The Rebirth

Members of the Pagloan culture live life to the fullest. They inhabit the tropical islands of the Banarran archipelago, blessed with some of the most potent natural varieties of synad tree in existence. Each morning is greeted with a cheer of joy; each day closed with quiet thanks; but it is the annual ritual of the Rebirth that symbolizes Pagloan culture to the rest of Eilea. 
Beginning at their first birthday, each Pagloan makes a pilgrimage to the Rebirth island, really little more than an exaggerated outcropping of rock. Whether natural or shaped by primitive Pagloans, the Rebirth island is a line of basalt pillars running east west, each higher than the previous, with a beach on the north side and open water on the south.
On a birthday, the pilgrim arrives at the island and ascends to the platform of the year they are celebrating. They light a candle of beeswax and synad gum on the north side of the platform, then the fun begins. Children on their first or second birthday may be gently coaxed from the platform into the water on the south side. By year three all are thrown into the sea with zest and vigor by their family. At age 12 the celebrators are allowed to choose those who will toss them from the platform. At age 16, those of a more reserved nature may choose to jump from the platform, rather than be thrown, although this is rare as those who jump usually have to find a new circle of friends after depriving their previous friends of this cultural celebration.
The increase in height between the platforms varies, but on average each subsequent platform is a foot and a half higher than the previous year's platform. The north side of each platform is a frozen cascade of melted candles. The revered island is devoid of vandalism or the artwork that is otherwise common in Pagloan culture.
The Rebirth ritual very much captures the personality of the person celebrating their birthday. Many times the occasion is a time for meditation or quiet reflection alone on the platform before they call up those who will launch them into the sea. Other times the ritual is the culmination of a week long party, with the ascent being a raucous affair with the celebrant having to jump because no one else trusts themselves to remain upright and throw their friend into the sea at the same time. Often the Rebirth is the occasion of a major strategic change in a persons outlook or life goals. The Rebirth is deeply personal in that each makes it their own.
Pagloans have long been criticized for having one year old children jump into the sea, but the children are taught to swim long before their first birthday. Their are deaths each year. Some are two weak to fight the currents back to the beach. Some dive too deep and cannot surface fast enough. Some simply do not want to be reborn into another year and simply choose not to surface. Despite the criticisms and the deaths, the Pagloans hold the Rebirth to be their cultural touchstone - the freedom to choose is sacrosanct.