood to adulthood.