Beverages: rites and rituals

Alcohol and other beverages have been part of the people lifestyle for centuries.

Beverages form parts of the cycles of humans and integrated to birth, rites of passage, coming to age, marriage and death.

Variations among societies in the quantities, form, circumstances, and other features of drinking are not likely to be capricious but, rather may be expected to be related to the whole culture.

The birth of children worldwide is celebrated by offering beverages to guests who come to visit and inspect the newborn.

Coming of age, that mysterious and dangerous life, is also marked by beverages in different societies. At 21, the question of maturity arises in many American youth, some of whom, with the incautious abandon of youth, couple with lack of awareness of physiology, celebrate their 21st birthday by downing 21 shots of liquor, the infamous 21/21 that has led to many alcohol related deaths.

Because alcoholic beverages were a fundamental part of most people’s diet, people of all ages consumed large amounts of alcohol on a daily basis. Even the old who were poor had occasions to drink, especially during the rites, festivals and rituals that usually featured the consumption of alcoholic beverages.

Other examples of beverage related initiations worthy of note include the smashing of a bottle of champagne during the launching of ships; the three martini ‘power lunch’ that once served as the central point for business discussion and sealing deals; blessing of Holy Water sprayed over assembled worshippers; the preparation of eggnog and wassail bowls by Christian; the use of green food coloring to ‘spruce up’ beer on St. Patrick’s day and even the rituals associated with bathing in asses’ milk.

The rituals and devotional activities of ‘santeros’ of ‘Seven African Powers’ are primitive, bizarre affairs, often involving the consumption of beverages concocted from exotics herbs and roots, the use of incense, oils and foreign perfumes, drumming, dancing, trance inducement and animal sacrifices.

In Africa alcohol and cola are used for all types of rites and ceremonies. All significant life events and cycles of nature are celebrated with communal drinks. Alcohol also used in the settling disputes.

Alcohol has been a key element in state ritual and sacrifice, a primary aspect of institutional Confucianism since the Shang dynasty (1500-1050 BC).

It has also been important element in the rites of passage and social gathering and an event, helping nurtures the bonds between families, friends, and associates that marks Confucianism more diffuse aspects.
Beverages: rites and rituals