For the Latino community the Quinceañera celebration is an important cultural event for every family. Many families work hard to accomplish their daughter's desire of celebrating her Quinceanera.

The young lady's presentation to society varies according to the customs in every country. People believe that it was originated when the Spaniards colonized what is now known as Mexico.

The Natives Celebrated their Young Ladies

Well before the Spaniards arrived in America, many tribes including the Inca, the Maya, the Toltec and the Aztec celebrated an initiation ceremony, just like many other cultures around the world do. Once they reached a certain age, the girls were separated from the boys in order to receive a different type of education-one that varied according to the indigenous group they belonged to. The preparation of the young ladies was based on the future role they would take as members of their family and community. Once the preparation was complete an initiation ceremony took place, a ceremony that took the form of an enormous celebration in many of the cultures.

Conversion to Christianity

When the Spaniards arrived in America, they brought and imposed other customs that were completely different from those of the Natives. Christianity was one of these customs, and it greatly influenced the initiation celebrations. This is how the conquerors took the indigenous initiation celebration and transformed it according to their European beliefs. The celebration at the altar before indigenous gods turned into a celebration at the Church's altar, and the traditional dance was replaced by the waltz. History holds that during the 19th Century Mexican emperor Maximilian and his wife Carlota incorporated to the celebration the waltz and European-style dresses.

The Celebration in Each Country

In countries from the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, the Quinceañera celebrations vary. For example, most of the South American countries do not have a religious celebration only the Quinceañera dance or reception. They do not require godparents. Instead, the family pays for the reception and the Quinceañera's attire. Another tradition they do not follow is the switching of the shoes and the exchange of the last doll.

What cannot be missing in any of these celebrations is the waltz performed by the Quinceañera's entire court-seven young ladies and seven gentlemen-, and in some cases military cadets participate in the ceremony. After the traditional waltz, they present other special dances. When they have finished with these dances, they continue with the toast and then the guests dance until midnight. In some other countries the reception starts at 9:00pm and the Quinceañera appears before midnight, while in other cases, she is presented before society precisely at midnight. Although the rituals vary by country and family origins, the objective remains the same: the celebration of a young lady entering a new stage in her life, the change from girlhood to adulthood and, with it, the advent of new responsibilities.

Article written by Quinceanera for Quinceanera.com, a complete guide for your Quinceanera with thousands of ideas to make it the best event of your life. QUINCEANERA