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 Quinceañera (sometimes called Fiesta Quinceañera, or simply quinces) is the celebration of a girl’s fifteenth birthday in parts of Latin America and elsewhere in immigrant communities from Latin America. This birthday is celebrated differently from any other birthday, as it marks the transition from childhood to womanhood. The celebration, however, varies significantly across countries, with celebrations in some countries taking on, for example, more religious overtones than in others.
The celebration of “Los Quince Años” has several origins. Most probable, it originates from the pre-Columbian cultures. Puberty rites of the Mayan and Aztecs introduced women into adult life and prepared them for household responsibilities. When approaching the fifteenth year, young women leave the family to attend the school known as Telpochcalli, where they learned the history and traditions of their culture and prepared themselves for marriage. Where in then, they returned to their community to celebrate their Quinceañera.
With the conquest of the Spaniards, the Aztec and Mayan practices changed to fit the newly arrived culture. The celebration of Catholic mass was added. The most important part of many quinceañeras is the church celebration. The quinceañera gives thanks to God for her childhood blessings and requests guidance for the future. In many parishes, the ritual of presentation of the young person includes a courtship. A young girl walks down the aisle with a heart shaped pillow carrying a crown, while a boy carries another pillow with a miniature set of heels.
In the 19th century, the emperor of Mexico, Maximiliano and his wife, Carlota, introduced the Waltz and the dresses. Today, these customs are still present. On her grand day, the quinceañera wears a very elegant dress, generally white, bright or pastel colors and a crown. For the first time, her father helps her change her shoes to heels, symbolizing the transformation from girl to young lady.
After the mass, the celebration begins with the rhythms of the Waltz. Swaying to the 1,2,3 of the Waltz, the girl and her father open the dance. Then, the quinceañera dances a choreographed number with a court of up to fifteen boys and/or girls. This dance culminates in a bouquet of fifteen roses, all of which were given to the girl during the Waltz.
The social festivities of “Los Quince Años” can range in budget. Several family members or friends will subsidize the budget with donations to the family. The family or friends are then titled “padrinos” or godparents to the young lady, creating a feeling of honor. Nevertheless, the tradition of “los quince” goes much more beyond the details of the celebration, the dress, the crown, Waltz and the gifts. Her parents have now given her new privileges and responsibilities in her personal life as well as her social life.
The celebration of “Los Quince Años” in the United States
The celebration became popular in the United States first during the 1930’s and has been compared with the American custom of "sweet sixteen”; both introduce the young girl to society. The quinceañera is becoming more and more popular in the United States, producing a sense of excitement for girls reaching their 15th year. In 2004, the Conference of Catholic Bishops of the United States approved a specific liturgy for this celebration, during which the young girl presents herself before the parochial community as an adult and receives a blessing that includes - according to the text of the bishops “the commitment of the quinceañera with God and the Virgin Mary to live her life in agreement with the lessons of Christ”. The celebration of the quinceañera is not limited to Catholics, but it is common in Christian churches.
“Los Quince Años” celebration in Mexico
Traditionally, this was the first time she would wear makeup, but more recently this is no longer the case. Mexican girls cannot dance in public until they are fifteen except at school dances or at family events. Thus, the quinceañera Waltz with the chambelanes is the girl's first ever public dance. The culminating point of this celebration, in Mexico, is an orchestra of mariachis dressed in the typical charro suit at the young girl’s window. She is awakened to a popular song called “Las Mañanitas.” Mariachi music has an indigenous origin and is mixed with mestizo music, representing the culture, the folklore and joy for Mexicans. The traditional song sung at the time of the cake cutting is “My Pretty Girl”. During this song, the mariachi will place his hat on the girl’s head.
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