Menarche Ceremony

I didn't exactly have a ceremony really, but my mother made sure that we did celebrate it and she made it a very special event. I think the way she made it seem like a happy and blessed thing made it seem less frightening and strange. We spent two whole days together just the two of us, not even really talking about my period. She gently covered all the necessary information and emphasized how normal and natural it all was, even though it was kinda gross and uncomfortable. She gave me everything I needed to take care of myself, a necklace my great-grandfather had made for me, and a few other little gifts.

I never had a ceremony. I was so embarrassed there is no way I would have wanted anyone else to know about it. If I ever have a girl I would definitely not do a ceremony for her. Just because a girl gets her period doesn't make her a woman. Save celebrating for something important like birthdays or a wedding!

No, I did not have a Ceremony. And I'm 500% grateful that I didnt. I got my first period when I was 12, I was in the middle of Science class. The only person I told about getting my period was my older sister. The only reason I told her was so I could borrow a pad, and use her as a taxi to go to the pharmacy to buy pads for myself.

If my father had known I got my period he would have avoided eye contact with me for a month. If he had to give or sit through a "ceremony" about my period, his face would have turned blood red and he would have died of embarrasment.

A few years later when I was 16 and we were doing some summer travelling together, he made the mistake of asking why I kept "holding my stomach" one day, my resonse was to snap back in an evil tone "CRAMPS". He turned his head and walked away as fast as possible.

Young girls arent "proud" to get thier first period. Its scary, even if you've been well educated about it, its still an unknown experience. Dont embarrass girls more than they already are.

my ceremony was a Kinnalda-it's a navajo ceremony..i'm navajo so yuu get the idea but it was like a 4-5 ceremony but i had the short ceremony which lasted 2-3 days ...my uncle did the ceremony and any body else who wanted too help... i made my own cornmeal cake but the thing is the girl cannot eat the cake and must get up before the sun rises and run and after the sunsets and stay up the whole night of the ceremony along with the people as they sing and do the whole ceremony..
its up too the girl too have one i chose too.i would like my daughter too have one it's very interesting and cultural

I did not have a ceremony, and i'm glad that i didn't. My family doesn't talk about "private things" such as our sex lives, periods, or other "personal" information. When i did get my first period, i was visiting a friend's relatives in another state, and had to tell her mom. Thank goodness that it was light and only lasted a couple days.
if i have a girl, i think that i will ask her if she wants one. i know that a few cultures believe that a girl becomes a woman then, and i believe the same thing. I believe that when a girl is able become a mother, she is also able to become an adult.

My mom is all about celebrating the natural...so when I got my first period, I felt save enough to tell her right away. I was about 13 and at home. I woke to go to the rest room and realized it had started. At that time, it was just my mom, little sister and I living together. I woke my mom to tell her. She cried a lot, of course, which made me cry, too! The next day, she invited my aunt and grandma out for dinner and we five ladies all celebrated my menarche. I was terribly embarrassed at the time, but now know how important it is to *not* be! If I have daughters, I'll do the same for them...but perhaps minus all the crying!