A Breif History of the Quinceanera

History



"La Quinceanera"
The tradition of the quinceanera comes from ancient Mexican society. The origin of the quinceanera can be traced back to the Aztecs about 500 B.C.

Purpose: Fifteen was the age at which boys became warriors and girls were also presented to the community because they were looked upon as the vital force of the tribe and its future since they had the power to become mothers and to give future warriors to the tribe. The fifteen-year old Aztec girl was exhorted and instructed by the King in the duties of womanhood, and the funeral honors for an Aztec woman who died in childbirth were the some as those for a warrior who fell in battle.

In Mexican society, the quinceanera evolved into a rite of social initiation intended to teach and to reinforce important cultural values.

In modern times a quinceanera is celebrated to acknowledge a young maiden's passage into womanhood. The ceremony is a reaffirmation of the baptismal vows made by her parents.