Fusing culture, community and faith to create a unique coming-of-age celebration
At the age of 15, having reached spiritual maturity, young Baha’is have the opportunity to reaffirm their faith in Baha’u’llah. With no prescribed ceremony for this moment, communities and Baha’is everywhere have the opportunity to mark this special occasion in their own unique way.
In Darwin, the community recently gathered to celebrate not only the reaffirmation of a young man named Bahji Obama Fehoko, but fused it together with a celebration of his Tongan culture.
The gathering also featured a formal recognition of all the town’s youngsters – weaving elements of culture, community and faith together to create a unique coming-of-age event.
… the importance of attaining spiritual maturity at the age of fifteen is that it marks that point in life at which the believer takes firmly into his own hands the responsibility for his spiritual destiny. At age fifteen, the individual has the privilege of affirming, in his own name, his faith in Baha’u’llah. For while the children of Baha’i parents are considered to be Baha’is, they do not automatically inherit the Faith of their parents. Therefore, when they come of age, they must, of their own volition, express their belief.
The Universal House of Justice 1
The Darwin Baha’i community’s children and youth have been the pivot of the town’s capacity-building process in recent years. With multiple children’s classes and a robust junior youth group, it was exciting to see the oldest child approach 15. And while every young person must make their own choice regarding their spiritual journey, the community was delighted when Bahji elected to reaffirm his faith.
Following his decision, Bahji’s parents, Toa and Afu Fehoko, shared their intent to create a celebration around his reaffirmation. They decided to fuse their Tongan cultural traditions around reaching maturity with a ceremony highlighting the significance of the occasion for Bahji as a Baha’i while also including the community’s youngsters in the festivities.
After careful planning and with the support of family, friends and the entire community, a very special event was hosted complete with limousine, outfit changes, cakes, tables of honour, speeches, joy, and plenty of dancing.
After Bahji was presented a traditionally carved key symbolising his growing maturity, and a Kitab-i-Aqdas (the central religious text of the Baha’i Faith), there was much applause along with more than a few tears.
With the ceremony largely done, it was time to celebrate all the kids and youth of the community. One by one they were called to the stage to receive certificates for their participation and completion in the year’s programs. Traditional Tongan leis were presented to each child, with more than a few ‘lolly leis’ – yes, they literally have lollies stitched in!
The following is a piece Bahji wrote and performed at his reaffirmation. We hope it provides your communities and young ones with inspiration as they too tread along their own spiritual path in search of meaning and purpose.
As I gaze toward the future, I anticipate,
Bahji Obama Fehoko
With a foundation so strong, I didn’t hesitate,
“O Man of Two Visions!” those words do inspire,
One eye on the world, one on a vision higher.
The future awaits with its mysteries untold,
But with this foundation, I’ll be bold,
To face what comes, to embrace what’s to be,
With love, unity, and peace, my destiny.
- Universal House of Justice 11 April 1985[↩]
Thanks for reading.
Subscribe
Darwin
The Top End Baha'i community includes Darwin and Palmerston communities, is home to many diverse multicultural neighbourhoods, and is part of traditional Larrakia country.
Published in March, 2024, in Community Stories > Reflections
Available online at: horizons.bahai.org.au/community-stories/fusing-culture-community-and-faith-to-create-a-coming-of-age-celebration/
Related Stories
Young people produce new film inspired by junior youth text
A group of friends in Townsville in northern Queensland have produced a film based on the Junior Youth Spiritual Empowerment Program text Glimmerings of Hope. The following are some ...
Uniting a community through an inclusive family festival devoted to giving
The community of Armadale, in the south-east of Perth, recently decided to host a special Ayyam-i-Ha festival engaging entire families in a celebratory event devoted to the theme of generosity. ...
Marching towards a better future for all humanity
Up in Darwin, the Baha’i Fast starts a little differently. Amid soaring wet-season temperatures and humidity that makes you sweat in ways you never knew you could, the community makes the ...
Using camps to build capacity
Institute camps in Western Australia’s south-west are helping individuals to build capacity and spurring them into the field of action. Launched in 2021, the first camps were held at a ...
Social action initiatives thrive in Mosman Park
Community members in Mosman Park are working hard to tackle issues of isolation and loneliness, supporting one another through initiatives that aim to connect neighbours, the elderly, young and ...
Tarneit’s young people soar towards building of vibrant communities
Prisha Nayak believes it is by nurturing and guiding young people that she can contribute to the betterment of the world. “My goal is to instill in them the virtues that will inspire others ...