Situation: Ceremonial Situation

Hi, welcome to the twenty ninth day of The Leads Intellectual challenge: a 30-day challenge with Fatai Kareem. If you would like to know more about fundamental situation, read the twenty eighth day challenge here.

Today, he will be discussing another type of situation known as ceremonial situation. Why do you organise a party? Why do you celebrate your birthday? How does New Year's Eve affects people? How does cultural or religious belief influence people towards performing some rites, festival or ceremony?

Well, understanding ceremonial situation will enable you to know how culture, religion, organisation or events influence people towards performing rites, festival, ceremony or celebration. What is ceremonial situation?

Ceremonial situation is a situation that occurs when a condition leads to performing a rite, ceremony, celebration or festival. This is a situation that has to do with an occasion or event which involves a rite, festival, ceremony or celebration. This can occur to express grievance over an unfavourable situation, celebrate a success or joyful occasion, or hold in remembrance of an important event or person. Each occasion has its own style or mode of conduct or behaviour.

This situation can occur due to social, cultural, religious, traditional, organisational, or constitutional construct which has established the essence of putting such a situation in place when some things that necessitate its performance occurs. This can be done in form of a party, ceremony, event, holiday, celebration or feast. And there is a manner by which it is expected to be organised and performed. This can have some implications on those affected by the situation. These implications are due to some costs that maybe incurred when the situation is perceived, or it occurs. These implications can be economical, social, physical, etc. For instance, when New Year's Eve is about to occur, some people buy clothes, food and some items and also visit their relatives or organise a party to celebrate this day. This usually involves spending money, engaging with other people, and carrying out some activities such as cooking, decorating of the house, cleaning of the surrounding, etc. For some people who strongly desire to do these things, but are unable to do so, they may feel sad, depressed or frustrated.

This situation can also occur due to the need to drive away bad luck, trouble or problem from a person or community. It can also occur to draw good luck to a person or a community. This maybe due to a cultural, religious or traditional belief associated to an event or condition. Hence, once this event takes place or this condition occurs, this situation has to be put in place by those affected.  

This situation can be a recurring situation such that it has a specific or established time for its occurrence. Prior to this time, preparation could be done to create memorable or meaningful occasion when it occurs. This may involve buying of some items, cleaning of environment, decoration, organising a party, etc, as the case maybe. At the actual time, special characters and events maybe held in honour of this situation. This can be in form of festival, party,  ceremony, celebration, rite or feast. Example of this situation include yam festival, New Year's Eve, Ramadan festival, Mother's day, Independence day, etc. It can also occur just once in your lifetime such as your naming ceremony, funeral ceremony, etc. And this can be celebrated as an anniversary in subsequent years. 

A strong meaning is usually attached to this kind of situation, which makes it to involve performing a rite, ceremony, celebration or festival. It is this meaning that makes people to see it as a necessity to do something that will express the importance of its occurrence. In case it is a shared value, a group of people may come together to organise an event that will express this value based on their norms. At times, holiday or break maybe given to the people in honour of the event.

Case study

1. July 4 is the independence day of ABYXZ. On that day, Saw needs to get some things done at the bank. On getting to the bank, he finds out that it is not open. What could have made the bank to be closed?  

2. Haus comes from a family background that requires the fiance to be flogged before he can marry their lady. This has to be done as an elaborate occasion. If Charles wants to marry Haus, how is the ceremonial situation likely to be?

Do you find this challenge helpful? Share with family and friends. It maybe helpful to them as well.