TRACKS and Rights of Passage

The Man-Making book I'm working on is a call to adult men to make a difference in boy's lives. It asks men to listen to their hearts, and then find an action they can take in service to the young males around them. The TRACKS program out of New Zealand is another great example of what a few motivated me can create when they hear this call.

In early 2002 a small group of men, Bryan Hansen, Eric Spiekerman, and Jim Horton, sat down to brainstorm what they wanted to include in a Rites of Passage Program for boys. Out of that fire of passion and commitment to the next generation of males, came the powerful and life changing TRACKS program they have today.



To learn about their events, their "Child Protection and Duty of Care Policy," and see some photos that will warm your heart, visit the
TRACKS website. You can also contact them at info@tracks.net.nz.

Out of the TRACKS program, a similar Rites of Passage program for girls has evolved. It's called Tides. While obviously very from the boy's program, it's also moving girls along on a positive journey to womanhood. Check out TIDES here.

To learn more about the difference you might make in a boy's life, visit the Man-Making website.

Aboriginal Initiation

Every so often someone points me to site on the topic of aboriginal initiation. I love it when that happens. The more I'm involved in this work, the more powerful these ceremonies and rituals appear to me. I'm in awe how so called primative cultures got it so right and manage to deliver the perfect boy messages at just the right time in their lives. It inspires me to put out the call to men, to awaken them to the work that only they are uniquely prepared to do. There's little question the boys are waiting and hungry. I continue to believe that until me step into this work, a core piece of their mature masculine potential lies dormant. All male destinies are linked in these rituals.

This site contains photos of "Mandiwala" and "Djapi" rituals from Aboriginal initiation ceremonies from the Northern coast region of Australia.