tyler jackson

The Bombing of Master Handan is a ritual done every year in conjunction with the Lantern Festival in Taiwan. Male community members voluntarily take on the role of Master Handan and endure barrages of fireworks from a lifted sedan chair in order to bring luck and prosperity to the community. What fascinates me about this and similar events that I attend is that they clearly function as ritualized ‘coming of age’ ceremonies or rites of passage. The pattern I often observe is male (mostly) community members facing dangerous or painful situations willingly in order to secure protection, blessing, or prosperity for themselves and their community. Younger members assist the participants until they are old enough and the elders determine who is ready and coordinate the event. Our ancestors who created many of our rituals understood, conscious or subconsciously, that rites of passage are necessary to move individuals through stages of life in a way that is psychologically and socially recognized. While we may think they’ve all disappeared, and in some cases they have to our detriment, there are still some around but aren’t explicitly labeled as such. Maybe it’s getting a drivers license, going to collage or hunting. Does your community have any rites of passage?

Exploding Hammer Festival in 🇲🇽

Behind an attack position during Rouketopolems (the "Rocket War") on the remote Greek island of Chios.

Inside a Correfoc or "fire run" dune throughout the Catalan region in Spain during major holidays. 'Devils' run through the crowd with exploding pitchforks. It symbolizes the fight between good and evil.